Psychological Perspectives on Health

Question 1

What is psychology?

Answer 1

Psychology (Ⲯ): Formal study of the mind and behaviour.
Conclusions are based on systematic observation and experiment

Question 2

Give Matarazzo’s definition for health psychology

Answer 2

Health psychology is concerned w all aspects of health across the lifespan.
Devoted to understanding the psychological influences on health & illness and people’s behaviours in response to illness.
It has a role in prevention, consequences of illness and treatment (e.g. psychological therapy like counselling)

Question 3

Outline the 2 models of health and illness

Answer 3

Biomedical model: Health and illness can be explained purely by disturbances in physiological processes (e.g. resulting from injury or biochemical imbalances)- a limiting model
Biopsychosocial model: Health and illness affect and are affected by physiological, psychological (e.g. coping mechanisms) and social factors (e.g. social norms). Mind and body cannot be distinguished in illness and health