| “Health Psychology is an interdisciplinary field concerned with the application of psychological knowledge and techniques to health, illness and healthcare.”(Marks et al, 2005). |
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| Health psychology is concerned primarily with physical rather than mental health. However the interface between mental and physical health is a part of health psychology.The orientation of contemporary psychology is very American and European and therefore may not be applicable universally when discussing health in other cultures.The dominant perspective in psychology is an individualistic perspective where the individual is perceived as an active agent and is the figure whereas society and culture are the ground. Thus the individual is exerting an influence on the environment. |
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The collectivist perspective which is prevalent in more traditional societies emphasizes the role of culture and society within whose parameters the individual functions. |
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Given the focus on individualism in contemporary psychology the onus of responsibility for illness tends to rest on the individual. This maybe exaggerated and it is necessary to look at illness and health with a wider lens, thus considering the contextual factors. |
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Health Psychology uses the contributions of the discipline of psychology for the promotion and maintenance of health, and prevention and treatment of illness. |
