Theories of Health Behaviour Summary

Topic

Study

Details

Evaluation

Application

Attribution theory

(Heider, 1958).

Causal explanation

 

 

 

Taylor et al. (1984)

Breast cancer

 

 

 

Weiner et al. (1972)

 

1               Locus:

2               Controllability

3               Stability:

 

 

Health Locus of control

Wallston and Wallston (1982)

 

·       Is health locus of control a fixed traits or a transient state?

·       Is it possible to be both external and internal?

 

 

Unrealistic optimism 

Weinstein (1987)

1.     Lack of personal experience with the problem

2.     The belief that the problem is preventable by individual action

3.     The belief that if the problem has not yet appeared, it will not appear in the future

4.     The belief that the problem is infrequent.

 

 

 

 

Radcliffe and Klein 2002

Heart attack-related knowledge

 

 

The transtheoretical model of behaviour change (stages of change model)

Prochaska and DiClemente (1982)

1.     Precontemplation: not intending to make any changes

2.     Contemplation: considering a change

3.     Preparation: making small changes

4.     Action: actively engaging in a new behaviour

5.     Maintenance: sustaining change over time

 

(Booth et al. 1993)

level of education

 

 

Kraft et al 1999

Smokers

 

 

The Health Belief Model

Rosenstock 1966, revised by Becker et al

 

 

 

Support for individual components of the model.

Norman and Fitter (1989)

Screening

 

 

 

Rimer et al. (1991)

Breast cancer

 

 

Evidence Against

Janz and Becker (1984)

Healthy adult having a flu injection

 

 

 

Becker and Rosenstock (1984)

Janz and Becker (1984)

 

Lack of agreement over what really does help to predict health behaviour.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

 

The revised HBM

Becker and Rosenstock (1987)

1

2

3

 

 

Protection motivation theory

Rogers (1975, 1983, 1985)

Coping Appraisal

1

2

Threat Appraisal

1

2

3

 

 

Support for the PMT

Rippetoe and Rogers (1987)

Breast cancer

 

 

 

Beck and Lund (1981)

Tooth decay

Schwarzer (1992) attitudes might change

Plotnikoff and Higginbotham (2002) focus on positive coping messages

Social cognition models

Bandura (1977, 1986)

·       Situation outcome expectancies

·       Outcome expectancies

·       Self-efficacy expectancies

 

 

 

Wickrama et al 1999

Parents have a strong influence over the health behaviours of children

 

 

The theory of planned behaviour

Ajzen and Madden 1986

·       Attitude towards a behaviour

·       Subjective norm

·       Perceived behavioural control

 

 

Support for the TPB

Povey et al (2000)

Five portions of fruit and vegetables per day

 

 

 

Armitage et al 2002

Safe sex (condom use), binge drinking and drink-driving

 

 

Criticisms of the TPB

 

 

Good

1

2

3

Bad

1

 

The health action process approach

Schwarzer 1992

·       Temporal element

·       Self efficacy

·       Distinction between a decision-making/motivational stage and an action maintenance stage.

 

·       Motivation stage

·       1

·       2

·       3

·       action stage

 

 

Support for the HAPA

Schwarzer (1992)

Self-efficacy was consistently the best predictor

 

 

 

Barling and Lehmann 1999

Testicular self-examination

 

 

Criticisms of the HAPA

 

 

1

2

3

4

 

Defence mechanism

Freud

 

 

 

Lay theories about health

Mercado-Martinez and Ramos-Herrera 2002

Diabetes

 

 

 

Chamberlain (1997)

Social economic status

1

2

3

4

 

 

Assumptions in Health psychology

 

1

2

3

4