Session 4: Health Behavior Flashcards
What is health-related behavior?
Anything that may promote good health or lead to illness
What are the 3 theories that help understand people’s health related behavior?
- Learning theories
- Social cognition models
- Integrative model - COM-B
What are 2 learning theories?
Classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning
What is classical conditioning?
Learning by associating environmental or emotional cues to certain behavior
How do you use classical conditioning to change health behavior?
Identifying cues and avoid them
Change association with cues
What is operant conditioning?
People learn what behavior is good or bad based on the consequences (reward of punishment)
What is an example of classical conditioning?
Cues with connection to using drugs can trigger behavior and lead to relapse when quitting
What is an example of how to use classical conditioning to change health behavior?
Alcohol + medication to induce nausea causes negative associations
What is an example of operant conditioning?
People are driven by short term rewards like drugs or alcohol but avoid short term negative consequences when quitting
What is an example of using operant conditioning to change health behavior?
Financial incentive strategies for maintenance of weight loss
What are 3 limitations of conditioning theories?
- Based on simple stimulus-response associations
- No account of cognitive processes, knowledge, beliefs etc
- No account of social context
What is social learning theory?
People can learn vicariously - observing and then modeling
How does social learning theory work?
It is goal directed, people are motivated to perform behaviors that are valued and they believe they can enact (rewards+self-efficacy). We learn what behaviors are rewarded, how likely it is we can perform it from observing others, so role models that are more effective is if they are high status or like us
How does social learning theory affect health-related behavior negatively?
People around us like family, friends, celebrities are our role models, and that can teach us to do harmful behaviors like drinking and drug use
How can social learning theory be used to promote health-relayed behavior?
Celebrities in health promotion campaigns