Seafood ChoiCeS

Seafood Choices: Balancing Benefits and Risks
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11762.html
SEAFOOD ChOICES
TABLE C-1 Selected Theoretical Models Describing Health Behavior,
Food Choice, and Behavior Change
Theory Brief Description
Health Belief Model
(Rosenstock, 1974)
Life Course
Perspective
(Wethington, 2005)
Optimistic Bias
(Shepard, 1999)
(Weinstein, 1987)
PEN-3
(Airhihenbuwa,
1995)
Transtheoretical
Model (Stages of
Change)
(Prochaska, 1995)
(Prochaska and
Vellicer, 1997)
(Weinstein et al.,
1998)
Assumes individuals will protect their health if they think they are
susceptible to the threat, believe that if they change behaviors they
can reduce the threat (with benefits outweighing barriers), and that
they are able to make the change.
Key concepts:
• trajectories (stable patterns of behavior over time);
• transitions (changes in social responsibilies and roles);
• turning points (major life events);
• cultural and contextual influences (environmental events that shape
and constrain change and adaptation);
• timing in lives (interaction between the timing of the event and the
age/stage of the life course);
• linked lives (dependence of one person on another); and
• adaptive strategies (conscious decisions)
Underestimation of the risk to oneself relative to others.
Consists of three interrelated and interdependent dimensions of
health: health education diagnosis (identification of the target
audience); education diagnosis of health behavior (exploration
of target audience’s supporting factors and beliefs); and cultural
appropriateness of the health behavior (both positive and negative).
Integrates a variety of theories (transtheoretical) to both describe
progression of changes and to explain associated behaviors necessary
to achieve change. Stages include:
• Precontemplation (time when an individual is not considering or
not aware that change is needed);
• Contemplation (time when an individual is aware of a problem and
is considering action to resolve it);
• Preparation (time when an individual commits to taking action);
• Action (time when effort is noted);
• Maintenance (time when a person tries to stabilize the change);
• Termination (time when no temptation to revert back to old
behavior).
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