2.1 Individual-Level Theories (Health Belief Model, Theory of Planned Behavior)
4 min read•august 7, 2024
Individual-level theories explain why people make health decisions. The focuses on perceptions of risk and benefits, while the considers attitudes, social norms, and perceived control.
These models help us understand what drives health behaviors. By looking at personal beliefs and intentions, we can predict and influence choices people make about their health and well-being.
Health Belief Model
Key Components of the Health Belief Model
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- Health Belief Model (HBM) is a psychological model that attempts to explain and predict health behaviors by focusing on the attitudes and beliefs of individuals
- Developed in the 1950s by social psychologists at the U.S. Public Health Service to understand the failure of people to adopt disease prevention strategies or screening tests for the early detection of disease
- Suggests that a person's belief in a personal threat of an illness or disease together with a person's belief in the effectiveness of the recommended health behavior or action will predict the likelihood the person will adopt the behavior
Perceptions Influencing Health Behavior
- refers to a person's subjective perception of the risk of acquiring an illness or disease
- People with low perceived susceptibility may deny that they are at risk for contracting a particular illness
- Individuals who believe they are at low risk of developing an illness are more likely to engage in unhealthy, or risky, behaviors
- is a person's feelings on the seriousness of contracting an illness or disease (or leaving the illness or disease untreated)
- Feelings related to the consequences of an illness or disease (e.g., death, disability, and pain)
- Medical consequences (e.g., death, disability) and social consequences (e.g., effects of the conditions on work, family life, and social relations)
- refer to an individual's perception of the effectiveness of various actions available to reduce the threat of illness or disease (or to cure illness or disease)
- Course of action a person takes in preventing or curing illness or disease relies on consideration and evaluation of both perceived susceptibility and perceived benefit, such that the person would accept the recommended health action if it was perceived as beneficial
- are an individual's feelings on the obstacles to performing a recommended health action
- Relates to the potential negative aspects of a particular health action (e.g. expensive, dangerous, unpleasant, inconvenient, time-consuming) that may act as impediments to undertaking the recommended behavior
Additional Factors Influencing Health Behavior
- are events, either bodily (e.g., physical symptoms of a health condition) or environmental (e.g., media publicity) that motivate people to take action
- Provide how-to information, promote awareness, and employ reminder systems to trigger engagement in health-promoting behaviors
- is the level of a person's confidence in his or her ability to successfully perform a behavior
- Influences the adoption of healthy behaviors, cessation of unhealthy behaviors, and maintenance of behavioral changes
- Developed by as part of his Social Cognitive Theory
Theory of Planned Behavior
Key Components of the Theory of Planned Behavior
- Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a theory that links one's beliefs and behavior
- Proposes that an individual's intention to perform a behavior is the proximal predictor of behavior
- is influenced by a person's attitude toward performing the behavior, the , and the
- Developed by as an extension of the Theory of Reasoned Action to account for conditions where individuals do not have complete volitional control over a behavior
Factors Influencing Behavioral Intention
- Attitudes are an individual's overall evaluation of the behavior
- Involves an individual's beliefs about the outcomes or attributes of performing the behavior (behavioral beliefs)
- Attitudes are typically measured using bipolar scales (e.g., harmful-beneficial, pleasant-unpleasant, good-bad)
- Subjective norms refer to an individual's perception of whether people important to the individual think the behavior should be performed
- Measured by asking respondents to indicate whether important referent individuals would approve or disapprove of their performing a given behavior
- Perceived behavioral control refers to an individual's perceptions of their ability to perform a given behavior
- Encompasses the perceived ease or difficulty of performing the behavior of interest in light of past experiences and anticipated obstacles
- When people believe that they have the resources and opportunities to perform the behavior, and that the behavior is not difficult to perform, they should have confidence in their ability to perform it and thus have a high degree of perceived behavioral control
Key Terms to Review (19)
Albert Bandura: Albert Bandura is a renowned psychologist best known for his contributions to the field of social learning theory and his development of the concept of self-efficacy. His work emphasizes the importance of observational learning, imitation, and modeling in human behavior, linking individual actions to broader social influences. Bandura's theories have played a significant role in shaping modern understandings of behavior change in health contexts, particularly through frameworks that address how individuals learn from their environments.
Attitude Towards Behavior: Attitude towards behavior refers to an individual's personal evaluation of a specific behavior, which can be positive or negative. This evaluation influences the likelihood that a person will engage in that behavior. It plays a crucial role in understanding health-related decisions, as it reflects a person's beliefs about the outcomes of the behavior and their overall motivation to act.
Behavioral Intention: Behavioral intention refers to a person's perceived likelihood or willingness to engage in a specific behavior. It serves as a key predictor of actual behavior, as it reflects the motivation and readiness of an individual to perform actions related to health, such as adopting healthier habits or adhering to treatment plans. Understanding behavioral intention is essential in evaluating how individual beliefs and attitudes influence decisions and actions, especially in health-related contexts.
Benefit-Cost Analysis: Benefit-cost analysis (BCA) is a systematic approach to evaluating the economic pros and cons of a project or decision by comparing the benefits it generates to the costs incurred. This method helps determine whether the benefits of a health intervention outweigh its costs, providing a quantitative basis for decision-making. In public health, BCA can guide policies and programs by revealing the most effective strategies for improving health outcomes based on individual beliefs and behaviors.
Cues to Action: Cues to action are external or internal prompts that motivate individuals to engage in health-related behaviors. These cues can come in various forms, such as reminders from healthcare providers, messages from family and friends, or personal experiences that trigger awareness about health issues. Understanding cues to action is crucial as they play a significant role in influencing a person’s intention to adopt healthier behaviors.
Health Belief Model: The Health Belief Model is a psychological framework that helps explain and predict health behaviors by focusing on individuals' beliefs about health conditions. It emphasizes the role of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers in determining whether a person will take action to prevent, screen for, or control a health condition. This model is significant in understanding why people engage or do not engage in health-promoting behaviors.
Health Literacy: Health literacy is the ability of individuals to obtain, understand, and use health information effectively to make informed health decisions. This skill is crucial for navigating the healthcare system, understanding medical instructions, and engaging in self-management of health conditions.
Icek Ajzen: Icek Ajzen is a social psychologist best known for his development of the Theory of Planned Behavior, which is a fundamental framework in understanding how individual intentions can predict specific behaviors. His work emphasizes the importance of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control in shaping people's intentions and subsequent actions. This theory has significant implications in public health by helping to design interventions that can effectively change health-related behaviors.
Irwin Rosenstock: Irwin Rosenstock was a prominent psychologist and public health researcher best known for developing the Health Belief Model. This model focuses on individual beliefs and attitudes toward health behaviors, emphasizing how perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers influence health decisions. His work laid the groundwork for understanding how psychological factors affect health behavior change and has been widely applied in public health campaigns.
Motivational Interviewing: Motivational interviewing is a client-centered counseling approach that aims to enhance an individual's motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence. This technique encourages open dialogue, helping clients articulate their reasons for change, thereby promoting self-efficacy and commitment to personal goals. It connects well with theories of behavior, intervention strategies, and empowerment practices in health contexts.
Perceived Barriers: Perceived barriers are the obstacles that individuals believe prevent them from taking action toward a health-related goal. These barriers can be psychological, social, or environmental and can significantly influence a person's decision-making process regarding health behaviors. Understanding perceived barriers is crucial in designing interventions that effectively address these obstacles and encourage healthier choices.
Perceived Behavioral Control: Perceived behavioral control refers to an individual's belief in their ability to perform a specific behavior. It encompasses the perceived ease or difficulty of engaging in that behavior and is influenced by past experiences, external barriers, and personal capabilities. This concept is crucial for understanding how attitudes and intentions translate into actual behaviors, highlighting the role of self-efficacy and environmental factors in decision-making processes.
Perceived Benefits: Perceived benefits refer to an individual's belief in the positive outcomes or advantages that result from engaging in a particular health behavior. This concept plays a crucial role in motivating individuals to adopt healthy behaviors, as it is tied to their assessment of how effective a behavior will be in improving their health or well-being. Understanding perceived benefits helps explain why some individuals are more likely to take action towards better health compared to others, highlighting the importance of personal beliefs in health-related decision-making.
Perceived Severity: Perceived severity refers to an individual's belief about the seriousness of a health issue and the potential consequences it can have on their life. This concept is crucial in understanding how people assess risks and make decisions regarding their health behaviors, influencing actions such as seeking medical advice or engaging in preventive measures. The degree to which someone perceives a health threat as severe can significantly impact their motivation to adopt healthy behaviors or adhere to treatment recommendations.
Perceived Susceptibility: Perceived susceptibility refers to an individual's belief about their likelihood of experiencing a health issue or disease. This concept plays a crucial role in motivating people to engage in health-promoting behaviors, as it influences how seriously they take potential health threats. When individuals feel they are at risk, they are more likely to take preventive actions to mitigate that risk.
Risk Perception: Risk perception refers to the subjective judgment individuals make about the severity and likelihood of a risk. It is influenced by personal experiences, cultural factors, and cognitive biases, shaping how people respond to health risks and public health messages. Understanding risk perception is crucial in designing effective health interventions and communication strategies that resonate with the target audience.
Self-Efficacy: Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their capability to perform tasks and achieve goals, significantly influencing their motivation and behavior. This concept connects deeply with how people approach challenges, make decisions about their health, and engage in preventive behaviors. A strong sense of self-efficacy can empower individuals to take control of their health and overcome obstacles in various contexts.
Subjective Norms: Subjective norms refer to an individual's perception of social pressure to perform or not perform a particular behavior. This concept is crucial in understanding how social influences and expectations from peers, family, and society can shape an individual's intentions and actions regarding health-related behaviors. Subjective norms highlight the role of social context and the importance of normative beliefs in decision-making processes.
Theory of Planned Behavior: The Theory of Planned Behavior is a psychological framework that aims to predict and understand human behavior in specific contexts, particularly health-related behaviors. It emphasizes the importance of individual intention, shaped by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, in determining whether a person will engage in a certain behavior. This theory connects to broader concepts about how social influences and personal beliefs affect decision-making and health interventions.