Health Psychology introduces the student to the intricate relationship which exists between psychological factors and the biological processes of human health and illness. Definitions of illness focussing on the notion of illness as a psychosocial dysfunction are presented in the context of emerging definitions of Health Psychology itself. The course then goes on to examine the idea of stress and the stress reaction as the theoretical model linking psychological and biological processes. The relative and related roles of personality, stress and the psychosocial environment in the genesis of organic pathology and illness are then presented in some detail, along with the body of contemporary empirical evidence supporting these roles. Issues dealing with health risk behaviours such as smoking and diet are considered and evidence for psycho-biological links mediated through the autonomic nervous system, the endocrinological system and the immunological system are discussed. Examples from cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, the neoplastic diseases and the neurological diseases are taken to illustrate these points.

In 2008 assessment consisted of (a) a major theoretical essay of around 3000 words due mid-semester (50%) and (b) an end-of-year formal 2 hour examination (50%).

Two of PSYC2001, 2002, 2004, 2007 or 2008 (It is also strongly recommended that students take PSYC3025 Abnormal Psychology in the first semester).

with PSYC3010 (a previously offered course)