Comprehensive Psychology and Behavior Change: Motivational Interviewing, Goals, Self-Concept, Anxiety, Personality, Stress, Sleep, and Disorders

Motivational Interviewing: What is motivational interviewing?

A client-centered counseling style used to help people resolve ambivalence and strengthen motivation for behavior change.

Motivational Interviewing: What do the OARS skills mean?

Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, and Summaries.

Goal Setting: Subjective vs. objective goals

Subjective goals are based on feelings or personal evaluation; objective goals are based on measurable facts or outcomes.

Goal Setting: SMARTER goals vs. WOOP goals

SMARTER goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Evaluate, and Re-adjust; WOOP goals are Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan.

Self-Esteem & Body Image: Self-esteem vs. self-concept vs. self-efficacy

Self-esteem is overall self-worth, self-concept is your broad view of who you are, and self-efficacy is belief in your ability to do a specific task.

Self-Esteem & Body Image: Self-concept categories

Social roles, personality traits, and physical description.

Self-Esteem & Body Image: Dimensions of body image

Perceptual, cognitive, affective, subjective, and behavioral.

Anxiety & Depression: Moods vs. emotions

Moods are longer-lasting states; emotions are shorter, more intense responses to a specific event.

Anxiety & Depression: Facial expressions vs. emotions

Facial expressions can give clues, but they do not always perfectly match a person's internal emotions.

Anxiety & Depression: Does exercise improve depression symptoms?

Yes, exercise can improve depression symptoms and mood.

Anxiety & Depression: Outside-in approach

Changing behavior first so thoughts and feelings follow.

Anxiety & Depression: Inside-out approach

Starting with thoughts and emotions to influence behavior.

Anxiety & Depression: Endocannabinoid hypothesis

The idea that exercise improves mood partly through endocannabinoid activity.

Anxiety & Depression: Two types of anxiety

State anxiety and trait anxiety.

Personality Traits: Big Five personality factors

Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Personality Traits: Openness

Curiosity, imagination, and willingness to try new ideas.

Personality Traits: Conscientiousness

Organization, discipline, and goal-directed behavior.

Personality Traits: Extraversion

Sociability, energy, and outgoing behavior.

Personality Traits: Agreeableness

Kindness, cooperation, and empathy.

Personality Traits: Neuroticism

Tendency toward negative emotion, worry, and emotional instability.

Stress & Pain: Acute stress

Short-term stress.

Stress & Pain: Chronic stress

Long-term, ongoing stress.

Stress & Pain: Stress vs. stressor

A stressor is the event or demand; stress is the body's response to it.

Stress & Pain: Active vs. passive stressor

Active stressors can be acted on directly; passive stressors must be endured or waited out.

Stress & Pain: Eustress vs. distress

Eustress is positive, motivating stress; distress is harmful or overwhelming stress.

Stress & Pain: SNS vs. PNS symptoms

SNS increases heart rate, breathing, and alertness; PNS promotes rest and recovery.

Stress & Pain: Exercise-induced hypoalgesia

Reduced pain after exercise.

Stress & Pain: Exercise-induced hyperalgesia

Increased pain sensitivity after exercise.

Stress & Pain: Stress inoculation training

A coping-skills approach that prepares people to manage stress before it happens.

Stress & Pain: General adaptation syndrome

The three stages are alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Stress & Pain: Alarm stage

Immediate reaction to a stressor.

Stress & Pain: Resistance stage

The body adapts and tries to cope with the stressor.

Stress & Pain: Exhaustion stage

Resources are depleted and functioning declines.

Sleep: Sleep debt

The cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep over time.

Sleep: Sleep quality vs. quantity

Sleep quality is how restorative sleep is; sleep quantity is how much sleep you get.

Sleep: Stages of sleep

Awake, light sleep, deep sleep (SWS), and REM sleep.

Sleep: Deep sleep (SWS)

Important for physical restoration.

Sleep: REM sleep

Important for dreaming and brain activity linked to memory and learning.

Sleep: Thermogenic hypothesis

The idea that sleep helps regulate body temperature and conserve energy.

Sleep: Sleep hygiene

Behaviors and habits that support better sleep.

Sleep: Improving sleep hygiene

Keep a consistent schedule, reduce screen time, limit caffeine late, and make the sleep environment dark and quiet.

Sleep: Mouth breathing

It can worsen sleep quality and contribute to dry mouth and poorer oxygen exchange during sleep.

Exercise-Related Disorders: Exercise dependence

A compulsive need to exercise even when it causes harm or interferes with life.

Exercise-Related Disorders: Exercise Dependence Criteria

Includes tolerance, withdrawal, lack of control, time spent exercising, reduction of other activities, and continuing despite problems.

Exercise-Related Disorders: Muscle dysmorphia

A body image disorder where a person believes they are too small or not muscular enough.

Exercise-Related Disorders: Primary addiction

Exercise is the main addictive behavior.

Exercise-Related Disorders: Secondary addiction

Exercise is used to support another addiction or disorder.

Exercise-Related Disorders: Anorexia nervosa

A disorder involving severe food restriction.

Exercise-Related Disorders: Bulimia nervosa

A disorder involving bingeing and purging.

Exercise-Related Disorders: Orthorexia nervosa

An unhealthy obsession with eating only "clean" or "healthy" foods.

Exercise-Related Disorders: Two types of perfectionism

Self-oriented perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism.

Imagery & Relaxation: Definition of imagery

The mental simulation of an action, skill, or experience without physically performing it.

Imagery & Relaxation: Characteristics of imagery

Modality, perspective, angle, agency, and deliberation.

Imagery & Relaxation: Functional Equivalence Theory

Imagery and actual movement share similar brain processes.

Imagery & Relaxation: Psychoneuromuscular Theory

Imagining a movement activates similar muscles and neural pathways as actual movement.

Self-Esteem & Body Image: Perceptual

The way you see your body; your visual or mental representation of your body’s size, shape, or appearance.

Self-Esteem & Body Image: Cognitive

The thoughts, beliefs, and evaluations you have about your body.

Self-Esteem & Body Image: Affective

The feelings and emotions you have about your body, such as satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

Self-Esteem & Body Image: Subjective

Your personal, internal experience of your body image, including how you feel and think about your body from your own perspective.

Self-Esteem & Body Image: Behavioral

The actions you take because of your body image, such as avoidance, checking, dieting, or exercising.

Sleep: Awake

Alert and aware of surroundings.

Sleep: Light sleep

Transition stage where the body relaxes, heart rate and breathing slow, and memory processing begins.

Sleep: Deep sleep (SWS)

The most restorative stage, important for physical recovery, tissue repair, and immune support.

Sleep: REM

Most dreaming occurs, brain activity increases, and memory/emotional processing happens.