Psychology A2 - cognitive

Question 1

cognitive approach

Answer 1

-decision to engage in behaviours, provide relief from stress or mitigate impacts of other health problems
-assumption that irrational beliefs contribute to development and maintenance of unhealthy behaviours

Question 2

mitigating/reducing other health problems

Answer 2

-health - related decisions = health- protective
-engage in certain behaviours to reduce impact of other health issues —> diets, exercise, medication

Question 2

relief from stress, anxiety and boredom: smoking

Answer 2

-find smoking relaxing/anxiety-reducing, biomedical effects of nicotine
-smoking = self-medication
-alleviate negative feelings

Question 3

cognitive dissonance

Answer 3

-disagreement with yourself when faced with options
-example, aware of health effects of smoking, like the feeling
-reducing it
–> rejecting conflicting info
–> persuading and justifying
–> reconciling differences

Question 4

professional biases

Answer 4

-healthcare professionals = make diagnosis’ and treatments
-racial bias and gender bias

Question 5

chapman et al (2013)

Answer 5

-result of such biases is that a diagnosis is likely to be less accurate, fewer treatments discussed, time spent talking = shorter

Question 6

lead to positive health related decisions
(evaluation)

Answer 6

-cognitive dissonance used to change behaviour
-bias = reduced, health professionals encouraged to see clients as individuals
-professional biases identified and removed

Question 7

Research support, cognitive dissonance
(evaluation)

Answer 7

-can be used to deliberately change behaviour
-Simmons and Brandon (2007) used dissonance to change smoking-related behaviours

Question 8

Bias can be reduced
(evaluation)

Answer 8

-health professionals encouraged to see clients as individuals not as members of groups
-professional biases can be identified and removed, all clients can get suitable treatment