Health Belief Theories
This construct refers to a person’s belief in their ability to perform a specific health behavior successfully.
What is self-efficacy?
A coach telling you, “I know you can do this,” strengthens this source of self-efficacy.
What is verbal persuasion?
According to the TRA this construct refers to social pressure to act.
What are subjective norms?
Believing “I’m at high risk for diabetes because it runs in my family” reflects this construct in the HBM.
What is perceived susceptibility?
Saying “I aced the exam because I’m smart” but “I failed because the teacher made it too hard” is an example of this.
What is the self-serving attribution?
In this stage, people are not ready to act and may not even recognize their behavior as a problem.
What is precontemplation?
This theory includes six main constructs: perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy.
What is the Health Belief Model?
Feeling calm and energized before a test boosts confidence, while anxiety reduces it.
What are physiological/emotional states?
You decide not to smoke because you believe it’s harmful and unattractive.
What is attitude toward the behavior?
A reminder text from your doctor to schedule a check-up is an example of this construct according to the HBM.
What is a cue to action?
A student saying, “I failed because I didn’t sleep well last night,” reflects this.
What is an unstable attribution?
In this stage, people work to prevent relapse and keep up their new behavior.
What is maintenance?
This theory states that the best predictor of whether someone will perform a health behavior is their stated intention, which is influenced by attitudes and social norms.
What is the Theory of Reasoned Action?
Gaining confidence by practicing a skill until it becomes second nature is an example of this key source.
What is mastery experience?
A person believes eating fast food is unhealthy and unpleasant, which strongly predicts their intention not to eat it.
What is attitude?
A person believes they’re more likely to get the flu because they work in a crowded office.
What is perceived susceptibility?
A person who believes their health depends on their own actions, like eating healthy and exercising, demonstrates this type of locus of control.
What is an internal locus of control?
In this stage, individuals are making concrete plans and preparing to take action soon.
What is preparation?
If someone wants to exercise more because they enjoy it (attitude) and their friends encourage it (subjective norm), they are demonstrating this theory in action.
What is the Theory of Reasoned Action?
Watching a friend successfully complete a marathon convinces you that you can train for one too.
What is vicarious experience (modeling)?
Even if a student wants to exercise, if they feel they don’t have enough time or access to a gym, this construct limits their intention.
What is perceived behavioral control?
Someone decides to wear sunscreen because they think it will protect them from wrinkles and cancer.
What are perceived benefits?
Someone who believes their health is mostly determined by luck, fate, or powerful others is showing this.
What is an external locus of control?
A person who has joined a gym and started exercising regularly is in this stage.
What is action?
According to Bandura, the belief that you can successfully carry out a behavior despite obstacles is called this.
What is self-efficacy?
Believing you can stick to a healthy diet because you’ve successfully changed habits before demonstrates this strongest source of self-efficacy.
What is mastery experience?
A teen chooses not to vape because their friends and parents would disapprove, reflecting this construct.
What are subjective norms?
A person doesn’t exercise because they think it takes too much time and energy.
What are perceived barriers?
When explaining our own behavior, we tend to blame the situation, but when explaining others’ behavior, we blame their personality.
What is the actor–observer bias?
In TTM, slipping back to a previous stage is common and is called this.
What is relapse?