Social Psychology

Question 1

Describe the links between attitudes and health related behaviour

Answer 1

Expectancy-Value model focus on the likelihood and desirability of different outcomes.
Expectancy (Likelihood) - Smokers get white teeth
Value (Desirability) - I don’t like yellow teeth

Question 2

Identify 5 characteristics of persuasive messages

Answer 2

1. The message must get to its recipient
2. The message must be attention grabbing
3. The message must be understood by its recipient
4. The message must be accepted as relevant and important
5. Fear can appeal+ motivate change, however it can be counter-productive if people lack the knowledge/skills needed to make the change
   E.g dental hygiene assembly
6. Framing effects - emphasising benefit/losses from change of behaviour.
   Loss-framing may be better for illness-detecting behaviour
   Gain-framing may be better for health-promoting behaviours
7. The message must be retained, translated into an intention and acted upon

Question 3

discuss how self-image and self-esteem affect health-related behaviour

Answer 3

Self esteem= feelings and evaluations about ourselves
There are links between low self esteem and undesirable behaviours e.g eating disorders.

Self image by downward comparison in an obese patient can be detrimental for their health as they compare themselves to patients that are bigger than them, they feel they are not that bad and hence do not engage in health promoting behaviours.

Question 4

discuss the concepts of attribution for behaviour and health, including the fundamental attribution error

Answer 4

Internal attribution and external attribution.
Internal attribution is the belief that a person’s behaviour/characteristics is internally motivated and as a result of their attitude e.g an obese person is the way they are because they do not care about their health by eating unhealthy.
External attribution is the belief that a person’s behaviour/characteristics is due to external factors. For example an obesity is as a result of genetic composition and there isn’t much a good lifestyle or diet will do to change that.

Fundamental attribution error : we tend to attribute others situation to internal causes rather than external causes. It is important that external/situational causes are taken into consideration in clinical settings(explanation and understanding of illness) for a healthy doctor-patient relationship

Question 5

outline why stereotypes are relevant in medicine

Answer 5

Many GPs and medical students are prejudiced towards patients with mental health. Prevent accurate and proper care

Many prejudice and stereotypes are actually wrong, some can be correct though.

Question 6

What is Cognitive dissonance

Answer 6

Refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes(thoughts and cognition) and behaviour(actions). For example, knowing and thinking that smoking is bad, yet a person continues to smoke.

Question 7

Give an example of how cognitive dissonance could be used in health promotion

Answer 7

Putting pictures of damaged lungs on cigarettes packaging. Reconfirms knowledge to smokers that their behaviour is damaging,

Question 8

List 3 features of a persuasive messenger

Answer 8

1. The messenger must be credible
2. The messenger must be attractive
3. The messenger must be trustworthy

CAT

Question 9

What is the framing effect

Answer 9

It is emphasising the benefits/losses of changing a behaviour. Loss framing may be better for illness-detecting behaviours
Gain-framing may be better for health promoting behaviours

Question 10

Explain a way of boosting self image

Answer 10

Favourable social comparison
by downward comparison with people we perceive to be worse than ourselves
Upward comparison to highlight similarities btw ourselves and people we consider superior

Question 11

Explain the importance of a doctor image

Answer 11

Research has shown that doctors that dressed smart/ white coat were more trusted(confident) by their patients as they perceived them to be more competent than doctors that dressed casual/ in scrubs. More seen in the older population. Not clear in younger population. Discrepancies across the world.

Question 12

How can discrepancies between ideal and actual self image be bad

Answer 12

It can lead to unhealthy behaviour. For example an anorexic patient might perceive themselves to be bigger than what they feel they should look like -(cognitive dissonance). So they engage in poor eating disorders

Question 13

What is internal attribution

Answer 13

Internal attribution is the belief that a persons behaviour/characteristics is internally motivated- it is voluntary and reflects the persons attitudes and beliefs

Question 14

What is external attribution

Answer 14

External attribution is the belief that a person’s behaviour/characteristics is due to external factors such as chance, luck or someone else demanding it

Question 15

List 3 Health locus of control

Answer 15

1. Internal Locus of Control- more likely to seek information and initiate and persist with healthy behaviour
2. Powerful Other locus of control - E.g Doctor - more likely to follow instruction of doctor, unlikely to initiate change
3. External locus of control - attribute situation to fate or luck

Question 16

What are stereotypes

Answer 16

Are generalisations that we make about specific social groups and members of those groups e.g nationality or religion

Question 17

What is prejudice

Answer 17

Judging without having relevant facts

Question 18

Describe the term social roles

Answer 18

Social roles are expected responsibilities(obligations) of an individual(actor).

Question 19

describe the 2 types of roles

Answer 19

1. Ascribed role (e.g daughter) -

2. Acquired role (e.g doctor)

Question 20

Discuss the consequences of role conflict/role strain

Answer 20

Role conflict between 2 roles, e.g parenting role and work role may conflict as there is competing demands. This can lead to stress

Question 21

Discuss the consequences of role loss

Answer 21

Important social role can become central to identity. So loss of a social role from long term illness, retirement, redundancy, bereavement can make life empty and meaningless if an alternative social role is not established.

This can lead to depression and social isolation

Question 22

Describe key features/rights/ of the sick role

Answer 22

Right to stop other responsibilities
obligation to strive to recover
right to treatment from doctor
Should not use illness for benefit
Inform employer
Not engage in behaviour that hampers health
Adhere to treatment/listen to doctor

Question 23

Describe the dramaturgical role

Answer 23

the idea that life is like a never-ending play in which people are actors. Socialisation consists of learning how to play our assigned role. We enact our roles in from of others who in turn are enacting their roles in interaction with us

Question 24

What is the role of a care/doctor to his patients

Answer 24

Diagnose illness
Certify illness
Explain illness
Provide effective treatment

Question 25

Describe 2 types of socialisation

Answer 25

Primary socialisation - learning CULTURE(social norms) specific rules and roles = becoming a competent social actor

Secondary socialisation - learning ROLE specific rules and roles e.g = becoming a competent doctor

Question 26

List 4 things stress can arise from

Answer 26

1. Unrealistic expectation
2. Conflicting expectation
3. Ambiguous expectation
4. Inter-group conflict