Pearson BTEC National Applied Psychology: Book 2

Evaluation Effectiveness and practical applications One strength of the HBM is its use in developing practical interventions to change health-related behaviour. Sara Willamson and Jane Wardle (2002) used the HBM to devise a programme to increase the number of people seeking screening for bowel and colon cancers. This and other studies have found such interventions to be reasonably or moderately successful in changing health-related behaviours. This suggests that the HBM is a valid explanation of how people can shift their behaviour in a more healthy direction. Strong credibility Another strength of the HBM is it was developed by health researchers and practitioners. The health researchers worked directly with people who wanted to change their health-related behaviours. Therefore, the model is based on real-life experiences of health problems. This makes the HBM a credible explanation that is accepted by people who want to change their behaviour and the professionals who want to help them. How many models? One weakness is that changes made to the HBM have not been welcomed by everyone. For instance, Rick Zimmerman and Dee Vernberg (1994) argued that once self-efficacy and demographic factors (and other variables) are added, the HBM becomes a different model altogether. This is reflected in Chris Carpenter’s (2010) study (next spread) which focused only on the original four variables (susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers). This suggests the HBM may not be one single model and is attempting to be ‘all things to all people’. How rational are we? Another weakness is that the model is based on the assumption that people make rational decisions about their health behaviours. We supposedly weigh up the costs and benefits of a behaviour before deciding how to act. We consider this analysis logically alongside our perceptions of seriousness and susceptibility. We work out how well-equipped we are to make a change. Do we do all this when we decide to have salad for tea instead of chips? Or do we often make our choices out of habit? Or because we respond emotionally rather than rationally (and that’s why we have just one more piece of chocolate)? This suggests there may be other psychological factors that are more important in behaviour change than those in the HBM. A2 Theories of stress, behavioural addiction and physiological addiction Theories: Key concepts of psychological theories of stress, behavioural addiction and physiological addiction, to include: ● Health belief model (Rosenstock 1966): concepts of perceived seriousness, susceptibility, cost-benefit analysis, how demographic variables such as age, gender, culture and external/internal cues affect behaviour. Specification content The word ‘ perceived ’ features a lot in the health belief model. Some people are definitely at risk of an illness but don ’ t take any action to reduce that risk. Why is that? Is it possible that what one person perceives as a ‘ benefit ’ someone else might see as a ‘ barrier ’ ? Can you think of any examples? An issue to consider Alys changes her mind A lys did not go for her last cervical screening. She believes she is very unlikely to get the disease because no one in her family has ever had it and anyway she’s too young (she’s 32). She’s read about the procedure being uncomfortable and other reports about it just confuse her so she just decided to ‘forget it’. And anyway she doesn’t like that ‘medical stuff’ and doesn’t even know the phone number of her surgery. However, Alys changed her mind and finally booked an appointment after hearing how reality TV star Jade Goody had died from cervical cancer when she was just 27. Use the HMB to explain Alys’ behaviour in terms of: perceived seriousness, susceptibility, benefits and barriers, demographic variables, cues to action and self-efficacy. ACTIVE GET Guz is eight years old and has Type I diabetes which means he has to be injected with insulin every day. He has lived with the condition for several years. Because he is young, his parents have done this for him but now he has to learn to inject himself. They have explained to Guz very clearly that if he does not inject himself then he will become very ill. Guz understands that the injections will make him feel much better and will avoid unpleasant symptoms. Guz is very sensible, but sometimes he is busy doing other things and worries that he might easily forget. He doesn’t like how injecting sometimes draws attention to himself. 1. In terms of the health belief model explain how cost-benefit analysis could be applied to Guz’s behaviour. (2) 2. Explain one strength and one weakness of the health belief model. (4) 3. The health belief model identifies several concepts that can explain the likelihood of someone behaving healthily or unhealthily. (a) Explain how the concept of perceived seriousness could predict Guz’s behaviour. (2) (b) Explain how the concept of perceived susceptibility could predict Guz’s behaviour (2). 4. Identify one internal or external cue and explain how it might affect Guz’s behaviour. (3) 5. Discuss the health belief model as an explanation of Guz’s behaviour. (9) Exam-style questions Men are more likely to use these if they see the relevance and that there’s something in it for them. On this spread, and many other spreads, we have supplied four criticisms of the theory. You would not need all of these when answering a 9-mark essay question. However, you may be asked to explain two strengths or two weaknesses so we have generally covered two of each. 15