PSY 383 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Social Class, Uptodate, Social Psychology

• School: University of Arizona
• Department: Psychology Main
• Course: PSY 383
• Professor: O' Connor

Document Summary

Individual differences: hypochondriacs believe normal bodily symptoms are indicators of illness, neurotic people either exaggerate symptoms or are more attentive to real symptoms. Attentional differences: people who are focused on themselves are quicker to notice symptoms, people with more distractions and who attend less to themselves experience fewer symptoms. Situational factors: boring situations make people more attentive to symptoms, medical students" disease: students believing they are ill with the same illness about which they are studying. Stress: stress-related physiological changes are interpreted as symptoms of illness. Mood: affects perception about symptoms and perceived vulnerability to illness. Prior experience common disorders are regarded as less serious than rare disorders. Expectations unexpected symptoms are ignored and expected symptoms are amplified. Seriousness of the symptoms- treatment is sought only when the symptom: affects a highly valued body part, causes pain. Commonsense beliefs held by people about their symptoms and illnesses: result in organized illness representations.