This document discusses the history and evolution of health psychology as a discipline. It describes health psychology according to Joseph Matarazzo as focusing on promoting health, preventing and treating illness, identifying causes of illness, and improving healthcare systems. The document then outlines several historical perspectives on health and illness, from early concepts of the humors to modern biopsychosocial models. It also discusses factors like behaviors, cognition, emotions, environment, and genetics that influence health according to current models in health psychology.

1. BY:- DR. LALIT SHARMA
ASST. PROFESSOR
IGIPESS, B BLOCK
VIKASPURI
E-MAIL- lalit.sharma@igipess.du.ac.in

2.  As per “JOSPEH MATARAZZO” it is the
aggregate of specific educational, specific &
professional contributions, of the discipline
of psychology to promotion & maintenance
of heath, the prevention & treatment of
illness, identification of analysis, and
improvement of health care system & policy .

3.  Health in terms of the absence -
◦ Objective sign that body is not functioning
properly.
◦ Subjective symptoms of disease or injury, such as
pain or nausea.

4. Health is to mean a positive
state of physical, mental &
social well being not simply
the absence of injury or
disease that continues
overtime.

5. Major disability from
illness
Symptoms of disability
& average signs
Healthy lifestyle

6.  Is illness a purely physical condition?
 Does a persons mind play a role in becoming
ill or well?

7.  Trepanation- A procedure where a
hole in the skull is made with
sharp stone tools presumably for
superstitious reasons.

8.  Hippocrates is called the father of medicine
proposed a humoral theory of illness
according to which body contains 4 liquids
called humors(fluid).
 When the mixture if these is balanced we are
in a state of well being, and disease occurs
when mixture turns faulty.

9.  He recommended eating is a good diet &
avoiding exertions to maintain balance.
 The body refers to our physical being,
including skin, muscles, etc.
 The mind refers to abstract process that
includes our thought, perceptions and
feelings.

10.  SICKNESS WAS SEN AS GOD’S PUNISHMENT
FOR DOING EVIL THINGS.

11.  IT means rebirth of enquiry, culture & politics
in Europe.
 Scholars in their research turned from being
god centered to human centered.

12.  17th century French philosopher &
mathematician Rene Desecrates gave three
notions-
◦ First, he conceived body as a
machine & described how mechanics
occur.

13. ◦ Second, he proposed that mind and body
communicate through pineal gland.
◦ Third, he believed that animals have no
soul and soul in humans leave them at
death.

14.  In 18th & 19th centuries, microscope and use
of dissection began as well as field of surgery
flourished after antiseptic techniques and
anesthesia was introduced.

15. These advances coupled
with continuing belief that
mind and body are
separate.

17.  Proposes that all disease or physical
disorders can be explained by-
◦ Injury.
◦ Biochemical imbalance.
◦ Bacterial or viral infection.

18.  Model assumes that disease is an
affliction of the body and is
separate from the psychological
and social processes of the mind.

19.  Model has 4 characteristics-
◦ Dualistic- Physical & psychological
processes are separate & disease is
influenced by latter.
◦ Mechanistic- The body is like a foreign
agent.

20.  Reductionist- Focuses solely on the disease
or physical systems and not on other factors.
 Disease Oriented- Health is defined and
absence of disease and rarely go behind the
elimination of disease.

21.  Some people get diseases slowly while others
rather quickly?
 These differences can result from –
◦ Physiological processes.
◦ Exposure to harmful micro-organisms.

22.  Changes in people lifestyle can reduce
illness- how?
 Characteristics or conditions that are
associated with disease or injury are called
risk factors

23.  Some risk factors are biological, eg-
heritance, genes, etc.
 Others are behavioral, eg- people who smoke
are at higher risk.
 Other risk factors are diets high in saturated
fat.

24.  Some behavioral risk factors associated with
5 leading causes of death in U.S are-
◦ Heart disease- smoking, high dietary cholesterol,
obesity, etc.
◦ Cancer- smoking, lack of exercise.
◦ Stroke- smoking, high cholesterol, etc.
◦ COPD(chronic lung disease)
◦ Accidents- alcohol, drug abuse.

25.  I sleep 7 or 8 hours a day.
 I eat breakfast almost everyday.
 I rarely eat between meals.
 I am at or near appropriate weight.
 I don’t smoke.

26.  It refers to a persons cognitive, effective or
behavioral tendencies.
 People with high level of positive emotions
tend to live longer.
 High level of anxiety, depression increases
the risk of disease.

27.  Using the psychoanalytic theory FREUD
proposed that these symptoms were
converted from unconscious emotional
conflicts. He called this condition conversion
hysteria.
 Psychosomatic medicine- psychoanalysts
and psychiatrists.

28.  First, its membership is inter disciplinary.
 Second, it grew out of behaviorism which has
2 types of learning-
◦ Classical conditioning.
◦ Operant conditioning.

29.  Behaviorism served as an important
foundation for health psychology.
 Joseph Matarazzo gave 4 goals of health
psychology-
◦ To promote & maintain health.
◦ To prevent & treat illness.
◦ To identify causes of illness and their correlation.
◦ To analyze & improve heath care systems & policy.

30.  Expands the biomedical view by adding
biological factors to psychological & social
factors.

31.  Genetic material & process by which we
inherit characteristics from our parents.
 Function and structure of persons physiology.

32.  Cognition is a mental activity that includes
perceiving, learning, behaving, thinking, etc.
 Emotion is a subjective feeling that affects
and is affected by out thoughts.
◦ Positive emotion- joy, affection.
◦ Negative emotion- anger, sadness.

33.  As we interact with people, we affect them
and they affect us.
 Society affects health of individual by
promoting certain values and culture.

34.  We need to understand the whole person.
 Understanding health & illness.
 This approach uses a biophysical model
called holistic.
 System is a dynamic entity.

35.  They have been classified by ‘kasi’ and
‘cobbe’ (1996) into 3 categories-
◦ Health behavior- Actions aimed at promoting
health.
 Health habits are an important part of health behavior.
 Eg- proper sleep, moderate drinking, not smoking,
regular exercise, weight control.

36. ◦ Illness behavior- this category refers to behavior
such as seeking advice from friends & family.
◦ Illness behavior is therefore a form of help seeking
and information seeking.

37.  Sick role behavior- deals with actions to
restore and rehabilitate health.
◦ People who occupy this have rights and privileges
and in return they must fulfill certain duties.
 Privilege- people are not at fault when they fall ill,
individuals who are sick are excepted from their
regular duties.
 Obligations- people who are not feeling well must take
certain duties and responsibilities. The must take steps
to get well.