valuating Health Orientations: Medical Maximizers-Minimizers, Social Cognitive Theory, and Health-Protective Behaviors
Presentation Type
Poster
Keywords
health, healthcare, physical activity, diet, social cognitive
Department
Psychology
Major
Psychology
Abstract
The newly defined construct of medical maximizing-minimizing (MMM) measures differences in healthcare orientations among the general population. Various psychological distinctions in terms of behaviors and cognitions between these groups are unknown. This study focused on the social cognitive theory (SCT) variables of self-efficacy, outcome expectations and self-regulation as important contributors to the medical maximizing-minimizing construct. In addition, this study concentrates on two important health-protective behaviors: physical activity and diet, which are believed to be related to medical maximizing-minimizing via SCT. Participants included 165 individuals recruited using Amazon Mechanical Turk currently living in the United Sates and who self-reported as having no diagnosed serious physical or mental illness. Results indicated a significant association between MMM and healthcare outcome expectations (HOE), while other SCT variables like healthcare self-efficacy (HSE) trended towards significance. Together HOE and HSE accounted from 16% of variance in MMM. Other results were inconclusive, but point to possible subtypes within the MMM construct and a great need for qualitative research.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Cindy Miller-Perrin
Funding Source or Research Program
Not Identified
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
23-3-2018 2:00 PM
End Date
23-3-2018 3:30 PM
valuating Health Orientations: Medical Maximizers-Minimizers, Social Cognitive Theory, and Health-Protective Behaviors
Waves Cafeteria
The newly defined construct of medical maximizing-minimizing (MMM) measures differences in healthcare orientations among the general population. Various psychological distinctions in terms of behaviors and cognitions between these groups are unknown. This study focused on the social cognitive theory (SCT) variables of self-efficacy, outcome expectations and self-regulation as important contributors to the medical maximizing-minimizing construct. In addition, this study concentrates on two important health-protective behaviors: physical activity and diet, which are believed to be related to medical maximizing-minimizing via SCT. Participants included 165 individuals recruited using Amazon Mechanical Turk currently living in the United Sates and who self-reported as having no diagnosed serious physical or mental illness. Results indicated a significant association between MMM and healthcare outcome expectations (HOE), while other SCT variables like healthcare self-efficacy (HSE) trended towards significance. Together HOE and HSE accounted from 16% of variance in MMM. Other results were inconclusive, but point to possible subtypes within the MMM construct and a great need for qualitative research.