Publisher Description

This textbook offers a fresh approach to health psychology through the theory and practice of behaviour change. Using an array of case studies from around the world, it discusses how we can develop and evaluate behaviour change interventions. The book encourages active engagement with contemporary discussions about health behaviours, covering areas of emerging importance such as weight stigma, vaping, nudges, vaccine hesitancy and paleo-inspired lifestyles. With a focus upon critical thinking, this book will equip students for success in their research projects and beyond.Ideal for students of Health Behaviour Change and Health Psychology, this textbook is also relevant to those taking courses in related fields such as Nursing and Public Health.

Author Biography

Dr Katy Tapper is a Reader at City, University of London. She has a background in psychology but has worked in multidisciplinary teams, developing and evaluating a wide range of health interventions for both adults and children. These applied projects are informed by her more experimental work aimed at identifying and understanding variables that influence health-related behaviours. You can learn more about her research at or follow her at @katytapper.

Table of Contents

1. Health psychology and behaviour changePart 12. Evolutionary and Historical Determinants of Health3. Social Determinants of Health4. Individual Determinants of HealthPart 25. Social Cognition Theories of Behaviour and Motivation6. Habits and other automatic processes7. Craving, willpower and self-regulationPart 38. Addiction9. Developing behaviour change interventions10. Evidence and evaluation11. Bias and barriers12. Changing behaviour.

Review

Health psychology has been at the vanguard of many recent advances in behaviour change theory and practice. This timely textbook offers a thoughtful, state of the art critical summary of theory and evidence around understanding and changing health behaviour. Particularly encouraging is the extensive coverage of automatic processes, which are typically overlooked in favour of unrealistic accounts of most health behaviours as conscious, deliberative and reasoned. Tapper succeeds in situating health psychology in the real-world by recognising various barriers to translating evidence into policy and practice, including biased interpretation and communication of behavioural science and the spreading of misinformation in the social media age. * Benjamin Gardner, King's College London, UK *
Katy Tapper's book covers the research, theory and practice of health psychology and behaviour change in comprehensive detail. She encourages students to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate contemporary research, whilst also explaining how this can be practically applied to everyday media and online content. * Olga van den Akker, Middlesex University, UK *
This book is a must-read for all students and others who want to be updated in health psychology and effective interventions for behavioural change. * Jesper Dammeyer, University of Copenhagen, Denmark *
This is a comprehensive and lucidly written textbook that makes a compelling case for understanding the relationship between behaviour and health in high, middle-and-low-income societies. In the 21st century, characterized by a high prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases, increasing pressures on health care systems, large-scale migration, and unprecedented climate change, this book is a very useful source for students in psychology, health counselling, nursing and related fields. In addition to presenting theory and research associated with important health issues and problems, Dr. Tapper also calls attention to criticisms and controversies, thus presenting an important critical perspective. * Ashraf Kagee, Stellenbosch University, South Africa *
This fantastic textbook provides a well-organised, succinct and accessible overview of both the scientific evidence in relation to the psychology of behaviour change as well as its practical application in the real-world. This is one of the best textbooks in this area that I have come across and will be an invaluable guide to anyone interested in understanding and changing health behaviour. * Stephan Dombrowski, University of New Brunswick, Canada *

Review Quote

"Health psychology has been at the vanguard of many recent advances in behaviour change theory and practice. This timely textbook offers a thoughtful, state of the art critical summary of theory and evidence around understanding and changing health behaviour. Particularly encouraging is the extensive coverage of automatic processes, which are typically overlooked in favour of unrealistic accounts of most health behaviours as conscious, deliberative and reasoned. Tapper succeeds in situating health psychology in the real-world by recognising various barriers to translating evidence into policy and practice, including biased interpretation and communication of behavioural science and the spreading of misinformation in the social media age." -- Benjamin Gardner, King's College London, UK "Katy Tapper's book covers the research, theory and practice of health psychology and behaviour change in comprehensive detail. She encourages students to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate contemporary research, whilst also explaining how this can be practically applied to everyday media and online content." -- Olga van den Akker, Middlesex University, UK "This book is a must-read for all students and others who want to be updated in health psychology and effective interventions for behavioural change." -- Jesper Dammeyer, University of Copenhagen, Denmark "This is a comprehensive and lucidly written textbook that makes a compelling case for understanding the relationship between behaviour and health in high, middle-and-low-income societies. In the 21st century, characterized by a high prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases, increasing pressures on health care systems, large-scale migration, and unprecedented climate change, this book is a very useful source for students in psychology, health counselling, nursing and related fields. In addition to presenting theory and research associated with important health issues and problems, Dr. Tapper also calls attention to criticisms and controversies, thus presenting an important critical perspective." -- Ashraf Kagee, Stellenbosch University, South Africa "This fantastic textbook provides a well-organised, succinct and accessible overview of both the scientific evidence in relation to the psychology of behaviour change as well as its practical application in the real-world. This is one of the best textbooks in this area that I have come across and will be an invaluable guide to anyone interested in understanding and changing health behaviour." -- Stephan Dombrowski, University of New Brunswick, Canada

Feature

An emphasis on behaviour change, which is increasingly recognized as central to tackling both non-communicable and infectious disease. Detailed coverage of theory relating to automatic processes as well as traditional models of conscious decision-making. This is particularly important when tackling health inequalities. Helps the reader to become a more critical consumer of health news and information, through analysis of some of the latest dietary trends and chapters on research methods and bias. Relates theory and evidence to real-world health interventions through a series of case studies that look at how different health issues have been tackled around the globe. Online resources to support lecturers with both face-to-face and online teaching. Rich pedagogy which features exercises and activities to consolidate understanding and inspire critical thinking.

Details