Social Science and Health

Fayroz A. Kamal
 Psychology

Definition: -
it is “the study of human behavior -
and how people behave and why they
behave in just the way they do”.
 Psychology
Importance:-
- To know others better.
- To differentiate between the
normal and abnormal.
- To help promote mental health in
individuals and families.
 Medical Psychology
Definition:-
The science that deals with patients
suffering from disorders of the mind. It
includes every aspect of human life and every
type of human behavior.
 Behavior
. Definition
. Factors.
. Health behavior, illness behavior, and
treatment behavior.
. Response and stimuli.
. Making adjustments.
. Conscious and unconscious behavior.
 Behavior
Definition:-
. Behavior is the result of physical (body)and
mental (mind) factors interacted in
complicated way.
 Behavior
Factors that may influence individual and
community health behavior are;
Knowledge Beliefs Values
Attitudes Skills Fina
Times Materials
Health behavior, Illness, and Treatment
behavior
Health Behavior: refers to those activities people -
undertake to avoid disease and to detect
asymptomatic infections through appropriate
screening tests.
- Illness Behavior: refers to how people react to -
symptoms and when look for medical advice.
- Treatment Behavior: refers to those activities -
used to cure diseases and restore health (taking
medication as directed, returning for tests, and
follow up).
 Responses and Stimuli
All forms of behavior are responses to stimuli. •
The goal of psychology is to find relations that •
exist between stimuli and responses.
Responses:- Physical responses •
Organic responses •
Intellectual responses •
 Stimuli
Causes or Stimuli:- all behavior is caused, and •
the causes are very complex. They include;
- Environmental stimuli •
- Emotions and Feeling •
- Needs •
- Motivation •
- Intellectual perception •
 Making Adjustments
Behavior is also an adjustment to meet the •
needs of a given situation.
 Conscious and Unconscious Behavior
Conscious Behavior:- is the behavior •
determined by the standards or expectations
of the society.

Unconscious Behavior:- is the behavior that is •

affected by certain force (e.g. prejudices,
perceptions, notions), and unpleasant feeling.
It is not conscious.