Session 3: Health Related Behaviours Flashcards
Define Health realted behaviours
Anything that may promote good health or lead to illness - e.g : smoking , drinking , exercise
Describe the range of psychological models of health-related behaviour - Learning theories (classical conditioning, operant conditioning, social learning theory)
Describe psychological models of health-related behaviour, and apply them appropriately in explaining why people engage in particular health behaviours
These theories look at how we learn behaviours as a result of making (often unconscious) associations.
We perform a behaviour and it can be reinforced through being associated with sensations, experiences, or outcomes.
Classical conditioning :
- learning by association
- Cues may be (sights, smells, location, people
signal expectation of drug/alcohol ) & emotional (e.g. anxiety)
- Cues with connection to using drugs/alcohol can trigger
behaviour & lead to relapse when quitting.
-We can use this change health behaviour by changing the association with cues e.g pair alcohol with medication to induce nausea.
Operant conditioning :
People/animals act on the environment and behaviour is shaped by the consequences (reward or punishment)
* Behaviour increases if it is reinforced - Rewards (positive reinforcement) & A ‘punishment’ is removed (negative
reinforcement)
* Behaviour decreases if it is punished - Negative/unpleasant consequences & a reward is taken away.
Limitations of conditioning theories - Classical and operant conditioning based on simple stimulus-response associations, No account of cognitive processes, knowledge, beliefs,
memory, attitudes, expectations etc., No account of social context.
Social learning theory :
People can learn through observation (modelling) & vicarious reinforcement
Bandura and the Bobo Doll experiments
Behaviour is goal-directed
People are motivated to perform behaviours - that are valued (lead to rewards) & that they believe they can enact (self-efficacy)
We learn what behaviours are rewarded, and how likely
It is we can perform behaviour, from observing others
Modelling more effective if models high status or ‘like us’
(value/ability)
Influence of family, peers, mediafigures, celebrities as role models
* Harmful behaviours e.g. drinking,drug use, unsafe sex
Describe the range of psychological models of health-related behaviour - Social cognition models (cognitive dissonance, theory of planned behaviour, health belief model)
Diagrams - session 3 lecture slide 28 & 29
Describe psychological models of health-related behaviour, and apply them appropriately in explaining why people engage in particular health behaviours
These theories look at how we decide to behave in
particular ways.
Social cognition models look at how people think, feel
and reason about their behaviours.
Cognitive dissonance theory - Festinger (1957)
* Discomfort when we hold inconsistent beliefs or
behaviours/events don’t match beliefs
* Reduce discomfort by changing beliefs or behaviour
* Health promotion - providing health information (usually uncomfortable) creates mental discomfort and can prompt change in behaviour.
Health Belief Model - Becker (1974)
Health-related behaviour is a result of :
Beliefs about health threat - Perceived susceptibility & Perceived severity
Beliefs about health-related behaviour - Perceived benefits & Perceived barriers
Cues to action
Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) - Ajzen (1991)
Health-related behaviour is a result of - Attitude towards behaviour , Subjective norms & Perceived behavioural control - all combine to form the intention of the person to engage
This is only a good predictor of intention, not behaviour itself.
Apply these different models appropriately in explaining why people engage in particular health behaviours
Describe psychological models of health-related behaviour, and apply them appropriately in explaining why people engage in particular health behaviours
To promote healthy behaviours
Identify theory based approaches to encouraging behaviour change, drawing on the range of models
Describe psychological models of health-related behaviour, and apply them appropriately in explaining why people engage in particular health behaviours
Describe the three key factors that impact on behaviour change (C,O,M)
Describe an integrated psychological model of behaviour change (COM-B)
Capability - physical & psychological ability to enact the behaviour - knowledge ,skill, strength , stamina
Motivation - Reflective & automatic motivation - plans, evaluations, desires & impulses
Physical & social opportunity - time, resources,environment, social support
Apply these to explaining patient health related behaviour
Describe an integrated psychological model of behaviour change (COM-B)
Key influences on behaviour e.g - condom use
Psychological capability ( knowledge ) - e.g- risks of STDs / condom size & types
Motivation (beleifs of consequences ) - e.g - impact on pleasure
Describe interventions to promote behaviour change grounded in the COM-B model
COM-B model is in the centre of behaviour change wheel
Describe an integrated psychological model of behaviour change (COM-B)
9 intervention strategies that are evidence based & linked to COM
Education - Psycholigcal capability, Reflective motivation
Persuasion - Automatic motivation ,Reflective motivation
Incentivisation - Automatic motivation ,Reflective motivation
Coercion - Automatic motivation ,Reflective motivation
Training -Physical capability , Psycholigcal capability,Physical opportunity, Automatic motivation
Restriction - Physical opportunity, social opportunity
Environmental restructuring - Physical opportunity , social opportunity , Automatic motivation
Modelling - Social opportunity , Automatic motivation
Enablemen - Physical capability , Psychological capability,
Physical opportunity , social opportunity , Automatic motivation
Describe the key principles of nudge theory
- Focus on unconscious influences on behaviour
- Change behaviour by changing the environment, using positive reinforcement, using messaging and indirect suggestions.
- Nudge theory is based on the idea that about 80% of human behaviour is automatic, with people responding to cues in the environment that unconsciously shape their choices - sometimes known as choice architecture.
- Nudge involves making simple changes to the choice architecture to steer decisions in the right direction - e.g- is placing a fruit bowl on the front counter in a school canteen to encourage children to buy more fruit.
Describe interventions to change behaviour based on a nudge approach
For a nudge to be successful, it must decrease the effort required to make the desired choice & improve our motivation to opt for that choice.
Outline the risks of focusing on individual behaviour, and implications for health promotion.
Caution when focusing on individual behaviour :
* Determinants of health are complex and may be outside of
individual control (e.g. related to socio-economic disadvantage)
* Risk of ‘victim blaming’ (e.g. obesity)
* Single interventions that target a specific behavioural risk have little impact on the determinants that actually cause poor health
Implications for health promotion :
Application of a comprehensive strategy with three core components:
1. Behaviour change approach (e.g. incentivisation)
2. Strong policy framework that creates a supportive environment (e.g. subsidised or free healthy food – fruit in schools, sugar tax)
3. Empowerment of people to gain more control over making healthy lifestyle decisions. (e.g. local easy cookery classes)
