First Exam Flashcards
!!! (135 cards)
1
Q
Exposure to racism is linked to
A
* Negative mental health (stronger for Asian & Latinx populations than African Americans) * Negative physical health (stronger for Latinx than African Americans)
2
Q
The association of racism and health outcomes
A
is consistent across ages, sexes, and educational levels
3
Q
Why does perceived discrimination predict poor health?
A
The perceived discrimination (the mind) affects the body via health behaviors (eating, smoking, drinking, etc.) and heightened stress responses (physiological responses like fight or flight), which in turns affects our mental and physical health
4
Q
We are very complex beings, so what outside factors affect our mind, body, and overall health?
A
* Social support * Stigma identification * Coping style
5
Q
Health psychology looks at the interplay between…
A
Physical health and Psychological health
6
Q
Health is…
A
A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease * It is multi-factorial
7
Q
The leading cause of death in the early 1900s were
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Acute illnesses like influenza, tuberculosis, etc.
8
Q
The leading cause of death now…
A
Chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, etc. These don’t kill you suddenly, and can be preventable.
9
Q
What is health psychology?
A
The scientific contribution of psychology to understand: * How people stay healthy * How people become ill * How they respond when they are ill
10
Q
Illness through history
A
* Stone Age: Evil Spirits * Middle Age: God’s punishment * 1700s: Capillary tension * 1800s: Comfort * 1900s: Biomedical model * Now: Biopsychosocial model
11
Q
The biomedical model ideology
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* All illness has a biomedical cause * Illness is based on an organ not functioning right or biochemicals in the body being out of balance * All illness can be cured with drugs if we just find the right drugs * Body is separate from the mind
12
Q
The biomedical model was very successful at…
A
treating acute (infectious) diseases like tuberculosis, Typhus, Smallpox, etc.
13
Q
Limitations of the Biomedical model (reductionism)
A
The assumption - The Limitation * All physical functions can be reduced to physiological parts - But what influences biological processes? Is the patient passive? * The search for a single-factor (biological cause) - But can multiple pathways exist? * Illness can be cured with drugs if we just find the right drugs - But why do treatments have variable results by person?
14
Q
To deal with chronic diseases, we need a model that incorporates…
A
Our psychology, biology, and social world
15
Q
Why do we need a biopsychosocial model?
A
- Having biochemical defect (abnormality) indicates disease potential, but the disease does not exist 2. Beliefs about illness matter because beliefs influence your logic 3. Two people with the same biomedical problem may have different disease outcomes 4. Successfully treating the biomedical problem doesn’t make the patient healthy (example: treat pain but then later the pain comes back) 5. Behaviors matter (are you proactive in managing your health? Or not?)
16
Q
What is health behavior?
A
The overt behavioral patterns, actions, or habits that relate to health maintenance, to health restoration, and to health improvement
17
Q
What are the 4 theories that approach changing health behaviors?
A
- Health belief model 2. Theory of Planned Behavior 3. Transtheoretical Model 4. CBT approaches
18
Q
Based on our understanding about the relation between different health behaviors interventions, targeting health behavior should…
A
tackle health behaviors one at a time
19
Q
Why should we tackle health behaviors one at a time?
A
Health behaviors are largely independent of one another, unstable, and change overtime. Example: your decision to exercise is independent of drinking
20
Q
Why don’t fear messages work for important health behaviors?
A
Fear appraisals don’t work in the long-term or for behaviors that need to be done multiple time because they aren’t enough to change a behavior and sometime undermine the ability to make a change.
21
Q
When do fear appraisals work?
A
They work for one-time things that need to be done once, like vaccines.
22
Q
Health habit
A
a health behavior that is established and often automatic
23
Q
Health habits are easier to acquire…
A
when you are younger
24
Q
The health belief model relies on the ideology that…
A
you believe there is a threat to your health and your behavior can reduce that threat (Threat belief and Reduction belief Behavior)
25
Health threat beliefs begin with..
1. Health value - Do you even value your health? 2. Susceptibility belief - So you believe you are even at risk? 3. Severity belief - How severe is it?
26
The belief that your behaviors can reduce threat stem from…
1. Is the behavior going to be effective? 2. Does the benefit of changing your behavior outweigh the cost of how hard it is to actually change?
27
Some strengths of the Health Belief Model are…
1. It is useful 2. It focuses purely on beliefs, which makes it subjective rather than objective (example: what the individual believes their risk is vs their actual liklihood of the risk)
28
Some weaknesses of the Health Belief Model are…
1. Assumes behavior is rational 2. Assumes people have the skills to alter their behavior 3. Ignores the social context 4. Best for preventative behaviors
29
The Theory of Planned Behavior relies on the belief that…
The factor that predicts a change in an individual's behavior is their intention
30
What factors influence our intentions to change health behaviors?
1. Attitudes 2. Norms 3. Control
31
Attitudes
1. Beliefs about the outcome (e.g. dieting will help me lose weight) 2. Evaluations of the outcome (e.g. losing weigh is good)
32
Norms
1. Expectations and beliefs of people who matter to you 2. Motivation to comply with norms
33
Control
1. The need to feel you are capable of changing 2. The action will have the intended effect
34
What may get in the way between intentions and behaviors?
Factors like time, money, accessibility, emotions, or safety… etc
35
Though the Theory of Planned Behavior focuses on intentions, individuals may lack…
skills to change their behaviors. Sometimes people just don't know how to change.
36
What are strengths of the Theory of Planned Behavior
1. Incorporates the social aspect 2. Doesn't assume people want to be healthy 3. Includes their beliefs about their ability to change
37
What are weaknesses of the Theory of Planned Behavior
1. Predicts intentions, not actual behaviors 2. People don't always do what they intend
38
The Transtheoretical Model focuses on
successful techniques pulled from other models that were effective
39
What are the 6 stages of the Transtheoretical Model?
1. Precontemplation 2. Contemplation 3. Preparation 4. Action 5. Maintenance 6. Relapse
40
Precontemplation
No intention of changing behavior; doesn't acknowledge there is a problem
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Contemplation
Aware a problem exists but no commitment to action
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Preparation
Wants to change and makes a plan
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Action
Actively modifying behaviors
44
Maintenance
Sustained change
45
Relapse
Occurs when someone falls back into old patterns of behavior
46
The Transtheoretical Model matches
strategies to the stages; example: during the precontemplation stage, you may gather info about the behavior and experience feelings about the problem
47
Strengths of the Transtheoretical Model
It is practical (contrary to the Theory of Planned Behavior that just forces various techniques into one theory) and it is realistic since it acknowledges that people can be at different stages as you meet them where they are.
48
Weaknesses of the Transtheoretical Model
1. No new techniques 2. The same techniques won't work for everyone in the same stage as they may be in the same stage for different reasons 3. Doesn't explain how to shift/move on to a new stage
49
CBT Approach to assessing health behaviors..
borrow techniques such as self-monitoring, stimulus control, and operant conditioning from traditional Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
50
Self-monitoring
1. Keep track of frequency of behavior 2. Assess antecedents (what's happening before) and consequences (what's happening after) 3. Set goals
51
What type of goals are best?
The best type of goals are those that: 1. Address the behavior, not the overall outcome \>\> Losing 5 pounds vs I want to eat 5 vegetables 2. Are measurable because merely saying 'more' isn't quantifiable 3. Both short-term and long-term \>\> Having only long-term was cause you to get discouraged
52
Discriminative stimuli
Cues in our environment that elicit a certain behavior; often poor health are a result of these problem stimuli in our environment
53
Operant conditioning
Positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and punishment
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Contingency contracting
When you create a "contract" with someone else who administers the 'punishment/reward'; they help keep you on track
55
Antabuse for drinking is an example of
punishment
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Stimuli Control Interventions
1. Remove the "problem stimuli" 2. Add new things so you can create new and better discriminative stimuli
57
Getting something good out of a behavior is an example of…
Positive reinforcement
58
Removing the feeling of craving is an example of…
Negative reinforcement
59
Belloc & Breslow (1972) Alameda Study
7 Health habits led to fewer reported illnesses, disabilities, and lower mortality rates
60
What is the minimum level of physical activity that can improve your health?
Small increases in physical activity like walking can improve health long-term and reduce risk for mortality.
61
What is MET?
It is the Metabolic Equivalent and is defined as the amount of energy required to keep you alive
62
Why should psychologist care about eating?
\* Diet is a big factor for physical health \* It is intertwined with social relationships \* Has a very large impact on the environment
63
Disgust
An evolutionary trait that keeps us healthy by avoiding certain foods foreign to us
64
Why obesity is increasing
\* Increased consumption of processed foods \* Increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages \* Larger portions \* Mindless eating
65
Hyperpalatable
Food that is exceedingly tasty, which elicits a dopamine/pleasure response
66
Obesity is correlated with…
chronic diseases such as heart disease, stoke, diabetes, etc.
67
The relationship between obesity and chronic disease is not causal due to…
confounding variables that occur simultaneously, for instance, it may be that both conditions occur due to a poor diet, less access to health care, etc.
68
Dieting
restricting your calorie intake, not watching what you eat or reducing your intake of specific foods
69
What are the biological reasons why a diet may fail
Your decreased metabolism and the set-point theory
70
What are the psychological reasons why a diet may fail
\* Willpower \* Disrupts hunger signaling \* Stressful
71
Social Categorization leads to our \_\_\_, which can lead to \_\_\_
1. Social identity 2. Stigma
72
The most common motivations for going vegetarian are…
1. Animals 2. Health 3. Environment
73
There are more stigma for vegetarians who are choosing to give up meat for animal and environmental reasons, rather than health-motivated vegetarians because…
they are threatening moral status quo
74
The social-ecological model can help health professionals understand..
the influences that shape a person's food and physical activity choices; and intervening at multiple levels (micro, meso, exo, macro, etc.) can help encourage physical activity.
75
Sedentary behavior increases risk of:
1. All-cause mortality 2. Cardiovascular disease mortality 3. Cardiovascular disease 4. Type 2 diabetes 5. Colon, endometrial, and lung cancers
76
What are the job related benefits of exercise?
1. Less absenteeism 2. Increase job satisfaction 3. Decrease health care costs
77
Aerobic exercise
Activity in which the body's large muscles move in a rhythmic manner for a sustained period of time; uses oxygen and expends energy
78
Muscle-Strengthening
Physical acitivity, that increases skeletal muscle strength, power, endurance, and mass
79
What is the Talk Test?
A person doing moderate-intensity aerobic activity can talk but not sing; a person doing vigorous-intensity activity cannot say more than a few words.
80
How much sleep do we need for optimal health?
7 to 8 hours of sleep per 24 hour period
81
Health risks from inadequate sleep
1. Related to diabetes through effect on insulin 2. Increases risk of coronary heart disease 3. Increases blood pressure 4. Dysregulates stress physiology 5. Affects weight gain
82
What are the adverse effects of poor and insufficient sleep?
1. Poor cognitive functioning 2. Job & academic performance 3. Mood 4. Quality of life 5. Health
83
What populations are the most at-risk for accidents due to drowsy driving?
1. People with untreated sleep disorders 2. Young adults aged 16 - 29 3. Shift workers
84
Those who are sleep deprived have…
poor reaction time
85
Sleeping for a long time is linked to…
infectious & cardiovascular disease risk, early mortality, chronic inflammation, and increased worrying
86
Nurses health study
Measured the relative risk of cardiovascular disease over 10 years in women, and found that those sleeping over 9 hours and less than 5 had an increased risk for the disease
87
What are the two types of sleep?
1. Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) 2. Rapid eye movement (REM)
88
Importance of NREM sleep
1. Restores energy 2. Strengthens the immune system 3. Prompts the body to release growth hormone
89
REM sleep is important for…
Consolidating memories, turning knowledge into long-term memories, and solving problems
90
Sleep latency
The time you get in bed till the time you fall asleep
91
CNS Depressants
1. Are drugs like alcohol, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines 2. The affect our biological pathway by dampening CNS activity and alcohol increases activity of GABA 3. Their effects cause slowed reactions, poor judgment, and disinhibition
92
Binge drinking
A pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol levels to 0.008; typically occcurs at 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men in a span of 2 hours
93
Descriptive norms
an individual's perceptions of other people's behavior (whether or not these are approved of)
94
injunctive norms
Individual's perceptions of what other people will approve of; percieved peer approval. The behaviors and attitudes that are judged to be acceptable, expected, or correct within a social system
95
Why are social norms important in the context of drinking?
There is a high correlation between the perception of drinks consumed by the typical student with the # of drinks consumed by the perciever. At that, there is an overestimation of how much others are drinking.
96
T/F - Attending college is a risk factor for drinking
True. A comparison of those who attended college vs those who did not reported that college students surpassed their noncollege in terms of alcohol use
97
What are the 3 C's of substance misuse?
1. Continued use despite negative consequences 2. Compulsive use taking up significant time and resources 3. Loss of control over use & taking greater amounts than intended
98
Substance dependence is a repeated pattern of use involving…
The 3 C's of substance misuse and 1. Tolerance (i.e. the nervous system becomes less sensitive) 2. Withdrawal (unpleasant symptoms) 3. Craving
99
What are the 4 types of treatment for alcohol dependence?
1. Cognitive-behavioral modification programs 2. Family therapy and group counseling 3. Treatments programs 4. Relapse prevention
100
Successful alcohol treatment programs all have these factors:
1. Environmental factors 2. Moderate length of participation 3. Involvement of family and employers
101
How do preventive approaches to alcohol abuse work?
The advocate adolescents to avoid drinking or to control it. Programs in schools target adolescents' self-efficacy and changing their social norms
102
Results from college prevention interventions
1. Personalized feedback is more effective 2. Individual-level is more effective than group-level interventions
103
Personalized feedback features…
1. A personalized drinking profile to describe patterns of quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption 2. Normative comparisons to a reference group 3. Didactic (educational) information about alcohol 4. Individual risk factors for future consequences (like past history or family history)
104
Mediation
A specific way that a third variable explains how changed in the IV lead to changes in the DV
105
Mediating constructs for alcohol interventions and drinking
1. Descriptive norms (the perception of peer alcohol use) - supported 2. Protective behavioral strategies (setting limits, drinking with a meal) - mixed 3. Outcome expectancies - mixed 4. Motivation to change - not supported
106
Smoking
1. Greatest cause of preventable death 2. Increases the risk of many diseases and disorders 3. Secondhand smoke affects everyone around you
107
Interaction effects of smoking
1. Increases heart rate and blood pressure in response to stress 2. Weight and smoking interact and increase mortality 3. Smoking + depression can increase the risk of cancer 4. In adolescnece, smoking increases anxiety
108
Why is smoking hard to change?
1. Associated with pleasure 2. Highly individualized patterns 3. Lead to short-term unpleasant withdrawal symptoms 4. Elevates mood 5. Keeps weight down
109
Stress
a negative emotional experience accompanied by a predictable biochemical, physiological, cognitive, and behavioral changed that are directed either towards altering the stressful event or accommodating to its effects
110
Acute stress
Stressors that demand immediate attention and don't last long; usually appear suddenly (e.g. many physical stressors)
111
Chronic stress
Stressors that do not require immediate attention, but last a long time and are a constant source of worry (e.g. most psychological stressors)
112
What are the four different theories of stress?
1. Walte Cannon's "Fight or flight" behavior 2. Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome 3. Holmes and Rahe's "Stressful life events in humans" 4. Lazarus' Stress Appraisals
113
Fight or flight
Stress causes physiological changes that help the body mobilize to fight or flee. This is useful since you react very quickly but disrupts normal functioning
114
General Adaptation Syndrome
Based off a study in rats, where rats were exposed to chronic stress, found they had enlarge adrenal glands, shrunken lymph nodes, and bleeding ulcers. The body has a non-specific response when any demand is place on it (this is where the adaptation comes in), but becomes detrimental when the stress becomes chronic.
115
Stressful life events in humans
A study of individuals with # of stressful life events (where their lives were changed significantly) compared to how often they've gotten sick.
116
Stress appraisals
This theory states that it's not enough to have these stressful events, but it's your perception of them that determine how much of an effect it has on us.
117
Primary Appraisal
"Is the event harmful or threatening?"
118
Secondary Appraisal
"Are my coping abilities and resources sufficient to overcome the harm posed by the event?"
119
Appraisals Matter (Study)
Participants watched video of subincision with different sountracts, and researchers measured heart rate and self-reported stress. Most stressed were those who listened to trauna soundtrack, lead stress were denial soundtrack and scientific soundtrack.
120
Autonomic Nervous system in response to stress
1. Sympathetic nervous system is activated and releases catecholamines to get ready to get mobilized. 2. The parasympathetic nervous system is suppressed (responsible for calm activities) 3. This system acts really fast and the messages are sent quickly because you need the energy immediately
121
HPA axis in repsonse to stress
1. General Adaptation syndrome 2. Release of corticosteroids
122
Threat and Challenge Reappraisal styles
A threat occurs when the demands are greater than the resources (elicits both HPA and autonomic response). A challenge occurs when the resources are greater than demands (elicits only an autonomic response).
123
Which reappraisal style leads to less damage on the body?
Challenge
124
What does stress do to your body?
1. Mobilizes energy 2. Raises heart rate 3. Slows digestion 4. Slows growth 5. Slows reproduction 6. Blunts pain 7. Speeds aging 8. Harms memory 9. Suppresses immune system
125
Coping
Thoughts and behaviors used to manage the internal and external demands of situations that are appraised as stressful
126
What factors influence the coping process
External/tangible resources like social support and other life stressors; and internal resources like our usual coping style and personality
127
The 3 type of coping strategies
1. Problem focused coping 2. Emotion focused coping 3. Cognition focused coping
128
Problem Focused Coping
Seeking information & Problem solving (Change situation)
129
Emotion focused coping
Release, distractions, and calming down (Manage emotions)
130
Cognition focused coping
Changing thoughts, changing appraisals (denial, changing goals, social comparison), Finding meaning (Change thoughts)
131
Motivational tendency
How much psychological and physical distance the strategy place the person relative to the situation; either approach or avoidance
132
Approach
Getting closer mentally and physically with the stressful situation; problem focused, expression, facing the stress.. Etc.
133
Avoidance
Staying away from the stressful situation both mentally and physically; distraction, denial, substance use
134
successful coping
1. Reducing stress-related physiological activation 2. Reducing psychological distress 3. Returning to pre-stress activities 4. Shortening/tolerating the duration of stressful event 5. Continuing satisfying relationships
135
T/F - Avoidance tendencies are never effective
False. They can be effective in the short-term, and sometimes the most useful when there's nothing you can do (example: distraction is useful to deal with an inconclusive test result)
