Class 7,8 - Behavioral & Psychological Theories

Health Belief Model

Assumes that people need to be aware of their risk of disease & that benefits to engaging in a suggested behavior for addressing the disease must outweigh the risks

Six components:

1. Perceived susceptibility: Individual believing they’re at risk for a certain disease

• campaign must communicate they’re at risk for a disease

2. Perceived severity: individual’s belief about the seriousness of the disease

• campaign must communicate that the disease is serious

• perceived susceptibility + perceived severity = perceived threat

3. Perceived benefits: The positive outcomes the individual believes they will receive from engaging in a health behavior or changing their behavior

• campaign must communicate that they will benefit from engaging in the recommended action, benefits that matter to target audience

4. Perceived barriers: Obstacles an individual believes exists, which can prevent them from engaging in the behavior change

Perceived benefits > perceived barriers for message to be impactful

5. Cues to action: Something in the environment that prompts an individual to engage in the recommended behavior change

• health campaign must have a cue to action in the target audience’s environment (for example where they live or work)

6. Self-efficacy: Individual’s belief in their ability to successfully perform a health-related behavior

Theory of Planned Behavior

Examines an individual’s intension to perform behavior (motivational factors) determined by 3 factors:

1. An individual’s attitude towards the suggested behavior

2. Subjective norms - perceived or real social pressure from important others (friends, family, partners) 

3. Perceived behavioral control - the ability to perform suggested behavior

Health campaign needs to encourage positive attitudes towards a behavior, communicate that the behavior is socially accepted, and encourage feelings of efficacy 

Social Cognitive Theory

Model states that people learn and perform behaviors by observing others, considering their own experiences, and interacting with their environment

Human behavior result of interactions between three factors:

1. Personal Factors: Beliefs, attitudes, expectations, knowledge, and self-efficacy (a person believes they can control their blood sugar through diet and exercise)

2. Behavior: The person’s actions or habits (regularly checking blood sugar and exercising daily)

3. Environmental Factors: Aspects of the environment or setting that influence the individual’s ability to successfully complete a behavior (support from diabetes education group or access to healthy foods)

Key components of SCT: Observational learning, Reinforcements (behavior positively or negatively reinforced), Self-efficacy (belief in one’s ability to perform a given behavior)

A health campaign needs to show a behavior performed by a model who looks like the target audience, show that the model’s behavior is rewarded, show that the model’s behavior is easy to carry out

Stages of Change Model

Describes an individuals’ motivation and readiness to change a health-related behavior

Stage 1: Pre-contemplation: not ready/not interested to change

• person doesn’t intend to start healthy behavior or change within the next 6 months, or may be unaware of need to change

Stage 2: Contemplation: getting ready to change, intending to start healthy behavior within next 6 months 

Stage 3: Preparation: people at this stage ready to start taking action within next 30 days, they take small steps they believe can help them make the healthy behavior a part of their lives

Stage 4: Action: people at this stage have changed their behavior within the last 6 months and need to work hard to keep moving ahead

Stage 5: Maintenance: People at this stage changed their behavior more than 6 months ago, people in this stage need to be aware of situations that may tempt them to slip back into their unhealthy behavior

Stage 5A: Relapse: individual resumes unhealthy behavior

Stage 6: Termination: Individuals have zero temptation and they’re sure they will not return to their old unhealthy habit

Self-Determination Theory

Central idea: People are more likely to sustain behavior change if their motivation comes from within rather than from outside pressure. SDT says humans have 3 needs that must be satisfied to foster motivation and well-being

1. Autonomy: Feeling you have choice and control over your actions

2. Competence: Feeling capable and effective in your actions

3. Relatedness: Feeling connected and supported by others

When these needs are met → higher intrinsic motivation → more sustained behavior change

Behavior chance last longer when it’s autonomously motivated, not when it’s driven by guilt, pressure, or rewards

Types of Motivation in SDT

• Amotivation

• Extrinsic Motivation

• Intrinsic Motivation

Amotivation

• SDT

• No motivation to act

Extrinsic Motivation

• SDT 

• Doing something b/c of external rewards or pressures

• External regulation: doing something for rewards or to avoid punishment (I exercise so my doctor won’t scold me) 

• Introjected regulation: driven by guilt, obligation, or ego (i’d feel bad if I skipped the gym)

• Identified regulation: recognizing value (I exercise because I know it’s important for my health)

Intrinsic Motivation

• SDT

• Doing something because it’s inherently enjoyable or satisfying

Controlled Messages

pressure, guilt, scare tactics 

“if you don’t exercise, you’re going to get diabetes” 

Autonomy-Supportive Messages

choice, empowerment, intrinsic benefits

“being active can give you more energy to enjoy time with your kids” 

“there are a variety of ways to be active, find ones that work for you”