Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the definition of psychology?
What is the definition of psychology?
Which of the following is NOT a focus of psychology?
Which of the following is NOT a focus of psychology?
Why is psychology important in healthcare?
Why is psychology important in healthcare?
Which theme does health psychology fall under in the RCSI curriculum?
Which theme does health psychology fall under in the RCSI curriculum?
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What aspect of human experience does psychology NOT typically focus on?
What aspect of human experience does psychology NOT typically focus on?
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What is a key question addressed in health psychology regarding substance use?
What is a key question addressed in health psychology regarding substance use?
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Which of the following topics is NOT covered in health psychology?
Which of the following topics is NOT covered in health psychology?
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What does lifestyle medicine emphasize in health psychology?
What does lifestyle medicine emphasize in health psychology?
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How can positive aging be defined within the context of health psychology?
How can positive aging be defined within the context of health psychology?
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Which of the following is a common question concerning medication adherence in health psychology?
Which of the following is a common question concerning medication adherence in health psychology?
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What aspect of psychology relates to managing pain from a health psychology standpoint?
What aspect of psychology relates to managing pain from a health psychology standpoint?
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Which of the following best describes the concept of resilience in the context of health psychology?
Which of the following best describes the concept of resilience in the context of health psychology?
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What is the goal of illness attributions and beliefs in health psychology?
What is the goal of illness attributions and beliefs in health psychology?
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What distinguishes Psychiatry from Psychology?
What distinguishes Psychiatry from Psychology?
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Why is it incorrect to say that Psychology and Psychotherapy are the same?
Why is it incorrect to say that Psychology and Psychotherapy are the same?
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What is a common misconception about human memory?
What is a common misconception about human memory?
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What does research reveal about brain usage?
What does research reveal about brain usage?
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How does healthcare benefit from studying psychology?
How does healthcare benefit from studying psychology?
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What role does behavior change play in public health?
What role does behavior change play in public health?
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What is a factor influencing the reliability of eye-witness testimony?
What is a factor influencing the reliability of eye-witness testimony?
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What misconception exists about the brain's functionality in individuals with neurodegenerative conditions?
What misconception exists about the brain's functionality in individuals with neurodegenerative conditions?
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Which pillar of lifestyle medicine focuses on managing stress?
Which pillar of lifestyle medicine focuses on managing stress?
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What is the key difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset?
What is the key difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset?
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Which mindset encourages individuals to seek challenges?
Which mindset encourages individuals to seek challenges?
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In the context of learning, feedback is perceived as which of the following in a growth mindset?
In the context of learning, feedback is perceived as which of the following in a growth mindset?
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Which of the following is NOT a pillar of lifestyle medicine?
Which of the following is NOT a pillar of lifestyle medicine?
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What should students do to learn from mistakes according to the growth mindset concept?
What should students do to learn from mistakes according to the growth mindset concept?
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Which of the following statements reflects a fixed mindset?
Which of the following statements reflects a fixed mindset?
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What type of mindsets did Carol Dweck identify as impacting learning approaches?
What type of mindsets did Carol Dweck identify as impacting learning approaches?
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Which of the following best captures the overarching focus of psychology as described?
Which of the following best captures the overarching focus of psychology as described?
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In the curriculum structure, health psychology is most closely associated with which of the following themes?
In the curriculum structure, health psychology is most closely associated with which of the following themes?
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What is a primary objective of studying psychology in the context of healthcare?
What is a primary objective of studying psychology in the context of healthcare?
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Which of the following statements about the myths surrounding psychology is most accurate?
Which of the following statements about the myths surrounding psychology is most accurate?
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Which of the following best represents the type of context that psychology aims to understand in relation to behavior?
Which of the following best represents the type of context that psychology aims to understand in relation to behavior?
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What is a primary question health psychology seeks to answer regarding nicotine users?
What is a primary question health psychology seeks to answer regarding nicotine users?
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In health psychology, what aspect of aging is emphasized in the concept of positive aging?
In health psychology, what aspect of aging is emphasized in the concept of positive aging?
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Which of the following topics would be least likely discussed in the context of lifestyle medicine?
Which of the following topics would be least likely discussed in the context of lifestyle medicine?
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What is a key area addressed by health psychology regarding adherence to treatment?
What is a key area addressed by health psychology regarding adherence to treatment?
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Which field is primarily concerned with understanding the psychological factors impacting health and illness?
Which field is primarily concerned with understanding the psychological factors impacting health and illness?
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What is the primary focus of research in risk perception within health psychology?
What is the primary focus of research in risk perception within health psychology?
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How is resilience best defined in the context of health psychology?
How is resilience best defined in the context of health psychology?
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What type of health-related belief might influence a person's adherence to prescribed therapies?
What type of health-related belief might influence a person's adherence to prescribed therapies?
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What is the primary distinction between psychology and psychiatry?
What is the primary distinction between psychology and psychiatry?
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Which statement best describes the relationship between psychology and psychotherapy?
Which statement best describes the relationship between psychology and psychotherapy?
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What common belief about human memory is considered a myth?
What common belief about human memory is considered a myth?
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What misconception exists regarding the percentage of brain capacity that people commonly use?
What misconception exists regarding the percentage of brain capacity that people commonly use?
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How do misconceptions about psychology impact public health messaging?
How do misconceptions about psychology impact public health messaging?
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In what way does health psychology uniquely approach the understanding of health behaviors?
In what way does health psychology uniquely approach the understanding of health behaviors?
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Which of the following statements is incorrect regarding the perception of psychology in healthcare settings?
Which of the following statements is incorrect regarding the perception of psychology in healthcare settings?
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What factor influences the reliability of eye-witness testimony in legal settings?
What factor influences the reliability of eye-witness testimony in legal settings?
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Which of the following statements best reflects the attitude toward mistakes in a growth mindset?
Which of the following statements best reflects the attitude toward mistakes in a growth mindset?
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Which of the following pillars of lifestyle medicine addresses the need for adequate rest and recovery?
Which of the following pillars of lifestyle medicine addresses the need for adequate rest and recovery?
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What is a primary characteristic of a fixed mindset according to Carol Dweck's classification?
What is a primary characteristic of a fixed mindset according to Carol Dweck's classification?
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How does feedback differ in perception between fixed and growth mindsets?
How does feedback differ in perception between fixed and growth mindsets?
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Which of the following best describes the term 'growth mindset'?
Which of the following best describes the term 'growth mindset'?
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In terms of lifestyle medicine, which pillar would likely focus on reducing the risks associated with compulsive behaviors?
In terms of lifestyle medicine, which pillar would likely focus on reducing the risks associated with compulsive behaviors?
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What aspect of education is emphasized in productive classrooms according to the provided content?
What aspect of education is emphasized in productive classrooms according to the provided content?
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How does a growth mindset impact the way individuals view challenges?
How does a growth mindset impact the way individuals view challenges?
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Which aspect does psychology focus on in relation to human behavior?
Which aspect does psychology focus on in relation to human behavior?
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What common misconception about psychology is prevalent in society?
What common misconception about psychology is prevalent in society?
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Which of the following statements best reflects an important area of health psychology?
Which of the following statements best reflects an important area of health psychology?
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In health psychology, which of the following is essential to understanding behavior?
In health psychology, which of the following is essential to understanding behavior?
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What role does health psychology play in public health?
What role does health psychology play in public health?
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What is a common characteristic that differentiates an addiction to nicotine from a habitual smoking behavior?
What is a common characteristic that differentiates an addiction to nicotine from a habitual smoking behavior?
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In the context of health psychology, which factor is most likely to influence a person's adherence to medication?
In the context of health psychology, which factor is most likely to influence a person's adherence to medication?
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Which psychological concept is primarily concerned with the developmental changes and adaptations in aging individuals?
Which psychological concept is primarily concerned with the developmental changes and adaptations in aging individuals?
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What is a significant theme in understanding why individuals may not take medications as directed?
What is a significant theme in understanding why individuals may not take medications as directed?
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Which psychological aspect is most relevant to lifestyle medicine practices?
Which psychological aspect is most relevant to lifestyle medicine practices?
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How do illness attributions impact a patient's approach to treatment?
How do illness attributions impact a patient's approach to treatment?
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What is a key consideration when addressing stress management in health psychology?
What is a key consideration when addressing stress management in health psychology?
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In what way does understanding risk perception inform health psychology interventions?
In what way does understanding risk perception inform health psychology interventions?
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Which pillar of lifestyle medicine emphasizes reducing or eliminating tobacco use?
Which pillar of lifestyle medicine emphasizes reducing or eliminating tobacco use?
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What mindset might lead an individual to avoid challenges and consider abilities as innate?
What mindset might lead an individual to avoid challenges and consider abilities as innate?
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Which of the following reflects the approach of someone with a growth mindset when faced with failure?
Which of the following reflects the approach of someone with a growth mindset when faced with failure?
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Which of these components is NOT one of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine?
Which of these components is NOT one of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine?
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How might feedback be perceived in a growth mindset according to the information provided?
How might feedback be perceived in a growth mindset according to the information provided?
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Which concept represents the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work?
Which concept represents the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work?
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What is the primary concern associated with attitudes towards mistakes in a fixed mindset?
What is the primary concern associated with attitudes towards mistakes in a fixed mindset?
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What does a growth mindset encourage individuals to do when they encounter obstacles?
What does a growth mindset encourage individuals to do when they encounter obstacles?
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What is a significant distinction between Psychiatry and Psychology?
What is a significant distinction between Psychiatry and Psychology?
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Why is the belief that Psychology and Psychotherapy are the same misleading?
Why is the belief that Psychology and Psychotherapy are the same misleading?
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What factor influences human memory, countering the myth that it operates like a video recording?
What factor influences human memory, countering the myth that it operates like a video recording?
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What misconception exists regarding the brain's use during various tasks?
What misconception exists regarding the brain's use during various tasks?
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Which statement accurately reflects a common myth in psychology regarding the brain's functionality?
Which statement accurately reflects a common myth in psychology regarding the brain's functionality?
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How does psychology contribute to understanding public health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic?
How does psychology contribute to understanding public health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic?
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What is a prevalent misconception about eye-witness testimony?
What is a prevalent misconception about eye-witness testimony?
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What role does Psychology play in the understanding of behavior in health settings?
What role does Psychology play in the understanding of behavior in health settings?
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Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and __________.
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and __________.
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Psychology includes the biological influences, social context and environmental __________ that affect how people behave.
Psychology includes the biological influences, social context and environmental __________ that affect how people behave.
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Health psychology is included in the Population Health and __________ Delivery vertical theme of the RCSI curriculum.
Health psychology is included in the Population Health and __________ Delivery vertical theme of the RCSI curriculum.
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One of the learning outcomes of the course is to outline common __________ about psychology.
One of the learning outcomes of the course is to outline common __________ about psychology.
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In every setting, from scientific research centers to mental healthcare services, psychology is focused on 'the understanding of __________.'
In every setting, from scientific research centers to mental healthcare services, psychology is focused on 'the understanding of __________.'
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A common question addressed in health psychology is how to help someone quit their addiction to ______.
A common question addressed in health psychology is how to help someone quit their addiction to ______.
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Stress management is a significant topic covered in ______.
Stress management is a significant topic covered in ______.
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One area of focus in health psychology is the psychology of ______.
One area of focus in health psychology is the psychology of ______.
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Adherence to treatment plans is a key area addressed in health psychology and is crucial for positive ______.
Adherence to treatment plans is a key area addressed in health psychology and is crucial for positive ______.
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The ______ mindset encourages individuals to seek challenges and view failures as opportunities for growth.
The ______ mindset encourages individuals to seek challenges and view failures as opportunities for growth.
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One of the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine is ______.
One of the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine is ______.
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In health psychology, illness attributions and beliefs play a role in shaping an individual’s approach to ______.
In health psychology, illness attributions and beliefs play a role in shaping an individual’s approach to ______.
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Lifestyle medicine is associated with promoting healthy ______ choices.
Lifestyle medicine is associated with promoting healthy ______ choices.
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According to Carol Dweck, a ______ mindset leads individuals to believe their abilities are fixed.
According to Carol Dweck, a ______ mindset leads individuals to believe their abilities are fixed.
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Health psychology explores how personality traits can influence an individual’s perception of ______.
Health psychology explores how personality traits can influence an individual’s perception of ______.
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A ______ mindset encourages individuals to embrace challenges and view mistakes as opportunities to learn.
A ______ mindset encourages individuals to embrace challenges and view mistakes as opportunities to learn.
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The second pillar of Lifestyle Medicine focuses on ______.
The second pillar of Lifestyle Medicine focuses on ______.
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Managing ______ is one of the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine.
Managing ______ is one of the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine.
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One of the advantages of a growth mindset is that it encourages individuals to ______ mistakes instead of hiding them.
One of the advantages of a growth mindset is that it encourages individuals to ______ mistakes instead of hiding them.
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Smoking cessation is a crucial component of ______ in Lifestyle Medicine.
Smoking cessation is a crucial component of ______ in Lifestyle Medicine.
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According to the growth mindset concept, feedback should be viewed as ______ rather than criticism.
According to the growth mindset concept, feedback should be viewed as ______ rather than criticism.
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Psychiatry is a medical specialty focused on mental health and wellness, while psychology is a behavioural science focused on the study of mental ______.
Psychiatry is a medical specialty focused on mental health and wellness, while psychology is a behavioural science focused on the study of mental ______.
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Psychotherapy involves a process of treatment carried out by a range of professionals, including ______ and psychologists.
Psychotherapy involves a process of treatment carried out by a range of professionals, including ______ and psychologists.
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Human memory is often mistaken to be like a video ______, but it's actually influenced by various factors.
Human memory is often mistaken to be like a video ______, but it's actually influenced by various factors.
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The myth that most people only use ______% of their brain capacity has been debunked by research using fMRI scans.
The myth that most people only use ______% of their brain capacity has been debunked by research using fMRI scans.
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Psychology plays a crucial role in understanding the ______ relationship, which is vital in healthcare.
Psychology plays a crucial role in understanding the ______ relationship, which is vital in healthcare.
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Behaviour change remains a significant defence against ______, highlighting the importance of psychology in public health.
Behaviour change remains a significant defence against ______, highlighting the importance of psychology in public health.
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Eye-witness testimony has been shown to be highly ______, contradicting the belief in its reliability.
Eye-witness testimony has been shown to be highly ______, contradicting the belief in its reliability.
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The belief that ______ can be used to treat all psychological issues reflects a common misconception in psychological practice.
The belief that ______ can be used to treat all psychological issues reflects a common misconception in psychological practice.
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Study Notes
What is Psychology?
- Psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour and the mind.
- It encompasses all aspects of the human experience, including neuroscience, child development, and care for the elderly.
- Psychology aims to understand behavior and its influences: biology, social contexts, and environmental factors.
Psychology in Healthcare
- Psychology is a crucial field in healthcare, offering valuable insights into how people interact with illness and their well-being.
- Health psychology considers factors influencing health behaviours, illness experiences, and the effectiveness of treatments.
Clearing Common Myths About Psychology
-
Psychology and Psychiatry are NOT the same.
- Psychiatry is a medical specialty focused on mental health and wellness, including medication prescription.
- Psychology is a behavioral science studying mental processes and behavior in various settings, not just mental health.
-
Psychology and Psychotherapy are NOT the same.
- Psychotherapy is a treatment process conducted by trained professionals, including psychiatrists and psychologists.
- Psychology is a broader field that encompasses understanding human behavior.
-
Human memory is NOT a perfect video recorder.
- Memory is influenced by factors including expectations, biases, and contemporaneous events.
- Eye-witness testimony is often unreliable due to the malleable nature of memory.
-
Humans do NOT use only 10% of their brain capacity.
- Brain imaging techniques show that most of the brain is active even during simple tasks.
- Individuals with neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's Disease use over 10% of their brains.
Why Study Health Psychology as a Medical Student?
- It provides valuable insights into the relationship between medicine and behavior.
- It enhances understanding of factors that influence health behaviors and medication adherence.
- It equips students to address challenges in public health messaging, such as pandemic fatigue and conspiracy theories.
Key Topics in Health Psychology Covered in Year One:
- Memory and learning
- Pain
- Lifestyle medicine
- Stress management
- Psychology of Aging
- Positive aging (developmental lifespan)
- Illness attributions and beliefs
- Adherence to treatment
- Smoking
- Personality and Health
- Risk perception
Developments in Health Psychology at RCSI:
-
Positive Education:
- Focus on resilience and lifestyle medicine, integrated into the Personal & Professional Identity (PPId) curriculum.
- Student Choice topics in the curriculum include Lifestyle Medicine.
-
Growth Mindset:
- Promotes the idea that abilities are not fixed but can be developed through effort and learning.
- Encourages students to embrace challenges and learn from mistakes.
6 Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine:
- Physical Activity
- Sleep
- Stress management
- Smoking cessation
- Alcohol and Drugs
- Nutrition
Key takeaways regarding Fixed vs. Growth Mindset:
- Fixed Mindset: Believes abilities are innate and unchangeable.
- Growth Mindset: Believes abilities can be developed through effort and challenging experiences.
Key Takeaways regarding Making Mistakes and Learning:
- It is better to learn from mistakes than avoid them altogether.
- Mistakes are opportunities for growth and learning.
- Accepting failure and focusing on improvement is crucial for personal and professional development.
What is Psychology?
- Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour.
- It encompasses all aspects of the human experience, from brain function to child development and care for the elderly.
- Psychology is focused on understanding behaviour in various settings, including research and mental health services.
- It considers biological influences, social contexts, and environmental factors.
Where does Health Psychology sit in the Curriculum?
- Health psychology is part of the Population Health and Healthcare Delivery (PHHD) vertical theme.
- It is also relevant to Personal & Professional Identity (PPId) through its emphasis on teamwork and resilience training.
Common Myths about Psychology
- Psychology and Psychiatry are not the same.
- Psychiatry is a medical specialty focused on mental health, including medication prescription.
- Psychology is a behavioural science studying mental processes and behaviour in a variety of settings.
- Psychology and Psychotherapy are not the same.
- Psychotherapy is a therapeutic process conducted by trained professionals, including psychiatrists and psychologists.
- Human memory is not like a video recording.
- Memory is influenced by several factors, including expectations, biases, and concurrent events.
- Eyewitness testimony has been found to be unreliable..
- Most people do not use only 10% of their brain capacity.
- fMRI scans demonstrate that most of the brain is active even during simple tasks.
- People with neurodegenerative conditions utilize more than 10% of their brain capacity.
Importance of Health Psychology in Healthcare
- Health psychology addresses the link between medicine and behavior, and how behavior change is crucial for public health.
Some questions addressed in Health Psychology
- How much information can be held in short-term memory and how does this impact patients' understanding?
- Why do people not take medication as directed?
- How to differentiate between addiction and habit in smoking and drinking?
- How to help individuals quit harmful habits like smoking and alcohol abuse?
Topics covered in Year One
- Memory and learning
- Pain
- Lifestyle medicine
- Stress management
- Psychology of aging
- Positive aging
- Illness attributions and beliefs
- Adherence
- Smoking
- Personality & Health
- Risk perception
Learning Resources
-
Books:
- Morrison V., Bennett P. An Introduction to Health Psychology. 4th edition. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd., 2016. (Available as an ebook in RCSI Library)
- vanTeijlingen E, Humphris G. Psychology and Sociology Applied to Medicine. 4th edition. UK: Elsevier Ltd., 2019. (Available as an ebook in RCSI Library)
- James JE. The health of populations: Beyond Medicine. UK, Elsevier, 2016.
-
Moodle:
- Lecture power-point presentations with learning outcomes, required & recommended reading, electronic links/sources.
Developments in RCSI
-
Positive Education:
- Personal & Professional Identity (PPId)
- Resilience training
- University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Centre
- Lifestyle Medicine incorporated in the curriculum, available as a Student Choice topic
-
Growth Mindset:
- Emphasized in the curriculum to promote learning and development.
- "Fixed" versus "Growth" mindset as identified by Carol Dweck, emphasizing incremental learning and seeking challenges.
Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine
- Physical Activity
- Sleep
- Stress Management
- Smoking Cessation
- Alcohol and Drugs
- Nutrition
Mistakes and Growth Mindset
- Mistakes are not good; learning from them is.
- "The most productive classrooms and educational environments are those in which students work on complex problems, are encouraged to take risks, and can struggle and fail and still feel good about working on hard problems." (Boaler, 2015, p.177)
Growth Mindset encourages:
- Understanding your goals.
- Tracking your progress.
- Identifying opportunities for improvement.
Defining Psychology
- Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour.
- It encompasses all aspects of the human experience, including brain functions, child development, and care for the elderly.
- Psychology is focused on understanding behaviour, incorporating biological, social, and environmental factors.
Where Does Health Psychology Fit in RCSI Curriculum?
- Health Psychology is part of the Population Health and Healthcare Delivery (PHHD) vertical theme.
- Other areas of focus under the theme include Public Health and Epidemiology.
- Health Psychology is also part of the Personal and Professional Identity (PPId) theme, which includes teamwork and resilience training.
Understanding Common Myths about Psychology in Health Settings
- Psychology and Psychiatry are not the same.
- Psychiatry is a medical specialty focused on mental health and wellness and includes prescribing medications.
- Psychology is a behavioural science focused on the study of mental processes and behaviour in a wide range of settings.
- Psychology and Psychotherapy are not the same.
- Psychotherapy is a treatment process carried out by a range of trained professionals, including psychiatrists and psychologists.
- Human memory is not like a video recorder.
- Memory is influenced by diverse factors such as expectations, biases, and contemporaneous events.
- Eye-witness testimony is unreliable.
- People do not only use 10% of their brain capacity.
- fMRI scans show that even simple tasks require most of the brain to be active.
- People with neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease use more than 10% of their brain capacity.
Why Study Health Psychology as a Medical Student?
- Health Psychology explores the medicine-behaviour relationship.
- Behaviour is crucial for disease prevention and management.
- Health Psychology addresses questions such as:
- How much information can be held in short-term memory?
- Why don't people take medicines as directed?
- How to differentiate nicotine addiction from a habit?
- How to differentiate alcohol addiction from social drinking?
- How to help individuals quit smoking or alcohol?
- Health Psychology covers topics such as memory and learning, pain management, lifestyle medicine, stress management, psychology of aging, illness attributions, adherence, smoking, personality and health, and risk perception.
Reflection
- The course encourages reflection, with a focus on how learners can improve.
Study Materials
- Morrison V., Bennett P. An Introduction to Health Psychology. 4th edition. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd., 2016. (Available as an ebook in RCSI Library).
- vanTeijlingen E, Humphris G. Psychology and Sociology Applied to Medicine. 4th edition. UK: Elsevier Ltd., 2019. (Available as an ebook in RCSI Library).
- James JE. The health of populations: Beyond Medicine. UK, Elsevier, 2016.
- Moodle: lecture power-point presentation, learning outcomes, required and recommended reading, electronic links and sources
Developments at RCSI that Might Interest You
- Positive Education includes:
- Personal and Professional Identity (PPId)
- Resilience
- Lifestyle Medicine
- Growth Mindset is embedded in the curriculum and emphasises the importance of continuous learning and improvement.
Resilience
- University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Centre emphasizes the importance of resilience for health systems.
Lifestyle Medicine
- Dr. Beth Frates of Harvard Medical School led the integration of Lifestyle Medicine into the curriculum.
- Lifestyle medicine is also available as a student choice topic.
Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine
- Physical Activity
- Sleep
- Stress Management
- Smoking Cessation
- Alcohol and Drugs
- Nutrition
Growth Mindset
- "Fixed" and "Growth" mindset are two approaches to learning, as identified by Carol Dweck.
- Fixed mindset: abilities are innate and unchangeable.
- Growth mindset: abilities are incremental and can be developed.
- The aim is to encourage growth mindset and focus on continuous improvement.
- Instead of dwelling on mistakes, focus on learning from them.
Mistakes are Opportunities for Learning
- "The most productive classrooms and educational environments are those in which students work on complex problems, are encouraged to take risks, and can struggle and fail and still feel good about working on hard problems." (Boaler, 2015, p.177).
- James Nottingham, www.challenginglearning.com.
Definition of Psychology
- Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour
- Psychology embraces all aspects of the human experience, including the brain, child development, and care for older adults
- Psychology focuses on understanding behaviour
- It includes biological influences, social context, and environmental factors affecting people
Where does Health Psychology sit in the RCSI curriculum?
- Health Psychology is located in the Population Health and Healthcare Delivery (PHHD) vertical theme
- It also relates to the Personal & Professional Identity (PPId) vertical theme
Common Myths about Psychology
- Psychiatry and Psychology are not the same
- Psychiatry is a medical specialty focused on mental health and wellness, including medication prescription
- Psychology is a behavioural science focused on mental processes and behaviour in different settings
- Psychotherapy and Psychology are not the same
- Psychotherapy is a treatment process carried out by trained professionals like psychiatrists and psychologists
- Psychology is the study of mental processes and behaviour
Why study health psychology as a medical student?
- It helps understand the relationship between medicine and behaviour
- It addresses questions like how much information people can hold in short-term memory, why people don't take medication as directed, and how to identify addictions compared to habits
- It covers topics relevant to the medical field such as memory and learning, pain, lifestyle medicine, stress management, the psychology of aging, illness attributions, adherence, smoking, personality and health, and risk perception
Reflection
- Students are encouraged to engage in reflective learning
- Recommended reading materials include "An Introduction to Health Psychology" by Morrison and Bennett, and "Psychology and Sociology Applied to Medicine" by vanTeijlingen and Humphris
- Additional resources are available on Moodle, including lecture power-points, learning outcomes, required and recommended readings, and electronic links/sources
Developments that might interest you in RCSI
- Positive Education
- Personal & Professional Identity (PPId)
- Resilience
- Lifestyle Medicine
- Growth mindset
- Especially important in a culture of “genius"
- What is Mindset?
- It's a collection of thoughts and beliefs that affect thinking, feelings, and actions
- Fixed Mindset: Abilities are innate, avoidance of challenge, proving oneself, hiding mistakes, excuses, feedback as criticism
- Growth Mindset: Abilities are incremental, seeking challenges, improving, examining mistakes, opportunities, feedback as advice
- Try asking yourself:
- What am I trying to achieve?
- How much progress have I made so far?
- What could I do next to improve?
- Mistakes are not good, but learning from them is good
- The most productive learning environments encourage taking risks, struggling, failing, and working on hard problems
6 Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine
- Physical Activity
- Sleep
- Stress Management
- Smoking Cessation
- Alcohol and Drugs
- Nutrition
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Description
This quiz explores the fundamental concepts of psychology, including its definition, applications in healthcare, and the distinction between psychology and related fields. Gain insights into human behavior and the various factors that influence mental processes. Perfect for anyone looking to understand the basics of psychology.