Chapter 11 - Health and Well-Being Flashcards
(231 cards)
Many obese people looking to adopt children are denied! But consider: what if a smoker wanted to adopt a child - they probably wouldn’t be denied.
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Psychologists believe our behaviors and attitudes are critical in keeping us healthy, helping us regain health after illness, and helping us achieve well-being.
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Health psychology
A field that integrates research on health and psychology; it involves the application of psychological principles to promote health and well-being.
Well-being
A positive state that includes striving for optimal health and life satisfaction.. A positive state where we feel our best
Psychologists who study health and well-being rely on research methods of psychology to understand the interrelationship between thoughts, actions, and physical and mental health
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Explain Gary Stocklaufer case
Gary Stockloufer was obese and the judge refused to allow him adopt a child because he said Gary would die at a young age due to obesity. The National Association of Fat Acceptance asked whether fat = poor parenting and they got the case appealed. Gary lost 200 pounds due to gastric bypass surgery and the judge said ok he can adopt the kid.
Biopsychosocial model
A model of health that integrates the effects of biological, behavioral, and social factors on health and illness.
Biopsychosocial model
Psychological factors = thoughts/actions, lifestyles, stress, health beliefs
Biological characteristics = genetic predispositions, exposure to germs, brain and other nervous system development
Social conditions = environments, cultural influences, family relationships, social support
What is the difference between the biopsychosocial model and the traditional medical model?
In the traditional medical model, the individual is passive. For health psychologists, the individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are central to understanding and improving health.
According to research, you are most likely to die from causes that stem from your own behaviors (smoking, overeating…) what else?
Risky sexual behaviors, not wearing seatbelt, eating unhealthy, drinking, etc.
Placebo effect
An improvement in health following treatment with a placebo - that is, with a drug or treatment that has no effect on the health condition which it was prescribed for
Example of placebo effect?
You think you’re sick, and your doctor gives you a pill to cure you, but it’s actually a sugar pill. You feel better after taking the pills just because you think they’ll work!
Malnutrition is a problem in developing countries, but an abundance of food is causing problems in the developed countries like the US
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In order for a placebo to work…
The patient must believe it will work
What happens in the strongest placebos?
Placebos that produce minor physical reactions that people associate with drug effects - such as having a dry mouth - produce the strongest placebo effects.
Some portion of the placebo effect is attributable to…
Decreased anxiety… Decreased anxiety creates various psychological changes that can reduce pain and help recovery from an illness.
The placebo effect is all in our head, but the effect is real - mind-body connection…
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An important part of getting well when sick is finding ways to reduce anxiety
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The belief that a medication will work is a psychological factor and it effects the body in similar ways to those of legit medications
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The placebo effect is a good example of what?
The biopsychosocial model
Stress
A pattern of behavioral, psychological, and physiological responses to events, when the events match or exceed the organism’s ability to respond in a healthy way
Stressor
An environmental event or stimulus that threatens an organism
Coping response
Any response to an organism makes to avoid, escape from, or minimize an aversive stimulus
When too much is expected of us, or when events are worrisome or scary, we perceive a discrepancy between the demands of the situation and the resources of our biological, psychological; and social systems. That discrepancy….
Can be real, or we can be imagining it.