Understanding and Changing Health Behaviour

The identification of the factors predicting health behaviour has become a major focus of research in the field of health psychology and related disciplines. This awareness not only increases our understanding but also provides important targets for interventions to change health behaviour. Understanding and Changing Health Behaviour focuses on a range of key social cognitive factors in this process, using examples from an impressive breadth of applied settings that include smoking cessation, condom use and breast examination. The book features contributions from some of the best known researchers in the field.

Charles Abraham, Paul Norman, Mark Conner

Introduction. Applications of Social Cognition Models. Using the Theory of Reasoned Action to Predict Condom Use Among High-risk Heterosexual Teens. Can Protection Motivation Theory Predict Breast Self-examination? A Longitudinal Test Exploring the Role of Previous Behaviour. Comparing the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Health Belief Model: The Example of Safety Helmet Use among Schoolboy Cyclists. Extensions to Social Cognition Models. Attitudinal and Normative Processes in Health Behaviour. Behavioural and Normative Beliefs about Condom Use: Comparing Measurement Alternatives Within the Theory of Reasoned Action. Discriminating between Behavioural Intention and Behavioural Willingness: Cognitive Antecedents to Adolescent Health Risk. Stages of Change. The Attitude-social Influence Model Applied to the Prediction of Motivational Transitions in the Process of Smoking Cessation. Relationships among the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Stages of Change and Exercise Behaviour in Older Persons over a Three Year Period: A Critical Review of the Transtheoretical Model Applied to Smoking Cessation. Self-regulation and Health Goals. The Emergence and Implementation of Health Goals. Goal Setting and Goal Pursuit in the Regulation of Body Weight. Health Promotion from the Perspective of Social Cognitive Theory. Conclusions and Future Directions. Towards a Psychology of Health Related Behaviour Change.