Predicting Health Behaviour

Question 1

What are the big 5 personality traits according to McCrae & Costa (1987)?

Answer 1

Neuroticism
Extraversion
Openness
Agreeableness
Conscientiousness

Question 2

What personal factors influence health behaviour?

Answer 2

Personality traits
Attitudes
Locus of control
Unrealistic optimism

Question 3

What 3 parts are attitudes made up of?

Answer 3

• Cognition: Beliefs about the attitude-object
• Emotional: Feelings towards the attitude-object
• Behavioural: Intended action towards the attitude-object

Question 4

What are the 3 dimensions identified by the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale?

Answer 4

• Internal: Individuals see themselves as the prime determinant of their health state
• External: External forces such as luck or fate are seen to determine an individual’s health state
• Powerful others: Health state is determined by the actions of others, e.g. medical professionals

Question 5

What are the 4 factors associated with unrealistic optimism?

Answer 5

• Lack of personal experience with the behaviour/problem
• Belief that their individual actions can prevent the problem
• Belief that if the problem has not emerged already it is unlikely to do so in the future
• Belief that the problem is rare

Question 6

What is an example of humans being inconsistent in their health behaviours?

Answer 6

People who exercise also smoke

Question 7

What does the Health Belief Model propose?

Answer 7

The possibility that a person will engage in a particular health behaviour depends on demographic variables and a variety of beliefs that might arise after a particular internal or external cue to action

Question 8

What 3 elements of the health belief model contribute to likelihood of the behaviour?

Answer 8

Perceived benefits
Cues to action
Health motivation

Question 9

What are the 2 elements of perception of threat?

Answer 9

Perceived severity

Perceived susceptibility

Question 10

What are the 2 elements of behavioural evaluation?

Answer 10

Perceived benefits (of change)
Perceived barriers (to change)

Question 11

What are examples of internal and external cues to action?

Answer 11

External: I’m worried about something I saw on TV about obesity
Internal: I feel tired from walking, maybe I should think about dieting

Question 12

Why does the HBM only provide a limited account of human action?

Answer 12

Because its components only account for a small proportion of variance in behaviour change and the role of social norms and influence have been ignored

Question 13

What does the Theory of Reasoned Action assume?

Answer 13

• Individuals behave in a goal-directed manner

- Implications of actions (outcome expectancies) are weighed up in a rational manner

Question 14

What does the Theory of Reasoned Action aim to explore & develop?

Answer 14

The psychological processes involved in making a link between attitude and behaviour

Question 15

Why was the TRA model extended to include the concept of perceived behavioural control (becoming known as the TPB)?

Answer 15

To improve its ability to address non-volitional behaviour (behaviour that is not under a person’s control)

Question 16

What is perceived behavioural control?

Answer 16

A person’s belief that they have control over their behaviour in certain situations, even in the face of barriers

Question 17

What does perceived behaviour control directly and indirectly influence?

Answer 17

Directly: person’s intention
Indirectly: behaviour

Question 18

What are some other variables that may add to a person’s intention and subsequent behaviour?

Answer 18

• Moral norms: Some intentions/behaviours may be partially motivated by moral norms
• Anticipatory regret: If certain behavioural decisions are made/not made
• Self-identity: How one perceives/labels themself may influence intention
• Implementation intention: Part of the process involved in turning an intention into an action
• Self-efficacy beliefs may be more strongly associated with behaviour than perceived behaviour control beliefs

Question 19

What do stage of change models consider?

Answer 19

Individuals as being at discrete ordered stages, with each stage representing a greater inclination to a change outcome

Question 20

What are the 4 properties of stage models?

Answer 20

• Classification system to define stages
• Ordering of stages
• Common barriers to change facing people within the same stage
• Different barriers to change facing people in different stages

Question 21

Why was the Transtheoretical model developed?

Answer 21

To address intentional behaviour change and was initially applied to smoking cessation

Question 22

What are the 2 main assumptions of the Transtheoretical model?

Answer 22

• People move through stages of change

- The processes involved at each stage are different

Question 23

What are the 5 stages of motivational readiness outlined by the Transtheoretical model?

Answer 23

• Pre-contemplation: No intention to change
• Contemplation: Awareness of need for change, but no plan for action
• Preparation: Setting goals, making plans
• Action: Behaviour change
• Maintenance

Question 24

What are the 2 less common additional stages of the Transtheoretical model?

Answer 24

• Termination: Person feels no temptation to lapse, belief in self-efficacy to maintain the change
• Relapse: Returning to former behaviour/previous stage, can occur at any stage

Question 25

Why is the Transtheoretical model sometimes referred to as a spiral model?

Answer 25

It allows movement from one stage to another (forwards or backwards, with or without relapse)

Question 26

What are the psychological processes involves with each stage of the Transtheoretical model?

Answer 26

• Pre-contemplation: Denial, low self-efficacy, more barriers
• Contemplation: Seeking information, reduced barriers, increased benefits
• Preparation: Goal setting, motivation, self-efficacy
• Action: Realistic goal setting, social support
• Maintenance: Self-monitoring, reinforcement

Question 27

Why was the Precaution Adoption Process Model developed?

Answer 27

As a framework for understanding deliberate actions taken to decrease health risks

Question 28

What are the 7 stages of the PAPM?

Answer 28

• Unaware of issue
• Unengaged (unrealistic optimism)
• Considering whether to act
• Deciding not to act
• Deciding to act
• Action
• Maintenance

Question 29

Why was the Health Action Process Approach model developed?

Answer 29

To apply to all health-compromising and health-enhancing behaviours

Question 30

What does the HAPA model suggest?

Answer 30

The adoption, initiation and maintenance of health behaviour must be explicitly viewed as a process that comprises at least a preintentional motivation phase and a post-intention volition phase

Question 31

What does the motivation phase of the HAPA model involve?

Answer 31

• Self efficacy
• Outcome expectancies
• Risk perception (severity/suceptibility)
• Imagining successful outcomes, being confident in ability to achieve them

Question 32

What does the volition phase of the HAPA model involve?

Answer 32

• Action planning
• Implementation/intentions
• Maintenance