Individual differences and health Flashcards

1
Q

Which two of the big five traits are most associated with health, and is it a positive or negative association?

A
  • Conscientiousness (positive).
  • Neuroticism (negative).
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2
Q

Why is neuroticism associated with poor health? (2)

A
  • Those with high neuroticism tend to perceive events as more stressful and may experience more prolonged psychological distress after an event.
  • Neuroticism may influence an individual’s health behaviours (e.g. poorer diet, less exercise) and in this way impact on health outcomes.
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3
Q

How is extraversion associated with health and why?

A
  • Extraverts tend to have a positive psychological well-being and better physical health.
  • May be due to experiencing lower stress and having more social support.
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4
Q

How is conscientiousness associated with health and why?

A
  • Those high in conscientiousness were more likely to live longer compared to those low in conscientiousness.
  • Conscientious individuals are less likely to smoke or drink alcohol, and are more likely to follow medical advice.
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5
Q

What effects does optimism have on health? (2)

A
  • Reported less pain.
  • Better physical functioning.
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6
Q

List the four mechanisms of personality and disease.

A
  1. Stress moderation model.
  2. Constitutional vulnerability model.
  3. Health behaviour model.
  4. Illness behaviour model.
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7
Q

Describe the health behaviour model. (2)

A
  • Psychological factors that influence health behaviour are components of personality constructs: e.g. health beliefs and values.
  • There is not a direct physiological pathway between personality and health.
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8
Q

Describe the illness behaviour model.

A

Personality does not affect illness. It influences the subjective perception of health.

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9
Q

What is cognitive epidemiology?

A

The field of research that examines the associations between intelligence and health.

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9
Q

Why are studies in the field of cognitive epidemiology difficult? (2)

A
  • They require enormous samples.
  • They must be followed up over a long period of time.
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9
Q

What did Whalley and Deary study?

A

If there was a relationship between childhood IQ and mortality.

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9
Q

Describe Whalley and Deary’s study.

A
  • Traced individuals who had taken the original Moray House Test to see how many had died 65 years later.
  • Individuals who had died had a significantly lower IQ at 11 years old than individuals who were alive.
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10
Q

What two studies assess the relationship between intelligence and health?

A
  1. Whalley and Deary.
  2. 1970 British birth cohort.
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11
Q

Describe the 1970 British birth cohort. (3)

A
  • All births during one week in 1970. 6 follow-up waves.
  • Link between intelligence at age 11 and health behaviours at age 30.
  • Advantage in intelligence was linked to greater likelihood of eating fresh fruit, taking regular exercise and decrease in likelihood of smoking.
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