A2- cognitive approach- applying to health psychology Flashcards
(13 cards)
assumption of cognitive approach =
our behaviour is determined by our mental processes
how does this relate to health psychology ?
irrational beliefs and distorted thinking patterns contribute to the development and maintenance of unhealthy behaviours
Example=
emotional overeating is a common response to stress, anxiety or boredom.
how does this relate to smoking =
Many smokers find smoking relaxing and anxiety-reducing.
This is due to the biochemical effects of nicotine.
Smoking is therefore sometimes seen as self-medication.
It can also be seen as habitual “something to do” to alleviate negative feelings.
ca this relate to healthy behaviour ?
However, the same can be applied to healthy behaviours. For example, some people regularly go to the gym as it makes them feel less stressed or anxious.
why else might people turn to unhealthy or healthy behaviours ?
to mitigate other health problems
some health related decisions can be health-protective. We engage in certain behaviours to reduce (mitigate) the impact of other health issues
for example, being physically active or taking prescribed medication.
what is cognitive dissonance ?
a state of mental discomfort experienced when an individual holds conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviours (dissagrement with yourself )
how can this relate to health psychology ?
someone might Smoke despite being aware of the adverse health effects of tobacco use.
someone might choose to promote a behaviour, such as regular exercise, that a person does not themselves practice. This type of cognitive
dissonance is called hypocrisy.
how can people reduce cognitive dissonance ?
rejecting or avoiding conflicting information=
individuals can reduce cognitive dissonance by discarding conflicting knowledge.
persuading and justifying=
they try to rationalise the thought or behaviour.
For example smokers may convince themselves it is good because it helps them socialise.
reconciling differences=
the individuals may change their behaviours so they are consistent with their other beliefs. For example an animal loving meat eater may decide to become vegeterian
how do proffessional biases relate to health ?
health care proffesionals make decisions about diagnosis and treatments of physical and psychological ill-health. These decisions are affected by various indiviudual biases
what are two common examples=
racial bias
gender bias
research that supports this =
(use this as weakness)
Chapman et al (2013) –
the result of such biases (gender/racial biases) is that………
1. a diagnosis is likely to be less accurate
2. fewer treatment options are discussed
3. time spent talking to the client is shorter.
strength=
- Cognitive approach can lead to positive health related decisions
(e.g instead of responding to stress by ‘comfort eating’ you can identify that you are doing it and change your behaviour).
- Bias can be reduced.
Health professionals can be encouraged to see clients as individuals and not as members of a group. Professional biases can be identified and removed so that all clients can get suitable treatment.