A2 psychological approaches to health

Genetic Predisposition

A tendency for certain traits to be inherited, including physical and mental conditions and disorders.

Genes

Units of information inherited from our parents

What can genes influence

Characteristics such as risk of mental health disorders, personality and sexual development

Heredity

the passing on of characteristics from one generation to the next through genes

What do chromosomes contain

Information that can influence how we develop physically and psychologically

Genotype

Genetic makeup of an individual which occurs at conception

Phenotype

The characteristics that are produced when their genotype interacts with the environment

Biological approach

Assumes that behaviour is determined by our genetic inheritance. By this it means behaviour is inherited by our parents at contraception

How to investigate whether our health is influenced by genetic factors

Family studies

Neurons

Nerve cells in the nervous system that send messages around the body telling our body what to do

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that travel from one neuron to another passing on information that influences our behaviour

How do neurons communicate throughout the nervous system

By sending electrochemical messages

Neuron messages are...

Electrical

What are the tiny gaps between neurones

Synapses

What messages are passed between neurones

Chemical messages

What are neurotransmitters

The chemicals that cross the gaps between the neurones

The roles of neurotransmitter imbalances

The behaviourist approach to health

Our behaviour is a result of our experiences

Role of positive reinforcement

The reward reinforces behaviour and makes it more likely to happen (healthy and unhealthy behaviour)

The role of negative reinforcement

The avoidance of an unpleasant consequence of behaviour is the reward (unhealthy and healthy behaviour)

Cue

Something that prompts behaviour in some way, can be internal or external

Role of cues on health

Can be used to form healthy and unhealthy habits

Two-process model

A theory that explains the two processes that lead to the development of unhealthy behaviour - they begin through classical conditioning and are maintained through operant conditioning

Nature

Behaviour is a result of the genes inherited at conception (biological approach)

Nurture

Behaviour is the result of external environmental influences,experiences (learning approach-behaviourist and SLT)

Determinism

Behaviour is determined by external or internal factors acting upon the individual and is beyond there control (biological,behaviourist)

Reductionism

Explaining behaviour by reducing it to its simplest cause (biological,behaviourist,cognitive)

Scientific

"Science" is deterministic and reductionist. It takes a nomothetic approach and falsifies theories through empirical testing. Findings are objective and reliable (biological,learning,cognitive)

excitatory neurotransmitters

inhibitatory neurotransmitters

excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)

inhibatory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)

What is affected when neurotransmitters are balanced

Physical health and mental health (positively affected)

What can change the balance of neurotransmitters

Genetics and stress which can affect health both positively and negatively

How to increase serotonin

Exercise

Why is increased serotonin good

Can improve sleep quality, alertness and digestion so physical health can improve

What are mental health disorders like schizophrenia associated with

Imbalances in dopamine and serotonin levels in different areas in the brain

social learning theory (slt)

learning occurs as a result of an individual watching the behaviour of other people in their social environment and then copying it

how is behaviour learnt in the social learning theory

by observing the reinforcement or punishment they saw given to the behaviour

what determines is behaviour is repeated

the consequences of the behaviour

what 3 kind of models are usually imitated

parent role models

peer role models

role models in health education

what is vicarious reinforcement and vicarious punishment

being rewarded not punished for a behaviour

classical conditioning

operant conditioning

punishment

model characteristics

similar age

same gender

higher status

what affects the type of behaviour being modeled

the characteristic of the model can affect in the behaviour is learnt or performed if they identify with the role model

what affects healthy and unhealthy behaviours in slt

parent role models

peer role models

role models in health education

schema

computer model

input

processing

output

internal mental process

how we think and process behaviour (thinking)

theoretical model

cognitive dissonance

professional bias

cognitive approach to health

our thought process is the main influence on our behaviour so in health it can lead to healthy and unhealthy behaviour

why would someone do unhealthy behaviour

for relief from stress, to mitigate against other health problems (relieve pain), anxiety or boredom

how can being bored affect your behaviour

cause you to do things you either shouldn't or wouldn't usually do

how can stress/anxiety affect your behaviour

cause you to do things you shouldn't to fill the time

how can wanting relief from pain affect your behaviour

can make you more likely to take things like drugs to take away the pain possibly causing you to become addicted

cognitive dissonance

when an individual holds two thoughts that are inconsistent with one another. uncomfortable and negative psychological state

how do u resolve cognitive dissonance

by changing one of the attitudes/beliefs we hold