When it comes to understanding health and changing behaviours, psychology...
Psychology221 views·Updated Jun 13, 2026·5 pagesOverview of Psychology and Health Models
Louise@louise_studies
1 / 5
1
of 5
Health Models and Addiction Theories
Think of health as more than just "not being sick" - it's actually a complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing. This broader definition helps explain why treating health issues requires looking at the whole person, not just symptoms.
The Biomedical Model treats the body like a machine that needs fixing when broken, using drugs and physical treatments. However, this approach is quite reductionist because it ignores social, economic and environmental factors that affect health. It also separates mind and body, which doesn't account for conditions like psychosomatic illnesses where symptoms are created in the mind.
A more comprehensive approach is the Biopsychosocial Model, which considers three key factors: biological , psychological (thoughts, emotions, motivation), and social (peer pressure, community access to services, mass media influence). This model recognises that all these elements work together to influence our health.
Key Insight: The Transtheoretical Model shows that addiction recovery happens in stages - from pre-contemplation (denial) through contemplation, preparation, action, to maintenance - and therapy needs to adapt to whichever stage someone's at.
2
of 5
Health Belief Model and Cognitive Dissonance
The Health Belief Model (HBM) works like an internal algorithm that helps predict whether someone will engage in healthy behaviours. It's built on four key components: perceived susceptibility (how vulnerable you feel), perceived seriousness (how harmful you think the risk is), barriers and benefits (what stops or motivates you), and cues to action (triggers like symptoms or health campaigns).
Becker's study on asthma medication perfectly demonstrates this model in action. Mothers whose beliefs aligned with HBM components showed better adherence to their children's medication. Those who believed their child was susceptible to serious asthma attacks and understood the benefits were more likely to stick to treatment plans.
However, the HBM assumes people always think rationally, which isn't realistic since emotions often drive our decisions. It's also reductionist because it doesn't consider factors like self-efficacy or social pressure that heavily influence behaviour.
Real-World Application: Cognitive dissonance occurs when your attitudes don't match your behaviour, creating uncomfortable tension. For example, a smoker who knows smoking is harmful experiences dissonance, which they might resolve by either quitting or finding ways to justify their habit.
3
of 5
Locus of Control and Mental Health
Your locus of control essentially determines whether you believe you're in charge of your life or at the mercy of external forces. People with internal locus of control feel they can influence outcomes through their actions, leading to less stress, better health, and higher self-esteem. They're more likely to engage in protective health behaviours and less likely to take dangerous risks.
Those with external locus of control believe luck, chance, or other people control their lives. This can lead to more stress, poorer health choices, and lower self-esteem because they feel powerless to change their circumstances.
Krause's study with older adults revealed something fascinating: both extreme internal and external control can be problematic. Moderate internal control actually worked best for coping with stressful life events, whilst extreme positions on either side led to more depression and difficulty handling stress.
Important Note: Having too much internal control can backfire - when faced with genuinely uncontrollable situations like unexpected illness, highly internal people may experience significant depression or anxiety because they can't accept their lack of control.
4
of 5
Theory of Planned Behaviour
The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) explains that your intention to perform a behaviour depends on three crucial factors working together. First, your attitude - having positive feelings about the behaviour makes you more likely to do it. Second, subjective norms - seeing others perform the behaviour and feeling social pressure influences your choices.
The third factor, perceived behavioural control, is often the make-or-break element. This involves honestly assessing whether you have the time, money, skills, and resources needed to actually carry out the behaviour. You might have great intentions to exercise daily, but if you lack time, access to facilities, or physical ability, those intentions won't translate into action.
TPB is particularly useful for designing addiction recovery programmes and health interventions because it addresses the gap between wanting to change and actually changing. However, it's somewhat reductionist as it doesn't account for individual differences like age, personality, gender, or lifestyle factors that significantly influence behaviour.
Practical Tip: TPB shows why good intentions aren't enough - you need positive attitudes, social support, and genuine belief that you can successfully perform the behaviour to create lasting change.
5
of 5
Self-Efficacy and Behaviour Change
Self-efficacy is your belief in your ability to succeed at specific tasks - think of it as task-specific confidence. Unlike general self-esteem, self-efficacy focuses on "Can I actually do this particular thing?" This belief is shaped by four key influences that work together to build or undermine your confidence.
Enactive influence comes from past experiences - success builds confidence whilst repeated failures can crush it. Vicarious influence involves comparing yourself to others and learning from their experiences. Social persuasion includes feedback from others that either encourages or discourages your efforts. Finally, emotional influence shows how anxiety and stress directly impact your confidence levels.
Bandura's snake phobia study brilliantly demonstrates self-efficacy in action. Through systematic desensitisation, participants gradually faced their fears whilst learning relaxation techniques. As their self-efficacy increased, their avoidance behaviour decreased and they could interact more comfortably with snakes. The study proved that building confidence in your ability to cope directly leads to behaviour change.
Key Takeaway: Self-efficacy is incredibly powerful because it's both a predictor and a driver of behaviour change - believe you can do something, and you're far more likely to actually succeed at it.
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Psychology221 views·Updated Jun 13, 2026·5 pagesOverview of Psychology and Health Models
Louise@louise_studies
When it comes to understanding health and changing behaviours, psychology offers several fascinating models that explain why we make the choices we do. These theories help us understand everything from why some people stick to healthy habits whilst others struggle...
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Health Models and Addiction Theories
Think of health as more than just "not being sick" - it's actually a complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing. This broader definition helps explain why treating health issues requires looking at the whole person, not just symptoms.
The Biomedical Model treats the body like a machine that needs fixing when broken, using drugs and physical treatments. However, this approach is quite reductionist because it ignores social, economic and environmental factors that affect health. It also separates mind and body, which doesn't account for conditions like psychosomatic illnesses where symptoms are created in the mind.
A more comprehensive approach is the Biopsychosocial Model, which considers three key factors: biological , psychological (thoughts, emotions, motivation), and social (peer pressure, community access to services, mass media influence). This model recognises that all these elements work together to influence our health.
Key Insight: The Transtheoretical Model shows that addiction recovery happens in stages - from pre-contemplation (denial) through contemplation, preparation, action, to maintenance - and therapy needs to adapt to whichever stage someone's at.
2
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Health Belief Model and Cognitive Dissonance
The Health Belief Model (HBM) works like an internal algorithm that helps predict whether someone will engage in healthy behaviours. It's built on four key components: perceived susceptibility (how vulnerable you feel), perceived seriousness (how harmful you think the risk is), barriers and benefits (what stops or motivates you), and cues to action (triggers like symptoms or health campaigns).
Becker's study on asthma medication perfectly demonstrates this model in action. Mothers whose beliefs aligned with HBM components showed better adherence to their children's medication. Those who believed their child was susceptible to serious asthma attacks and understood the benefits were more likely to stick to treatment plans.
However, the HBM assumes people always think rationally, which isn't realistic since emotions often drive our decisions. It's also reductionist because it doesn't consider factors like self-efficacy or social pressure that heavily influence behaviour.
Real-World Application: Cognitive dissonance occurs when your attitudes don't match your behaviour, creating uncomfortable tension. For example, a smoker who knows smoking is harmful experiences dissonance, which they might resolve by either quitting or finding ways to justify their habit.
3
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Locus of Control and Mental Health
Your locus of control essentially determines whether you believe you're in charge of your life or at the mercy of external forces. People with internal locus of control feel they can influence outcomes through their actions, leading to less stress, better health, and higher self-esteem. They're more likely to engage in protective health behaviours and less likely to take dangerous risks.
Those with external locus of control believe luck, chance, or other people control their lives. This can lead to more stress, poorer health choices, and lower self-esteem because they feel powerless to change their circumstances.
Krause's study with older adults revealed something fascinating: both extreme internal and external control can be problematic. Moderate internal control actually worked best for coping with stressful life events, whilst extreme positions on either side led to more depression and difficulty handling stress.
Important Note: Having too much internal control can backfire - when faced with genuinely uncontrollable situations like unexpected illness, highly internal people may experience significant depression or anxiety because they can't accept their lack of control.
4
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Theory of Planned Behaviour
The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) explains that your intention to perform a behaviour depends on three crucial factors working together. First, your attitude - having positive feelings about the behaviour makes you more likely to do it. Second, subjective norms - seeing others perform the behaviour and feeling social pressure influences your choices.
The third factor, perceived behavioural control, is often the make-or-break element. This involves honestly assessing whether you have the time, money, skills, and resources needed to actually carry out the behaviour. You might have great intentions to exercise daily, but if you lack time, access to facilities, or physical ability, those intentions won't translate into action.
TPB is particularly useful for designing addiction recovery programmes and health interventions because it addresses the gap between wanting to change and actually changing. However, it's somewhat reductionist as it doesn't account for individual differences like age, personality, gender, or lifestyle factors that significantly influence behaviour.
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Self-Efficacy and Behaviour Change
Self-efficacy is your belief in your ability to succeed at specific tasks - think of it as task-specific confidence. Unlike general self-esteem, self-efficacy focuses on "Can I actually do this particular thing?" This belief is shaped by four key influences that work together to build or undermine your confidence.
Enactive influence comes from past experiences - success builds confidence whilst repeated failures can crush it. Vicarious influence involves comparing yourself to others and learning from their experiences. Social persuasion includes feedback from others that either encourages or discourages your efforts. Finally, emotional influence shows how anxiety and stress directly impact your confidence levels.
Bandura's snake phobia study brilliantly demonstrates self-efficacy in action. Through systematic desensitisation, participants gradually faced their fears whilst learning relaxation techniques. As their self-efficacy increased, their avoidance behaviour decreased and they could interact more comfortably with snakes. The study proved that building confidence in your ability to cope directly leads to behaviour change.
Key Takeaway: Self-efficacy is incredibly powerful because it's both a predictor and a driver of behaviour change - believe you can do something, and you're far more likely to actually succeed at it.
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Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
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