General Psychology Notes Chapter 14 Health Psychology Positive Life change and Sources of Stress Health Psychology A subfield of psychology that focuses on maintaining health and preventing treating illness Biopsychosocial Model of Health The integration of biological psychological and social factors in dealing with health related behaviors Health Behaviors Practices that have an impact on physical well being Question How do we get people to do more healthy behaviors and stop doing unhealthy behaviors Answer Theory of Reasoned Action Theory of Planned Behavior Theory of Reasoned Action Specific intentions promise to self to change Positive attitudes feel good about the change Approval of social group feel support from friends Theory of Planned Behavior Specific intentions promise to self to change Positive attitudes feel good about the change Approval of social group feel support from friends Perception of Control feel you have the power to change Question What is the specific process of behavioral change Answer Stages of Change Model 5 step process by which people give up bad habits and adopt healthier lifestyles Stages of Change Model Step 1 Precontemplation not ready to change Step 2 Contemplation they need to change Step 3 Preparation Determination preparing to take action Step 4 Action Willpower enact a plan Step 5 Maintenance success over time Relapse A return to former unhealthy behavior patterns Resources for Positive Change Motivation Social Relationships Religious Faith Personality Characteristics Social Relationships Probably the most important variable in predicting health A key aspect of being human we are a social species hence why we live in towns cities because we want to Social Support Feedback from others that one is loved cared for valued and included in a network of communication More people you have to offer support the more likely you will succeed They offer feedback and let you know that you are loved and your opinion matters Three benefits of Social Support Tangible Assistance Information Emotional Support and Social Sharing Tangible money objects majority parents do this for their children Information social support can help give advice or contacts through what others know Example Job searching Emotional Support and Social Sharing When you re feeling a certain way they are Personality Characteristics High levels in each of these traits leads to healthier there to vent longer lives Conscientiousness Personal Control Self Efficacy Optimism Stress and Health Term used to describe physical emotional cognitive and behavioral responses to events that are perceived as threatening or challenging Stressors events that cause stress reactions Decisions Adaptations Physical threats Emotional challenges Change All of these cause STRESS Anytime you are starting a new change Distress Stress that is caused by unpleasant happenings Eustress Stress that is caused by positive happenings Types of Stressors 9 11 Catastrophes Unpredictable event that happens on a large scale Example Major Life Changes Landmark events that change your life Example Parents divorce Hassles Daily annoyances of life Typical Sources of Stress Pressure Personal Control Frustration Conflict a source of pressure behaviors and choices Pressure Demands and expectations are high from an outside source Time is often Personal Control You feel that you are responsible for and in control of your own Learned Helplessness After repeated exposure to uncontrollable aversive events organisms will develop a tendency to remain in stressful situations even when escape is possible Learned Helpless leads to increased illness depression and anxiety disorders Frustration Occurs when people are blocked from achieving their goal Conflict Having to choose between two options where both options are good bad or both Approach approach conflict Torn between two desirable goals Avoidance avoidance conflict Torn between two undesirable goals Approach avoidance conflict Choosing yes or no about a goal that has both good and bad things about it Responses to Frustration Persistence Aggression Displacement Escape withdrawal PART 2 Stress and Health Responses to Stress Physical Problems Emotional Problems General Adaptation Syndrome Hans Selye s description of what happens when you make strong demands on the body Cognitive Problems Three Stages Alarm Resistance Exhaustion In Class Stress Video Found arteries in baboons who were subordinate Not dominant had more plaque build up than the Dominant baboons because they were more socially psychologically stressed What animal makes a good model for studying stress And Why Baboons they torture each other What predicts poor health outcomes in these animals Social ranking being low ranking What physical problems develop in the animals that Robert Sapolsky studies High blood pressure smaller brain cells plaque in arteries What other problems develop in rhesus monkeys that are under stress Bigger fat Do these same effects occur in people British Social Service found How do we know that it is stress causing these effects and not lack of health insurance poor diet etc In Britain everybody has the same healthcare Universal Healthcare Stress and Personality Type A Personalities Workaholics very ambitious competitive easily annoyed much more likely to have coronary diseases Type B Personalities Easygoing slow to anger sloppy disorganized Type C Personalities Internalize feelings want everyone to get along avoid conflict confrontation strongly associated with cancer Hardy Personalities Tend to thrive on stress Have a deep sense of commitment to goals Feel in control of their lives See things as challenges Cognitive Appraisal An individual s interpretation of an event as either harmful threatening or challenging and the person s evaluation of whether he she has the resources to deal with the event Cognitive Appraisal Model Primary appraisal Estimating the severity of the stressor and classifying it as a threat a challenge or a loss Secondary appraisal What are my resources Coping A kind of problem solving that involves managing stressful circumstances expending effort to solve life s difficulties and seeking to reduce stress Types of Coping Strategies Problem Focused Coping Cognitive strategy of squarely facing one s troubles and trying to solve them Emotion Focused Coping Trying to manage one s emotional reaction to a stressor rather than focusing on the root problem Psychological Disorders Chapter
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