PASS Health Related Behaviour

Question 1

What are health related behaviours?

Answer 1

Any behaviour that might improve good health or lead to illness

Question 2

What are the two types of health related behaviours?

Answer 2

Risks - smoking, drinking, drug use
Health promoting - exercise, healthy diet, safe sex, STI screening

Question 3

Learning theories

Answer 3

How we learn behaviours as a result of making associations-often unconscious

Question 4

What are the 3 learning theories of health related behaviours

Answer 4

• Classical conditioning - associations between stimuli
• Operant conditioning - associations between behaviour and its consequences
• Social learning theory - behaviours modelled on others

Question 5

Outline classical conditioning

Answer 5

• Learning by associations between stimuli
• Cues can be emotional or environmental

e.g. disulfuram to treat alcohol misuse

Question 6

Outline operant conditioning

Answer 6

• Behaviour is shaped by consequences
• Reinforced by rewards
• Decreased by punishment

Question 7

Outline social learning theory

Answer 7

• How people learn from people around them
• Influence from family, peers, celebrities etc.

Question 8

Limitations of classical and operant conditions

Answer 8

Based on simple stimulus response associations
Don’t take into account: - social context
- knowledge
- cognitive processes
- beliefs
- memory
- attitudes
- expectations

Question 9

What are the 3 social cognition models of health related behaviour?

Answer 9

Cognitive dissonance theory
Health belief model
Theory of planned behaviour

Question 10

Outline cognitive dissonance theory

Answer 10

Relates to the discomfort felt when actions don’t match our beliefs&raquo_space; change in behaviour to reduce discomfort

e.g. warning of cigarette packets

Question 11

Outline the health belief model

Answer 11

Beliefs about health threat:
- perceived susceptibility
- perceived severity

Beliefs about health related behaviours:
- perceived benefits
- perceived barriers

Weighed up when faced with cue to action

e.g. wearing a condom

Question 12

Outline the theory of planned behaviour

Answer 12

The likelihood of an individual engaging in a health behaviour relates to the stretch of their intentions to engage in the behaviours

• attitudes towards the behaviour
• subjective norm - other people’s attitudes towards it
• perceived control

Question 13

Outline the COM-B model

Answer 13

3 key factors required for a behavioural change to be effective

• Capability - knowledge, skill, stigma
• Motivation - reflective, desires, impulses
• Oportunity - time, resources, cues