Ch. 14: Health Psychology (PSYC 1001)

Focuses on how biological, psychological, and social factors influence health, illness, and health-related behaviors.

Health psychology

Majorly influence chronic disease development (heart disease, diabetes, cancer).

Behavioral choices (like diet, exercise, smoking)

Beliefs about health impact health decisions (e.g., believing exercise matters encourages it).

Cognitive factors

Can buffer against illness and help recovery (e.g., support systems, relationships).

Social factors

Exist across different racial, socioeconomic, and gender groups.

Health disparities

Behavior is based on an intention stemming from attitude and social norms.

Theory of Reasoned Action

Adds perceived control over behavior (e.g., believing you can exercise regularly makes it likelier you will).

Theory of Planned Behavior

Comprises of precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.

Stages of Change Model

Not thinking about change

Precontemplation

Considering change

Contemplation

Getting ready to change

Preparation

Actively making change

Action

Sustaining the change.

Maintenance

Consists of internal goals that lead to better health behaviors than extrinsic motivation (external rewards).

Intrinsic motivation

Improves health outcomes by providing emotional comfort and tangible aid.

Social support (e.g., friends, family, community)

Often correlate with healthier lifestyles, better coping, and lower mortality rates.

Religious faith and spirituality

The response to environmental demands and challenges.

Stress

The events or stimuli causing stress

Stressors

Short-term stress with a clear endpoint

Acute stress

Ongoing stress without a clear end (worse for health).

Chronic stress

A three-stage model describing the body's response to stress, developed by Hans Selye

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Comprised of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Components of GAS

Fight-or-flight response

Alarm

Body attempts to cope

Resistance

Body’s resources depleted

Exhaustion

Efforts to manage stress

Coping

Tackling the problem directly

Problem-focused coping

Managing emotional reactions to the problem.

Emotion-focused coping

Include optimism, hardiness (commitment, control, challenge), and mindfulness

Effective coping strategies

Regular exercise, good nutrition, quitting smoking and moderating alcohol use

Healthy behaviors

Reduces stress, improves mood, boosts health.

Regular exercise

Supports immune system, prevents disease.

Good nutrition

Controlling your behavior to pursue important goals; Essential for long-term health maintenance.

Self-regulation

Therapy, stress management programs, etc., can enhance physical health.

Psychological interventions

Not purely biological - they involve psychology and society too.

Health and illness

A process requiring motivation, social support, and self-regulation.

Behavior change

A key threat to health, but coping skills can protect against it.

Stress