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Illness-related cognition and behaviour

6 important questions on Illness-related cognition and behaviour

Reactions to symptoms (illness representations)

Symptoms or other cues trigger the activation and development of representations, they can also induce emotional responses. Awareness of these emotional responses (the emotional representation) prompts the selection and use of strategies for controlling these emotions such as directing attention to either focus on or avoid the problem, expressing or suppressing one's feelings in communications with others or reappraising the problem in a positive manner. Illness representations therefore play an important role in generating emotional experiences and influencing behaviours aimed at controlling them.

Identity beliefs: label and symptoms

An ilness label is closely linked with beliefs about associated symptoms. Evidence suggests that identity beliefs have a protocype structure, which is a mental mondel of the most representative case of a condition or entity and it is used as the standard with which to determine whether other cases are members of that category.

Seeking medical care; influence of belief

Evidence suggests that individuals are unlikely to seek medical attention for new symptoms unles they have a personal diagnosis or label for them. Moreover, the inaccurate labelling of symptoms can lead to dangerous delays in seeking care for symptoms.

Coherence of illness representation

The xtent to which the representational beliefs fit together so that the illness makes sense and the extent to which these beliefs have logical links with coping behaviours. Evidence suggests that individuals tend to develop coherent representations with attributes typically associated with each other in logical ways.

Illness representaitons and clinical interventions

Interventions can alter patients' illness representations and that these changes may affect health outcomes.

Culture and illness representations

The structure of representatins as consisting of illness identity, cause, timelne, consequences and control/cure is higlhy consistent across cultures; however, the specific contents or beliefs vary considerably.

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Health Psychology

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Illness-related cognition and behaviour

6 important questions on Illness-related cognition and behaviour

Reactions to symptoms (illness representations)

Identity beliefs: label and symptoms

Seeking medical care; influence of belief

Coherence of illness representation

Illness representaitons and clinical interventions

Culture and illness representations

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