Week 4: Theorise And Models Of Behavior 2

Question 1

Tell me about the Protection Motivation Theory (Rogers, 1975)?

Answer 1

Perceived severity and perceived probability - Threat appraisal.

Efficacy of preventative behaviour and perceived self-efficacy - coping appraisal.

Threat Appraisal and Coping appraisal - intention to protect - protective behaviour.

Question 2

What can the protection motivation theory (Rogers, 1975) be used for?

Answer 2

The theory can be used for the protection of cancer for example and can also be used in health contexts to help us understand fear appraisals and how individuals deal with fears related their health.

Question 3

Define threat appraisal?

Answer 3

This is the perceived severity of a threatening issue and is subjective as it is based on their own Interpretation of an event.

Question 4

Research states that the protection motivation theory will motivate people to exercise if they: believe a disease to be severe and likely to cause harm and if they personally believe exercise will reduce the health threat and if they have high self efficacy and if costs are not expensive. True or false?

Answer 4

True.

Question 5

What is the Stimulus Response Theory (Skinner, 1953)?

Answer 5

Provides an explanation for how people learn new behaviours and grew out of the principles of classical conditioning (Pavlov, 1928) and instrumental conditioning (Thorndike, 1898).

Question 6

What is classical conditioning (Pavlov, 1928)?

Answer 6

States that reflexive behaviours (salivation and blinking) can be elicited through repeated pairings of the behaviour with a antecedent cue e.g Pavlov found that the repeated ringing of a bell with the delivery of food, dogs would start salivating when the bell rang and no food was present.the dogs had learned to associate the bell ringing the delivery of food.

Question 7

What is instrumental conditioning (Thorndike, 1898)?

Answer 7

States that voluntary behaviour can be learned by pairing the behaviour with consequent reinforcement. eg a person attends the gym because they are provided with a financial reward.

Question 8

Provide the 4 types of events that can follow behaviour according to the stimulus response theory (Skinner, 1953)?

Answer 8

1) Positive reinforcement e.g. Money, praise(Increase exercise)
2) Negative reinforcement e.g. Pain, depression (Increase exercise)
3) Punishment e.g. Injury, embarrassment (Decrease exercise)
4) Extinction e.g. opportunities to socialise (Decrease exercise)

Question 9

Define reflexive behavior?

Answer 9

Behaviour is not voluntary as it automatically happens.

Question 10

Define operant conditioning with an example?

Answer 10

Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which the consequences of an individuals behaviour determines the likelihood the behaviour being repeated in the future. E.g. A baby smiles, father picks up the child, the child continues to smile.

Question 11

Provide examples of primary and secondary reinforcers?

Answer 11

Primary: food and water

Secondary: money

Question 12

Provide examples of positive and negative reinforcement?

Answer 12

Positive: when you exercise you get paid.

Negative: the symptoms of depression reduce when you attend the gym. It is a negative part of their lives but exercise reduces this negative symptom, resulting n an individual attending the gym.

Question 13

Define positive punishment and negative punishment?

Answer 13

Positive punishment: the adding of an aversive stimulus to decrease a certain behaviour or response.

Negative punishment: the removal of an appetitive stimulus to decrease a certain type of behaviour.

Question 14

Tell me about the research that (Roemmich, Gurgol and Epstein, 2004) conducted on the stimulus response theory?

Answer 14

The study revealed that children who received reinforcement increased their physical activity levels by 24% and decreased television watching by 22%.

Question 15

Define the Transtheoretical model (Prochaska, 1977)?

Answer 15

According to the Transtheoretical model behaviour change is not a quick process, people don’t suddenly decide to quit smoking or start exercising and immediately change their behaviour. Rather behaviour change is a gradual process where an individual progresses through a series of stages.

Question 16

What are the stages of changed the Transtheoretical model (Prochaska,1977)?

Answer 16

1) Pre-contemplation
2) contemplation
3) preparation
4) action
5) maintenance

Question 17

Define the pre-contemplation stage?

Answer 17

People have no intentions to start exercising in the next 6 months as the consider the cons of exercise to be greater than the pros, maybe because they lack information on the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.

Question 18

Define the contemplation stage?

Answer 18

People have intentions to start exercising within the next 6 months, they are aware of the pros but they are equally aware of the cons. They are not ready to make a commitment to exercise.

Question 19

Define the preparation stage?

Answer 19

People intend to start exercising within the next 4 weeks. People in this stage consider the pros of exercise to be greater than the cons. During this stage people will purchase equipment and enquiry about local exercise facilities. This stage is unstable.

Question 20

Define the action stage?

Answer 20

People are exercising at the optimum levels (moderate intensity for 30 min duration). This is a very unstable stage and therefore the individual is susceptible to relapse.

Question 21

Defoe the maintenance stage?

Answer 21

This is when people have been exercising for at least 6 months at optimal levels. The are obviously less tempted to relapse and are confident in their own ability to adhere to the exercise program.

Question 22

What 3 factors influences an individuals movement through the stages of change?

Answer 22

1) how people think about exercise.
2) how people think about themselves.
3) aspects of the environment that influences exercise behaviour.

Question 23

Tell me about the decision balance construct that was developed from Janis and Mann’s mode of decision making?

Answer 23

It reflects how people perceive the pros and cons of changing their exercise behaviour. The movement through the stages of the Transtheoretical model is determined by the numberer of pros vs cons for exercise

Question 24

Tell me about self-efficacy in relation to the Transtheoretical model?

Answer 24

According to the self-efficacy construct developed by Bandura, self efficacy represents situation specific confidence and self-efficacy is believed to increase as people move through the stages of change.

Question 25

Provide examples when an individual may be tempted to skip exercise?

Answer 25

Rainy days, busy work or school schedule, and fatigue.

Question 26

How can the Transtheoretical model be used to guide exercise interventions?

Answer 26

It provides a framework for identifying the interventions that are most appropriate for a person at a particular stage

Question 27

Most of the research concerning the Transtheoretical model can be classified into what 3 types of studies?

Answer 27

1) descriptive studies
2) predictive studies
3) intervention studies

Question 28

Define descriptive studies, predictive studies, and intervention studies?

Answer 28

Descriptive: describes the differences between various people in the Transtheoretical model

Predictive: studies that attempt o predict future exercise behaviour.

Intervention: interventions that use the Transtheoretical model to develop exercise interventions.w

Question 29

What are the limitations to the Transtheoretical model?

Answer 29

It can not reliably predict who will increase exercise behaviour and when (Nigg, 2001). In addition is appears that people move backwards through the stages, regressing rather than progressing (Cole et al, 1998). The model is unable to predict who will backslide and when.

Question 30

Provide 2 benefits of the Transtheoretical model?

Answer 30

1) provides opportunity to match the intervention to the needs of the individuals in each stage (Marcus et al, 1998).
2) the Transtheoretical model recognises that when it comes to exercise interventions, one size does not fit all.

Question 31

Name the model that is a development of the stimulus response theory and the Transtheoretical model?

Answer 31

Social ecological model (McLeroy et al, 1988)

Question 32

Define the Social ecological model (McLeroy et al, 1988)?

Answer 32

This model takes the approach that it is not only individual-level factors that influence behaviour but other factors such as the physical environment, the community, society and the government also play a part (Stokols, 1996).