FURTHER READING

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HEALTH BELIEFS 45
4 Cognitions without a context. Models of health beliefs and health behaviours tend
to examine an individual’s cognitions out of context. This context could either be the
context of another individual or the wider social context. Some of the models
incorporate measures of the individuals’ representations of their social context
(e.g. social norms, peer group norms), but this context is always accessed via the
individuals’ cognitions.
FURTHER READING
➧
Conner, M. and Norman, P. (1996) Predicting Health Behaviour. Buckingham:
Open University Press.
This book provides an excellent overview of the different models, the studies
that have been carried out using them and the new developments in this area.
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Conner, M. and Norman, P. (eds) (1998) Special issue: Social cognition models in
Health Psychology, Psychology and Health, 13: 179–85.
This special issue presents recent research in the area of social cognition
models. The editorial provides an overview of the field.
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Rutter, D. and Quine, L. (eds) Changing health behaviour: Intervention and
research with social cognition models. Buckingham: Open University Press.
This edited book provides an excellent review of the intervention literature
including an analysis of the problems with designing interventions and with their
evaluation.
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Schwarzer, R. (1992) Self efficacy in the adoption and maintenance of health
behaviours: Theoretical approaches and a new model, in R. Schwarzer (ed.),
Self Efficacy: Thought Control of Action, pp. 217–43. Washington, DC:
Hemisphere.
This chapter provides an interesting overview of the different models and
emphasizes the central role of self-efficacy in predicting health-related
behaviours. It illustrates a quantitative approach to health beliefs.
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Woodcock, A., Stenner, K. and Ingham, R. (1992) Young people talking about
HIV and AIDS: Interpretations of personal risk of infection, Health Education
Research: Theory and Practice, 7: 229–47.
This paper illustrates a qualitative approach to health beliefs and is a good
example of how to present qualitative data.
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