1. Introduction to health psychology

2. Aim of this module
Introduce the concepts of psychology that are crucial to the assessment and provision of effective health and social care services.

3. Objectives of this module
Evaluate and appraise the psychological factors that influence behaviour and may have an effect on health and well being.

4. Can be described as the ‘science of human behaviour’
The influences that impact on an individuals’ behaviour

5. A brief history
The word ‘psychology’ is derived from the Greek psyche (mind, soul or spirit)

6. Logos
Knowledge, or study. Literally psychology is the ‘study of the mind’
Psyche -the Soul

7. Why is psychology important in health and social care?
In health and social care we spend most of our time interacting with people.
A key part of our role is to promote health and well being.
The WHO report in 1946 defined health as a ‘state of complete physical, mental and social well being.’

8. Why is psychology important in health and social care ?
Helps us appreciate how peoples understanding and needs vary so we can ensure that we deliver individualised care we provide is both appropriate and optimal .
Help us how our own though processes can sometimes lead us to false assumptions about others.

9. Why is psychology important in health and social care?
Helps identify factors that affect how people cope in different situations such as acute pain, bereavement and the demands of every day life. So we can help them and ourselves cope better and reduce the risks of stress related illnesses.

10. Why is psychology important in health and social care?
Informs us about factors that influences peoples lifestyles and what makes it so hard for them to change health related behaviours.

11. You tube What is psychology 1? Listen to… A school of their own
An hour long
A school of their own 2
58 mins long

12. Lets start at the beginning- developmental psychology.
Nature nurture
Both genetic factors and the way we were brought up influence our personality.
However different theorists put emphasis either on ‘nature’ (genetic factors) or ‘nurture’ (the way we were brought up.

13. Charles Darwen (1809-1882) ‘The Origin of the Species’
He believed that humans possessed genetic predispositions for behaviour and thought (nature)
Darwin argues that child development mirrored the evolution of our species- evolution from primitive times to civilisation.

14. John Locke ( )
He believed that children were born as blank tablets (empty vessels).
Infants are born psychologically identical but differently because they experience life differently.

15. John Watson ( )
The father of behaviourism – he agreed with the baby as an empty vessel and believed that all very young babies less than a month old are exactly the same. He believed that the baby would be modelled by experience he saw the child as being passive and being modelled by society.

16. Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Believed that children are born essentially good and a corrupt society resulted in poor behaviour.

17. Current theories
Freud viewed a child as essentially bad (or at least self centred) but born with qualities which are then developed by experience.
Erickson’s theory views a child as essentially good and active
Piaget also views a child as active, with skills that develop from those present at birth.

18. Domains of psychological development
Physical development
Cognitive development
Psychosocial development
Nature versus nurture
Continuous versus stage like changes

19. Continuous versus stage like changes
Does development just continue from what we have already acquired?
Is it gradual or continuous development?
Are there stages of development in acquiring new skills and behaviour.

20. Cognitive developmental theories
These focus on cognitive development.
How thinking and problem solving develop
How cognitive activities contribute to development in general

21. Piaget’s age stage theory
Children show different levels of comprehension and reasoning at different ages. The environment just provides information. Everyone passes through the same 4 stages of development.

22. Information Processing Theories
These look at how information is stored, retrieved, organised and manipulated. They are based around the theory that information is processed more efficiently as a child develops.
Changes occur in Cognitive control processes, meta cognitive ability, amount of knowledge.

23. Psychodynamic theories
Development is an active process influenced by inborn, biological drives and social/emotional experiences (conscious and unconscious)

24. Freud psychoanalytic theory
We are born with basic animal unconscious instincts and our development hinges on transforming these instincts into socially acceptable, rational behaviour.

25. Erickson’s psychosocial theory
Development is affected by
Internal psychological factors
Our life circumstances and developmental history
The social, cultural and historical context of our lives.

26. Behavioural learning and social cognitive learning theories.
Learning and experience are the sources of developmental change. Development gradually occurs as we learn new responses as a result of an experinces. As our individual life expereinces differ so learning differs.
Behaviourism – eg Pavlov and Skinner- conditions, response to stimuli.

27. Social learning theory
Bandura-
Observational learning
Imitation
Modelling

28. Contextual Developmental Theories
Development is seen as a process of reciprocal interactions between
The Child
The Childs physical and social environment.
Development is continuous and the environment has an important part to play.

29. Vygotsky’s theory
As a child interacts with its environment there is a gradual personal development. Children internalise new ways of behaving and thinking through their interactions.

30. Ethological Theory
The theory emphasises the role of evolution in development. Inborn tendancies predispose children to act in certain ways Interaction helps mould behaviour

31. Nativist theory.
Development occurs through interaction between the environment and in-born, domain specific modules. The environment has a minimal role