Health problems arise from genetic predisposition, brain structure abnormalities, and neurotransmitter dysregulation—but biology alone does not determine outcomes.
- Genetic predisposition: twin studies show heritability of 40-60% for addiction and elevated risk for depression, anxiety, and obesity, but identical twins raised apart often develop different outcomes due to environment.
- Neurochemistry: chronic stress dysregulates dopamine, serotonin, and cortisol; imbalances in these neurotransmitters drive depression, anxiety, substance dependence, and reward-seeking behaviours.
- Brain structure dysfunction: prefrontal cortex hypofunctioning impairs impulse control and risk assessment, increasing vulnerability to addiction; amygdala hyperactivity amplifies anxiety and threat perception.
- Addictive drugs increase dopamine 2-10 times above baseline. Repeated use causes downregulation of dopamine receptors, requiring higher doses to achieve the same high—a neurochemical explanation for tolerance and dependence.
Cognitive distortions—maladaptive beliefs about health, the body, and coping—maintain unhealthy behaviours and worsen psychological distress.
- Catastrophic thinking: interpreting minor symptoms (e.g., headache) as signs of serious disease (e.g., brain tumour) triggers health anxiety, avoidance of normal activities, and excessive medical checking.
- Faulty addiction beliefs: "I can't cope without the substance" or "I'm too weak to quit" reinforce addiction despite mounting negative consequences and failed attempts to stop.
- Body image distortions: unrealistic or distorted perceptions of body shape and weight (e.g., "I am overweight" despite low BMI) drive eating disorders and harmful weight-loss strategies.
- Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) directly targets these distortions: helping a stress-eater recognise that food does not solve problems increases success in changing eating patterns.
Socioeconomic factors, media pressure, and cultural norms shape health outcomes independent of individual motivation or genetic risk.
- Poverty and social deprivation: limited access to nutritious food, chronic psychological stress, unsafe housing, and poor healthcare create cumulative health risk independent of personal traits.
- Media and advertising: glamorisation of smoking and alcohol; social media promotion of unrealistic thin ideals drive eating disorders, body dissatisfaction, and unhealthy weight-loss attempts.
- Peer and cultural norms: substance use normalised and reinforced through social learning in peer groups; cultural values about thinness intensify obesity-related shame; cultural variation in emotional expression affects mental health diagnosis.
- Sociocultural influences operate invisibly, like water to a fish: individuals cannot easily see how their society, media environment, and peer networks shape health choices and outcomes.
- Single-approach explanations are reductionist: attributing obesity only to genetics, addiction only to dopamine, or eating disorders only to media ignores the interaction of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural factors.
- Health problems always involve multiple interacting risk factors; exam success requires evaluating strengths and limitations of each approach.
Effective understanding and treatment require integrating biological, cognitive, and sociocultural factors across multiple levels.
- Obesity: genetic predisposition to efficient fat storage (biological) combines with distorted eating cognitions (cognitive) and food-abundant, sedentary cultural norms (sociocultural).
- Addiction: neurochemical reward hypersensitivity (biological) combines with escapist or coping beliefs (cognitive) and peer reinforcement and stress exposure (sociocultural).
- Effective interventions: medication targets neurochemistry, cognitive therapy targets maladaptive beliefs, and community/family support addresses sociocultural risk factors.
- What is biological predisposition, and why does it not determine health outcomes alone?
- Identify two cognitive distortions that maintain eating disorders or obesity and explain how CBT targets these.
- How do poverty and media pressure independently contribute to obesity and eating disorders?
- Design a multi-approach intervention for stress-related illness combining biological, cognitive, and sociocultural strategies.
- Why is evaluating single-approach explanations insufficient for exam success in Health Psychology?
