final health psychology

What was illness attributed to in ancient/pre-scientific history?

Illness was seen as punishment from gods, demonic possession, or spiritual imbalance.

How did Ancient Egyptians view illness?

They believed illness was caused by blockages in bodily channels.

How did Ancient Greeks view illness?

Illness resulted from imbalance in the four humors.

Who was Hippocrates and what did he contribute?

The father of medicine who introduced natural explanations for illness.

How did the Middle Ages understand illness?

Illness was viewed as punishment from God or moral failing.

What did the Renaissance contribute to understanding illness?

A shift toward scientific inquiry and anatomy.

What is the Biomedical Model?

A model explaining illness solely through biological factors.

What is the Biopsychosocial Model?

A model stating health is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors.

What is a correlation?

A statistical measure showing the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.

Interpret r = +0.85.

Strong positive correlation.

Interpret r = -0.65.

Moderate negative correlation.

What is a cross-sectional study?

A study comparing different age groups at one point in time.

What is a longitudinal study?

Tracks the same individuals over years.

What is a cohort effect?

Age differences due to generational experiences.

Define morbidity.

The number of people living with a disease.

Define mortality.

Number of deaths in a population during a specific period.

Define prevalence.

Total number of existing cases at a given time.

Define incidence.

Number of new cases in a population during a specific period.

What does an experimental study provide?

Evidence of cause and effect through manipulation of variables.

What are the components of the Health Belief Model (HBM)?

Perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy.

Limitations of the HBM?

Assumes rational decision-making; doesn't account for habits or emotions.

What are the components of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)?

Attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, behavior.

Limitations of the TPB?

Ignores unconscious habits; assumes intentions always lead to action.

What are the stages in the Transtheoretical Model (TTM)?

Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance.

Limitations of TTM?

Stages can be arbitrary; relapse patterns vary.

Classical conditioning applied to health?

Associating a neutral stimulus with a biological response.

Operant conditioning applied to health?

Behavior changes based on consequences.

Components of physical fitness?

Cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, body composition.

What are the four sleep stages?

Stage 1: light sleep; Stage 2: deeper; Stage 3: deep slow-wave; REM: dreaming.

What is REM sleep important for?

Memory, emotion regulation, learning.

Define stress.

A response to perceived challenges or threats.

How do appraisals affect stress?

Perception determines stress response.

What is primary appraisal?

Evaluating whether a situation is harmful or challenging.

What is secondary appraisal?

Assessing coping resources to manage stress.

Define allostatic load.

Cumulative wear and tear on the body from chronic stress.

Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic Nervous System?

Sympathetic = fight/flight; Parasympathetic = rest/digest.

Types of stressors?

Life events, daily hassles, chronic stress, trauma.

What is the Trier Social Stress Test?

A lab stress test requiring public speaking and mental math.

What is problem-focused coping?

Taking action to change the stressor.

What is emotion-focused coping?

Managing emotions in response to stress.

What is mindfulness?

Nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment.

Relaxation training effects?

Activates parasympathetic system, reduces cortisol.

Types of social support?

Emotional, instrumental, informational, appraisal.

When is social support NOT helpful?

When it is unwanted or mismatched.

How does prosocial behavior affect health?

Boosts mood, decreases stress, increases longevity.

Types of pain?

Acute, chronic, recurrent, neuropathic.

Behavioral pain measurement?

Grimacing, guarding, limping.

Physiological pain measurement?

Heart rate, sweating, cortisol.

Self-report pain measurement?

Pain scales, questionnaires.

Key brain regions for pain?

Somatosensory cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, insula.

What is stress-induced analgesia?

Reduced pain perception during acute stress.

Psychological factors increasing pain?

Catastrophizing, anxiety, fear.

Psychological factors decreasing pain?

Distraction, mindfulness, coping skills.

How is pain treated?

Medication, CBT, exercise, physical therapy.

What is acupuncture?

Insertion of thin needles to modulate pain.

What is hypnosis?

A focused state of attention to reduce pain.

What is chiropractic care?

Spinal manipulation to reduce pain.

What is naturopathic medicine?

Uses natural remedies to support healing.

What is spirituality as CAM?

Using prayer or meditation for well-being.

What is the placebo effect?

Improvement due to expectation, not treatment.

Why do placebos work?

Positive expectations and brain activation.

When are placebos most effective?

Branded pills and warm doctor interactions.

When are placebos less effective?

Generic pills and low expectations.

What is the nocebo effect?

Negative expectations cause worse symptoms.