Course Title: Social Gerontology and Health L T P/ SW/F TOTAL

Course Code: PSYC216 S W CREDIT

Credit Units: 4 UNITS
Course Level: UG 3 1 - - 4

Course Objectives: To enable students to understand the concept of social gerontology and health and its relationship to the well–being of the individual in
everyday life

Pre-requisites: Nil

Course Contents/Syllabus:
Weightage (%)
Module I: Introduction & Methodology 15
Descriptors/Topics
Definition of Health Psychology; Mind-Body Relationship; Changing Patterns of Illness;
Medical Acceptance; Health care services
Research Methodology- Anecdotal method, Case Study method, Correlation Research, Experimental method

Module II: Models of Health 20

Descriptors/Topics
Bio-Psycho-Social Model

Module III: : The Immune System 20

Descriptors/Topics
Psycho-Neuro Immunology- The Immune System: Stress & Immune functioning; Academic Stress & Immune
functioning; Negative Affect & Immune functioning. Disorders of the Immune System- Infectious Diseases (viral
infections & disease); Co-factor theory; Behavioral factors and common cold; AIDS (Transmission of HIV-AIDS,
AIDS & its consequences, intervention to reduce risk-behavior, coping with AIDS); Cancer-(Psychological factors in
Cancer, course of cancer, adjusting to cancer)

Module IV: Life-Style Disorders 15

Descriptors/Topics
CHD- Type-A Behavior; Hostility & CHD;; Stress & Hypertension; Personality & Hypertension; Stroke & its
Consequences; Diabetes-types; Implications; Problems in Self-Management of Diabetes.

Module V: Health promotion & Disease Prevention 15

Descriptors/Topics
Stress- Meaning of stress; Theories of stress (Selye & Lazarus); Responses to stress;
Dimensions of Stress; Coping with Stress. Health compromising behavior- Alcohol abuse, Drug abuse, Smoking

Module VI: Health Enhancing Behaviour & Health Behavior Modification 15

Descriptors/Topics
Improving health & wellbeing: Personality and Individual Differences
Stress- Hardiness; Motive patterns; gaining a sense of control; Enhancing Support
Cognitive Behavior Approach- self observation & self monitoring; Relapse Prevention
Attitude and Health- Belief Model

Student Learning Outcomes:

Appreciate the importance of psychology in health and well being
Apply the concepts of health psychology in disease prevention and health promotion in society at large.
Pedagogy for Course Delivery:

The class will be taught using theory and case based method. In addition to assigning the application based teaching through lectures, tutorial and
field assignment and small project work.
 Assessment/ Examination Scheme:

Theory L/T (%) Lab/Practical/Studio (%) Total

100 NIL 100

Theory Assessment (L&T):

Continuous Assessment/Inte rnal Assessment End Term
Examination
Components (Drop
down) Class presentation
Class Test Assignment Attendance

Weightage (%) 10 10 5 5 70

Text & References:

N.K. Chadha (Eds.) (1997) Aging and the Aged- A challenge to Indian Gerontology. Friends Publications (India): Delhi

John Van Willigen and N.K. Chadha (1999) Social Aging in a Delhi Neighborhood. Bergin and Garvey: New York, USA

Allen Felicity, Health Psychology: theory and practice, Published by Allen & Unwin, 1998
Friedman, Health Psychology: Health Psychology, 2nd Edition, Published by Academic Internet Publishers Incorporated, 2006
Ogden Jane, Health Psychology: A Textbook, Published by Open University Press, 2000