PSYC 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Pituitary Gland, Immune System, Acculturation

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Jens C Pruessner

Document Summary

Health psyc: integrates research on health and psyc, involves application of psyc principles to promote health, well-being: positive state, feel best, strive for optimal health, life satisfaction. Biopsychosocial model of health incorporates multiple perspectives for understanding/improving health: integrates effects of bio, behavioral, social factors on health/illness. Views health, illness as product of combo of factors inc. bio characteristics, behavioral factors, social conditions. thoughts/actions affect enviro we interact with, which affect bio underpinnings of thoughts/actions. In traditional model, individual is passive, for health psychologists, thoughts/feelings/behaviors central to understanding/improving health. Behavior contributes to death: can prevent heart disease by changing behaviors. Probability of car accidents can be reduced; same for other causes of death such as risky sexual behavior, drugs, firearms, etc. Placebo effect: improvement in health following treatment with placebo (drug/treatment w/ no apparent physiological effect on health condition for which it was prescribed). Strongest effects when placebos produce minor physical reactions.