Students on campus are told that they should get a flu shot, especially since the number of flu cases increases dramatically around the time of final exams. A student tells me that he won't get one because he thinks he is in better shape and eats better, as compared to his friends, and thus is unlikely to get the flu. With regard to the health belief model, which best explains the student's rationale for not getting a flu shot?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Optimistic bias is the tendency to believe that one is less likely to experience a negative event than others. In this case, the student believes that he is less likely to get the flu than his friends because he is in better shape and eats better.

Students on Campus Are Told That They Should Get a Flu