Deck 33: Health Psychology

Question 1

Health psychology is:

A) the scientific study of the psychological processes of health, illness and health care.
B) the study of mental illness.
C) the scientific study of physical illness.
D) the study of body and mind.

Answer 1

the scientific study of the psychological processes of health, illness and health care.

Question 2

Health psychology is concerned with:

A) how individuals communicate with health care professionals.
B) how an individual's own health beliefs might influence both their physical and emotional well-being.
C) how stress in a person's life can influence their physical and psychological health.
D) All of the above.

Answer 2

All of the above.

Question 3

Behavioural pathogens are:

A) lifestyle factors that affect physical health and well-being.
B) viruses that adversely affect behaviour.
C) problems in living.
D) illnesses and diseases that cause early mortality.

Answer 3

lifestyle factors that affect physical health and well-being.

Question 4

Health locus of control is:

A) the degree to which national medical organizations control a person's health.
B) the amount of control a doctor or GP has in treating a patient.
C) a measure of whether an individual feels they have control over their own health.
D) a way of measuring which organization has most control over an individual's health.

Question 5

In the context of health psychology, unrealistic optimism is:

A) a failure to be optimistic about one's future health.
B) the tendency of most people to judge themselves as being less at risk of health problems than their contemporaries.
C) a lack of insight into health problems.
D) being over-optimistic about recovery from an illness.

Question 6

Health belief models are designed to:

A) help researchers understand what causes illness.
B) help doctors to understand their patient's symptoms.
C) help researchers describe those factors that predict health behaviours.
D) All of the above.

Question 7

The health belief model developed by Rosenstock (1966) attempts to:

A) explain health behaviour in terms of both health beliefs and compliance with treatment.
B) explain health behaviour solely in terms of compliance with treatment.
C) explain health behaviour solely in terms of health beliefs.
D) explain health behaviour in terms of lifestyle changes.

Question 8

Which of the following is not a prediction of the health belief model?

A) An individual is most likely to take preventative health action if they feel susceptible to disease through either genetic or behavioural factors.
B) An individual is most likely to take preventative health action if they believe the disease could have potentially serious consequences.
C) An individual is most likely to take preventative health action if they believe their doctor or GP is incompetent.
D) An individual is most likely to take preventative health action if the costs (such as pain) do not outweigh the perceived benefits of the health action.

Question 9

The theory of planned behaviour is based on the view that:

A) an individual's behaviour is always planned, and that planning is determined by an individual's intentions.
B) individuals always plan everything to do with their health.
C) individuals always plan everything that they do.
D) individuals never plan what is best for their health.

Question 10

People labeled as 'worried well':

A) worry about health problems in order to try to make them better.
B) worry about everything.
C) worry about the health of others.
D) visit their GP for a consultation at the slightest opportunity or with the most minor of symptoms.

Question 11

Tate (1994) estimated that doctors usually made an initial diagnosis within how many minutes of the start of a consultation with a patient?

A) 5 minutes
B) 10 minutes
C) 0.5 minutes
D) 1 minute

Question 12

In the context of health psychology, 'compliance' is defined as:

A) the extent to which the patient's behaviour (in terms of taking medication, following diets or other lifestyle change) coincides with the medical or health advice.
B) the regularity with which a person visits their doctor after experiencing illness symptoms.
C) the extent to which a patient agrees with the doctor's diagnosis.
D) the extent to which a patient passively accepts the treatments he/she is offered.

Question 13

Psychosomatic illness is a term for:

A) the way that some individuals can acquire physical illnesses very easily.
B) the way that some people can 'think' themselves into being physically ill.
C) people adopting a 'sick role' in order to avoid stressful responsibilities.
D) the way that psychological factors can affect physical illness.

Question 14

In stress literature, 'daily hassles' are defined as:

A) major stressful events in an individual's life.
B) regular life events that are not perceived as stressful.
C) the irritating, frustrating, distressing demands that to some degree characterize everyday transactions with the environment.
D) problems caused on a regular basis by friends and family.

Question 15

Primary and secondary appraisals are processes described in which model of stress?

A) Biological models of stress
B) Transactional models of stress
C) Health belief models of stress
D) Psychosocial models of stress

Question 16

The 'phantom limb' phenomenon occurs when:

A) an individual believes they have more limbs than they actually possess.
B) an individual cannot feel pain in a limb despite the limb being physically damaged.
C) an individual believes that one of their limbs no longer exists.
D) an individual who has had a limb amputated still continues to report experiencing pain in the non-existent limb.

Question 17

The gate control theory of pain argues that:

A) a gate exists at the level of the spinal cord that integrates three sources of input.
B) a gate integrates the information from three types of input and then produces an output that determines the perception of pain.
C) the gate's output can be influenced by the physical extent of the injury, or by psychological factors such as anxiety or worry.
D) All of the above.

Question 18

Cognitive models of pain argue that:

A) cognitive factors such as catastrophic interpretations of pain cause pain experience.
B) just thinking about pain can cause pain experience.
C) beliefs about one's future health can affect pain experience.
D) pain is a cognitive construct that is unrelated to the severity of physical injury.

Question 19

Pain anxiety represents the fact that:

A) pain makes people feel anxious.
B) some individuals are fearful of pain.
C) some individuals are frightened of physical harm.
D) All of the above.

Question 20

In the theory of planned behaviour, health behaviour intentions are influenced by:

A) attitudes towards the target behaviour.
B) beliefs about normal behaviour.
C) perceived control over the behaviour.
D) All of the above.