Health psychology
Topic
Content
Determinants of health Biopsychosocial model of health and well-being
Dispositional factors and health beliefs
Risk and protective factors
Health problems
Explanations of health problem(s)
Prevalence rates of health problem(s)
Promoting health
Health promotion
Effectiveness of health promotion programme(s)
Guidance
The integration
of biological,
cognitive and
sociocultural
approaches to
understanding
behaviour
Approaches to
research
Ethical
considerations
Command term
Definition
Contrast
Give an account of the differences between two (or more)
items or situations, referring to both (all) of them
throughout.
Discuss
Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a
range of factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions
should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate
evidence.
Evaluate
Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and
limitations.
To what extent
Consider the merits or otherwise of an argument or
concept. Opinions and conclusions should be presented
clearly and supported with appropriate evidence and sound
argument.
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
Question
Discuss/contrast determinants of health.
Studies
1. Haworth et al. (2008) — genetics as a
biological determinant of obesity
2. Jokela et al. (2013) — personality traits
(conscientiousness) as a cognitive determinant
of obesity
3. Padez et al. (2005) — family variables as a
sociocultural determinate of obesity predict
obesity
Discuss the influence of biological factors on
health-related behaviour.
1. Haworth et al. (2008) — obesity is
influenced by genetic factors
2. DelParigi et al. (2005) — obesity is
associated with a specific pattern of brain
activation in response to food stimuli
3.
Discuss the influence of cognitive factors on
health-related behaviour.
1. Jokela et al. (2013) — conscientiousness is
associated with a lower risk of obesity
2. Lewis et al. (2010) — moderately and
severely obese individuals have different
perceptions of their weight and associated
health risks
3. Haines et al. (2006) — cognitive variables
such as body dissatisfaction and weight
concern influence obesity
Discuss the influence of sociocultural factors on
health-related behaviour.
1. Padez et al. (2005) — family variables
predict obesity
2. Taylor (2002) —
3. Steptoe and Marmot (2003) —
To what extent do biological factors influence
health-related behaviour?
1. Haworth et al. (2008) — biological factors
(genetics) influence obesity
2. Jokela et al. (2013) — cognitive factors
(personality traits) influence obesity
3. Padez et al. (2005) — sociocultural factors
(family variables) influence obesity
To what extent do cognitive factors influence
health-related behaviour?
1. Jokela et al. (2013) — cognitive factors
(personality traits) influence obesity
2. Haworth et al. (2008) — biological factors
(genetics) influence obesity
3. Padez et al. (2005) — sociocultural factors
(family variables) influence obesity
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
Question
To what extent do sociocultural factors influence
health-related behaviour?
Studies
1. Padez et al. (2005) — sociocultural factors
(family variables) influence obesity
2. Haworth et al. (2008) — biological factors
(genetics) influence obesity
3. Jokela et al. (2013) — cognitive factors
(personality traits) influence obesity
Contrast biological and cognitive determinants of
health.
1. Haworth et al. (2008) — obesity is
influenced by genetic factors
2. DelParigi et al. (2005) — obesity is
associated with a specific pattern of brain
activation in response to food stimuli
3. Jokela et al. (2013) — conscientiousness is
associated with a lower risk of obesity
4. Lewis et al. (2010) — moderately and
severely obese individuals have different
perceptions of their weight and associated
health risks
Contrast biological and sociocultural
determinants of health.
1. Haworth et al. (2008) — obesity is
influenced by genetic factors
2. DelParigi et al. (2005) — obesity is
associated with a specific pattern of brain
activation in response to food stimuli
3. Padez et al. (2005) — family variables
predict obesity
4. Taylor (2002) —
Contrast cognitive and sociocultural determinants 1. Jokela et al. (2013) — conscientiousness is
of health.
associated with a lower risk of obesity
2. Lewis et al. (2010) — moderately and
severely obese individuals have different
perceptions of their weight and associated
health risks
3. Padez et al. (2005) — family variables
predict obesity
4. Taylor (2002) —
Discuss/contrast approaches to research linked to
determinants of health.
1. Jokela et al. (2013) — meta-analysis
2. DelParigi et al. (2005) — quasi-experiment
3. Padez et al. (2005) — questionnaire
Discuss/contrast ethical considerations linked to
research into determinants of health.
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
Question
Studies
Discuss/evaluate the biopsychosocial model of
health and well-being.
1. Nguyen et al. (2016) — using a treatment
programme based on the BPS model is
effective for weight loss
2. Haines et al. (2006) — a range of personal,
behavioural and socio-environmental factors
serve as risk and protective factors for obesity;
health is determined by an interaction
between biological, psychological and social
factors (as in the BPS model)
3.
Discuss/contrast dispositional factors and health
beliefs linked to determinants of health.
1. Haworth et al. (2008) — genetic
predisposition to obesity
2. Lewis et al. (2010) — moderately and
severely obese individuals have different
perceptions of their weight and associated
health risks
3. Jokela et al. (2013) — low conscientiousness
is a dispositional factor that increases the risk
of obesity
Discuss/contrast risk and protective factors linked 1. Jokela et al. (2013) — the personality trait
to determinants of health.
of conscientiousness is a protective factor for
obesity
2. Haines et al. (2006) — a range of personal,
behavioural and socio-environmental factors
serve as risk and protective factors for obesity
3. Padez et al. (2005) — different family
variables provide both risk and protective
factors for obesity
HEALTH PROBLEMS
Question
Studies
Discuss/contrast health problems.
Discuss the influence of biological factors on
health problems.
1. Haworth et al. (2008) — genetics influence
obesity
2. DelParigi et al. (2005) — brain activation
patterns influence obesity
3.
HEALTH PROBLEMS
Question
Discuss the influence of cognitive factors on
health problems.
Studies
1. Jokela et al. (2013) — the personality rate of
conscientiousness influences obesity
2. Lewis et al. (2010) — health beliefs influence
obesity
3. Haines et al. (2006) — cognitive variables
such as body dissatisfaction and weight
concern influence obesity
Discuss the influence of sociocultural factors on
health problems.
1. Padez et al. (2005) — family variables
predict obesity
2. Taylor (2002) —
3. Steptoe and Marmot (2003) —
To what extent do biological factors influence
health problems?
1. Haworth et al. (2008) — biological factors
(genetics) influence obesity
2. Jokela et al. (2013) — cognitive factors
(personality traits) influence obesity
3. Padez et al. (2005) — sociocultural factors
(family variables) influence obesity
To what extent do cognitive factors influence
health problems?
1. Jokela et al. (2013) — cognitive factors
(personality traits) influence obesity
2. Haworth et al. (2008) — biological factors
(genetics) influence obesity
3. Padez et al. (2005) — sociocultural factors
(family variables) influence obesity
To what extent do sociocultural factors influence
health problems?
1. Padez et al. (2005) — sociocultural factors
(family variables) influence obesity
2. Haworth et al. (2008) — biological factors
(genetics) influence obesity
3. Jokela et al. (2013) — cognitive factors
(personality traits) influence obesity
Discuss/contrast approaches to research linked to
health problems.
1. Jokela et al. (2013) — meta-analysis
2. DelParigi et al. (2005) — quasi-experiment
3. Padez et al. (2005) — questionnaire
Discuss/contrast ethical considerations linked to
research into health problems.
HEALTH PROBLEMS
Question
Discuss/contrast/evaluate explanations of health
problems.
Studies
1. Haworth et al. (2008) — genetics as an
explanation for obesity
2. Jokela et al. (2013) — the personality trait
of conscientiousness as an explanation of
obesity
3. Padez et al. (2005) — family variables as an
explanation of obesity
Discuss/contrast prevalence rates of health
problems.
STUDIES TO MEMORISE
1. Haworth et al. (2008)
2. Jokela et al. (2013)
3. Padez et al. (2005)
4. DelParigi et al. (2005)
5. Lewis et al. (2010)
6. Haines et al. (2006)
7. Taylor (2002)
8. Steptoe and Marmot (2003)
9. Nguyen et al. (2016)
Biopsychosocial model of health and well-being
‣ The biopsychosocial (BPS) model of health posits that the state of our health is dependent
on an interaction between physiological, psychological and behavioural, and social and
environmental factors
‣ It is an alternative to the biomedical model, the traditional model of health that
considered biological malfunction the only cause of illness
‣ Biological influences on health include and individual’s genetic makeup and history of
physical trauma or infection
‣ Psychological component of model seeks to find a psychological foundation for a
particular symptom or array of symptoms
‣ Social factors include socioeconomic status, culture, technology and religion.
‣ Cultural factors are part of social factors and relate to different expectations and
circumstance in different cultures.
‣ We must understand how each factor affects and is affected by the others