Psychology Flashcards
What are some features of the biopsychosocial model?
• The idea that the biological, psychological & social aspects are all linked:
- bio- physiology, genetics, pathogens
- psycho- cognition, emotion, behaviour
- social- social class, employment, social support etc.
• See patients as real people
• Causal influence of thoughts, feelings, motivation & behaviour on health and illness
o Diagnosis & treatment (adherence)
• Doctors have a role in changing health behaviour e.g. smoking cessation
• Doctors have to see people with mental health problems
• Important to understand feelings & emotions e.g. reactions to diagnosis & coping with illness
What are some features of the biomedical model?
• Traditionally medicine is not interested in the psychological or social factors
• Biomedical model dominant in Western medicine:
o Illness understood in terms of biological & physiological processes
o Treatment involves physical intervention – drugs and surgery
Define psychology
The science of how people think, feel and behave
Define health psychology
Application of psychology (the science of how people think feel and behave) to health
Explain what a stereotype is
THINK
How we store memories and organise knowledge- cognitive model of psychology
Knowledge stored as mental representations- organised in schemata
Generalisations we make about specific social groups and members of those groups
Overlooks individuality
Saves processing power; makes the environment more predictable, allows anticipation and avoids information overload
What are some advantages of stereotyping?
Saves processing power
Makes the environment more predictable
Allows anticipation
Avoids information overload
Explain what prejudice is
FEEL Attitudes Prejudgment based on NEGATIVE stereotypes Emotional response to a stereotype Evaluative and effective
Explain what discrimination is
BEHAVE
Behaving differently with people from different groups because of their group membership
When are we more likely to rely on stereotypes?
When we are under time pressure, fatigued, or suffering from information overload - to save processing power
How do we overcome stereotyping?
Get to know members of other groups
Challenge negative stereotypes
Reflective practice
What two aspects of a human are looked at when assessing ageing?
Intellect
Personality
How is intellect measured?
IQ
What is cross sectional intellect?
Emphasised gradual linear decline IQ thoughout adult life, accelerating after age 70
What are some methodological issues in studying and comparing intellectual function over the human lifespan (as in with cross sectional studies)?
Comparing groups of different ages cross sectionally
Changes overtime within individuals
Cohort effects- numeracy and literacy skills
Validity of measures
How are longitudinal studies regarding ageing better than cross sectional studies?
More valid
Less pessimistic
Describe longitudinal studies of intellect
Following several groups over a period of time
Assessing verbal meaning, verbal fluency, inductive reasoning, numeracy and special orientation
Decline does not occur at the same rate in all areas
What is the most age sensitive component of intelligence?
Processing speed and problem solving
I.e. Fluid intelligence
Myth that ALL old people suffer from fundamental intellectual decline
What is crystallised intelligence?
Highly learnt skills
General knowledge
What is fluid intelligence?
Problem solving without prior training or exposure
What is the relevance of memory wrt ageing?
Gets worse with age
Different aspects if memory behave differently
Effects of diseases - Alzheimer’s, dementia
Link personality to ageing
Families in old age- empty nest phenomenon, grandparenthood, changing patterns of family contact, importance of friendships
Work and retirement- historical perspective, loss of manifest and latent rewards of paid work, unemployment vs retirement, social networking
Death and bereavement- reluctance to acknowledge mortality, often more common or different
Does getting old change your personality or does gradual throughout life development in personality eventually correspond to the social construct of an old person?
What are the three models related to personality and ageing? Expand on them
Developmental model
- different emotional conflicts are assessed at different stages in life
- -> young adult life - intimacy vs. isolation
- -> mid adult life - generation vs. stagnation
- -> old age - integrity vs. despair
Trait model
- personality described in terms of constituent traits
- cross sectional - different distribution of traits at different ages
- longitudinal - stability of traits within an individual over time
Social adjustment of ‘successful’ ageing
- disengagement model - disengagement from social involvements as an adaptive mechanism
- activity model - successful ageing require maximal engagement in aka areas of life
What is health related behaviour?
Anything that may promote good health or lead to illness
What are the learning theories and social cognition models associated with health related behaviour?
• Learning theories:
o Classical conditioning - association with other stimuli (behaviour becomes habit)
o Operant conditioning – behaviour reinforced by rewards and punishments
o Social learning theory – observe others’ behaviour and see what’s rewarded and punished
• Social Cognition Models:
o Health Belief model
o Theory of planned behaviour
Describe classical conditioning
Association with other stimuli- behaviour becomes habit
• Pavlovian Conditioning – force of habit
o ‘Pavlov’s Dogs’ example of this
• Many physical responses can become classically conditioned
o Anticipatory nausea in chemotherapy
o Phobias e.g. fear of hospitals
• Unconsciously paired with the environment or emotions
Describe operant conditioning
Behaviour reinforced by rewards or punishments
• People (or animals) act on the environment & behaviour is shaped by the consequences e.g. reward or punishment
o Behaviour reinforced (increased) if it is rewarded or punishment is removed
o Behaviour decreases if it is punished or the reward is removed
• Unhealthy behaviours are often immediately rewarding & driven by the short term
Describe the social learning theory
Observe others behaviours and see what is rewarded and punished
People can lean vicariously i.e. observation/modelling
• Behaviour is focused on desired goals/outcomes
• People are motivated to perform behaviours that are valued or they believe that they can re-enact
• Modelling is more effective if models are high status or “like us” (value/ability)
o Family or celebrities play important part here
What do social cognition models focus on?
Focus on cognitive factors in health-related behaviour – knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, expectations etc.
What is the health belief model?
Social cognitive model
Beliefs about health threat- perceived SUSCEPTIBILITY and SEVERITY
Beliefs about health related behaviour- perceived BENEFITS and ACTION
Cues to action
What are some limitations of the health belief model?
o Rationale and reasoning – often consequences are only thought about after the action
o Decisions – habit, conditioned behaviour, coercion
o Emotional factors – fear
o Incomplete – self-efficacy, broader social factors
What is the theory of planned behaviour?
Social cognitive model
Belief about outcomes/ evaluation of outcomes –> attitude towards behaviour –> intention –> behaviour
Normative beliefs/ motivation to comply –> subjective norm –> intention –> behaviour
Individual control barriers/ facilitators –> perceived control —> intention –> behaviour (can bypass intention and go straight to behaviour)
What are some limitations of the theory of planned behaviour?
• TPB – good predictor of intentions, but poor predictor of behaviour
o Problem is translating the intentions into a behaviour; not a certainty to happen
o Concrete plans of action
How are changes in health related behaviour modelled?
Stages of change model (Transtheoretical model)
Describe the stages in change (Transtheoretical) model
Stages of Change (Transtheoretical) Model
• The way people think about health behaviours and willingness to change their behaviour – are not static
• Stages of change model – 5 stages which people may pass through over time in decision making/change
• Different cognitions may be important determinants of health behaviour at different times
- Pre-contemplation – “I’m a smoker and not worried about it”
- Contemplation – “Been coughing recently. Maybe it’s the smoking?”
- Preparation – “I’ll try to cut down gradually until I quit”
- Action – “I am smoking 1 cig per day less that the day before, until I get down to zero”
- Maintenance – “I’ve not smoked for 3months”
- Relapse – “Just having the off cigarette won’t hurt – ill cut back again (? cycle back to 3. Preparation stage)
Intervention must be appropriate to the stage the person is at
Why is relapse in the stages of change model not viewed as a bad thing?
• Relapse is not an end stage, but a natural part of the process of changing behaviour
o Not a reason to ‘give up giving up’
o Prevent ‘lapse’ becoming relapse
o Stages of Change is a cycle and relapse is normal
• Identify and avoid high risk situations
• Improve coping skills, ‘road map’, written instructions
What are some strategies of changing health related behaviour?
- Information – health education, health promotion
- Behavioural skills and resources e.g. smoking cessation programmes, exercise advice
- Incentives to change e.g. financial incentives
- Motivational interviewing
What is motivational interviewing?
• Motivational interviewing is a client-centred, directive method for enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence
• Aims to elicit patient’s own arguments for change
• Increase internal motivation: shift towards being more ready/willing/able to change
• Particularly helpful with people who are ‘precontemplative’ or ‘contemplative’
• Set of tools to help you as practitioners work with patients to change health behaviour e.g. drinking, diet, smoking
1. Express empathy
2. Develop discrepancy
3. Roll with resistance
4. Support self-efficacy
What is compliance?
Extent to which the patient complies with medical advice
What is adherence?
Extent to which patient behaviour coincides with medical advice
Similar to compliance, normally used interchangeably
What is concordance?
Negotiation between the patient and doctor over treatment regimes
Implies the patient is active and in partnership with the doctor
Patient’s beliefs and priorities are respected and decisions are shared
Trying to be incorporated into clinical practice more and more
What is Leys model of compliance?
Understanding–> compliance
Understanding –> satisfaction –> compliance
Memory –> compliance
Memory –> satisfaction –> compliance
What is unintentional non adherence?
• Unintentional non-adherence
o Capacity and resource limitations e.g.
• Individual constraints – memory, understanding, dexterity
• Aspects of the environment – problems accessing prescriptions, competing demands, lack of social support
What is intentional non adherence?
o Beliefs, attitudes and expectations e.g.
• Beliefs about susceptibility/severity
• Costs/benefits e.g. side effects
• Other options e.g. complementary therapy
• Poor doctor-patient relationship/lack of trust
• Maintain a sense of control
• Stigma/avoid labelling as a ‘patient’
How may concordance lead to better adherence?
• Concordance may lead to better adherence because:
o Patient is involved in, and has shared ownership of, decisions about treatment
o Patients’ beliefs, expectations, lifestyle and priorities can be taken into account
o Barriers to adherence e.g. practical or informational can be addressed
o Promotes patient trust and satisfaction with care which makes adherence more likely
Expand on the multidimensional model of adherence
Contributing factors
- illness/ disease factors -symptoms and severity
- treatment factors- preparation, immediate character, administration, consequences
- patient factors- understanding and recall, beliefs
- psychosocial factors- social context, psychological health, social support
- healthcare factors- setting, doctor patient interaction
What are some tensions in concordance?
Between evidence based medicine and patient choice
Between individual rights (e.g. Patient autonomy) and responsibilities
Concordance does not address medicine taking
Describe the fight or flight response to a stressful event
Increased oxygen availability - breathing and haematocrit
Enhance mental functioning- sensory awareness and alertness
Increased fuel availability- liberation of glucose, protein breakdown and insulin resistance (increases blood sugar)
Conservation of energy resources- digestive system, sexual response
Preparation for tissue damage/ fatigue- fuel conservation, blood clotting, endogenous analgesia, immune and inflammatory response
Enhance physiological functioning- cardiac output, BP sweating, muscle responsiveness
What chemical usually triggers the fight or flight response?
Catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline)
What does the general adaptation syndrome refer to wrt stress?
Long term stress response is damaging-
Alarm- resistance- exhaustion