Psychology 2030A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Natural Killer Cell, Sympathetic Nervous System, Coronary Artery Disease

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2030A/B
• Professor: David Vollick

Document Summary

Health psychology- uses the principles and methods of psychology to understand how attitudes and behaviours influence health and illness. Health psychologists- study how people develop positive and negative health habits, how stress and health are related, and which psychological variables affect the onset and treatment of medical illness. Health- defined by the world health organization as a state of mental, social, and physical well- being, not just the absence of illness. Related fields of study: behavioural medicine- interdisciplinary field (not just psychology) that studies the relation between behavioural and biomedical science and, medical psychology- the study and practice of psychology as it relates to health, illness, and medical treatment. Biopsychosocial model- complex interactions among biological, psychological, and social factors determine health. Biomedical model- explains illnesses solely as biological processes. Mind-body dualism- by rene descartes holds that the mind and body function independently.