OMED 1399 - Ethical, Legal and Behavioural Aspects (PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY) Flashcards
What is Psychology?
The Study of Behaviour and Mental Processes.
The Genes we are Born with.
Our Physiological System (Brain, Nervous System, Endocrine System)
Our Cognitive System (Thoughts, Perception, Memory)
The Social and Cultural Environments in which we Develop Overtime.
Our Life Experiences including those from Childhood.
Our Personal Differences including our IQ, Personality and Mental Health.
What are Theoretical Domains?
Historically Philosophers believed the Human Infant is Born without Knowledge and Skills (a Blank Slate or ‘Tabulsa Rasa’), this is an Empiricist Viewpoint.
This Perspective Argues that Human Development occurs as the Person is Nurtured through Observation and Experiences (Greek ‘Empeiria’ literally means ‘Experience’). We are a Product of Creativity, Free Willed and Responsible for our Own Actions.
An Opposing View from a Nativist Perspective argues that Nature, Heredity and Genes pre-wire us and this Subsequently Shapes our Development.
Theoretical Perspectives also vary in terms of the time span that psychologists consider e.g. Freud, Considered Past Experiences to Explain present Behaviour; including e.g. Experiences in Childhood, Abuse and Family break up.
Or the Focus should be on the Present, Observing Behaviour here and now (Skinner) and how the Behaviour is shaped by Reward and Reinforcement.
What are the Different types of Theoretical Domains?
Biological:
- Genes
- Hormones
- Information Processing
- Motor Skills
- Fine Motor Skills
Congnitive:
- Perception
- Memory
- Imagination
- Learning
- Thinking
- Decision Making
- Hearing and Speech
Psycho - Social
- Temperament
- Culture
- Family
- Values
- Beliefs
- School
- Socialisation and Play
What are the Differences in Theoretical Domains?
Clinical Psychology: Mental Health
- Anxiety
- Depression
- OCD
- Psychosis
- Anorexia
- Self Harm
- Addiction
Health Psychology: Physical Health
Health Behaviours:
- Diet
- Sleep
- Exercise
- Medication Adherence
Chronic Conditions
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
What are the Different Types of Health Psychology Research?
Four Broad Categories of Study:
1. Descriptive
2. Explanatory
3. Predictive
4. Intervention Based.
What is Health (Kemm and Close 1999)?
Absence of Disease:
Physical Health - Long Life, No Physical, No Risk of Disease, Low Risk Life Style
Mental Health - No Psychiatric Disease
Social Health - No Social Family Breakdown
Absence of Ill Health
Physical Health - Long Life, No Physical, No Risk of Disease, Low Risk Lifestyle.
Mental Health - No Mental Distress, No Mental
Social Health - No Social Family Breakdown
Presence of Positive Health (Well Being)
Physical Health - Fitness, Health Promoting Lifestyle
Mental Health - Self Esteem, Mental Ability, Resilience
Social Health - Role in Society, Social Support, Sense of Belonging.
What is Meant by Health?
‘’The State of Complete Physical, Social and Spiritual Wellbeing, not Simply the Absence of Illness”. The World Health Organisation (1946)
Matarazzo (1982:4) - Health Psychology is “the Aggregate of the specific Educational, Scientific and Professional Contributions of the Discipline of Psychology to the Promotion and Maintenance of Health, the Prevention and Treatment of Illness, and the Identification of Etiologic and Diagnostic Correlates of Heath, Illness and Related Dysfunction and to the Analysis and Improvement of the Health Care System and Health Policy Formation”.
Health and Well-being are Subject to Variability:
Illness Onset —> Illness Adaptation —> Illness Outcome
What is the Role of Politics in Health Psychology?
- Solutions which Focus on Individual Behaviour Tend to be Proposed by those who feel the Individual is Responsible for their Own Health (May also be right leaning in Political View).
- Solutions which Focus on Collective Responsibly for Health tend to Favour. Social Policy and State Intervention (May also be Left Leaning in Political View).
What are the Key Topics in Health Psychology?
- Drug Misuse
- Management of Long Term Conditions
- Obesity
- Alcholism
- Smoking
- Antibiotic Use
- Sedentary Lifestyle
- Health Promotion and Health Interventions
- Use of Social Media
- Gun Violence
What is Meant by Health Psychology?
Plays a Crucial Role in understanding and Infleuncing Health Behaviours. These Theories provide Valuable insights into the Factors that drive Human Behvaiour in the Context of Health and Wellness.
Understanding these Theories is Essential for Healthcare professionals, Researchers, and Policymakers to Develop Effective Interventions.
What is HBM (Hochbaum and Rosenstock, 1952)?
Perceived Susceptibility and Severity Influence Health Related Behaviours.
Benefits and Barriers to Undertaking, Specific Actions.
Cues to Action which prompt Individuals to take Specific Health Related Steps.
Self Efficacy affects the Individual’s Confidence in their Ability to take Action.
What are the Limitations of HBM?
- BM’s Focus on Individual Beliefs may Overlook Social and Environmental Influences (Influence of where you live and who you like with)
- The Model may not Fully account for the Complexities of Behaviour Change in real-world Settings.
- Critics Argue that HBM’s Emphasis on Rational Decision-making may not align with Actual Human Behaviour (Majority of Human thought is not Rational)
- The Model’s Effectiveness is Prediciting and Influencing Behaviour has been Questioned in Certain Contexts (Not Always of Good Predictive Value).
What are the Core Tenets of Social Cognitive Theory?
Observational Learning and Modelling are Central to SCT.
Self Efficacy Beliefs Significantly Impact Behaviour Change Efforts.
The Interplay Between Personal, Behvaioural, and Environmental Factors Shapes Health Behaviours.
SCT Emphasises the Role of Reinforcement and Self-Regulation in Sustaining Behaviour Changes.
What are the Critiques and Limitations of SCT?
- Critics Argue that SCT may oversimplify the Complexities of Behvaiour Change (Human Behaviour is Influenced by multiple Factors)
- The Emphasis on Individual Agency may Downplay the Influence of Social and Environmental Factors.
- SCT’s Reliance on Self-Reported Measures may Introduce Biases in Research Outcomes (People are Inclined to Say what people want to hear)
- The Applicability of SCT across Diverse Cultural Contexts has been a Subject of Debate.
What is Sociology?
Scientific Approach to Understanding people in Society, their Relationship to Social Structures and how our Interactions with Each other and these Structures Influence us.
Specifically, we are Concerned about Health and Illness. How we in Turn Influence Health and Wellbeing through our Agency. Sociological Theories are a Useful in Moving Away from Common Sense Understandings of Society.
Socialisation Occurs through Groups and Adoptions of ‘Norms’ (Festinger, 1956 and Rosenhan, 1973 cited in Fountaine, 2013) and Mediated by Language, Culture and Relationships (Giddens, 1994)
