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What is Health Psychology?

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Health Psychology

Uses psychological principles and research to enhance well-being,

treat and prevent illness.

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Health Psychology

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Health Psychology

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Health Psychology

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Health Psychology

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Health Psychology

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Health Psychology

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Health Psychology

It is a marriage between medicine and psychology.

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Health Psychology

It’s basic premise: reciprocal relationship between mind & body

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Examples of the Mind-Body Relationship?

Placebo effects….

The mind influences the body

video

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Examples of the Mind-Body Relationship?

Vitamin B deficiency….

The body influences the mind

Gut microbes….

The body influences the mind

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The MOST Important take home lessons from Health Psychology

The mind influences the body and the body influences the mind

never

forget

Negative emotions are toxic

Take control of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

It’s all about perception

Well-being depends on the relative �health of 6 interrelated dimensions:

physical, emotional, intellectual,

spiritual, social, environmental

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“Modern” Medicine

Biomedical Model

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Health Psych’s Biopsychosocial Perspective

Health & illness are determined not just by biological factors

1. Biological factors

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Health Psych’s Biopsychosocial Perspective

Health & illness are determined not just by biological factors

2. Psychological factors

personality

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Health Psych’s Biopsychosocial Perspective

Health & illness are determined not just by biological factors

3. Sociological factors

Social economic status

Social support network

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Goals of Health Psychology

To scientifically study the etiology of disease

causes & origins

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Goals of Health Psychology

To promote health

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Goals of Health Psychology

Treat and prevent illness

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Goals of Health Psychology

To promote public health policy and improve the health care system

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Reciprocal Relationship between Health & Culture

What is Culture?

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What is Culture?

Culture refers to shared knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, roles, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people and passed on from one generation to the next. http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/choudhury/culture.html

Culture writes a prescription

for behavior

What makes up our culture?

Parents Ethnicity

Peers Race

Age Politics

Sex hairstyles

SES clothing

Religion work ethics

Geography personalities

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Edward T. Hall 1976

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Examples of Cultural Influences on Health

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Examples of Health-related influences on Culture

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Examples of Health-related influences on Culture