Health Psychology : Alternative Topics

Health Psychology: Alternative Topics provides students with an engaging collection of readings that explore everyday remedies for common health concerns, including homeopathy, vitamins, and cultural treatments, that are not typically included in academic discussions of health psychology. Students learn how and why these remedies work for some but not all populations, as well as how personal and societal beliefs can influence physical health.

The anthology is divided into four sections. Section I addresses mixed health outcomes and includes articles that focus on common drinks and foods that have shown both positive and negative health outcomes. In Section II, students read selections that evaluate different forms of homeopathy and factors that may influence their effects. Section III examines culture and medicine with focus on how culture influences diagnosis and health care. The final section presents students with treatment and wellness explanations for why some of these remedies are adopted, and why, in many instances, these remedies and health care beliefs work.

Featuring unique and thought-provoking content, Health Psychology is an excellent supplementary resource for courses within the fields of social psychology and health psychology.

William Marelich is a professor of psychology within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at California State University, Fullerton. He received his Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University and completed a two-year NIMH Postdoctoral Scholar appointment at UCLA. He has also been a lecturer at UCLA in the departments of psychology and sociology, and a Scholar in Residence at Scripps College. Dr. Marelich’s research interests and publications address decision-making strategies in health settings, HIV/AIDS, and statistical/methodological approaches in experimental and applied research. He has over 80 peer-reviewed publication and monographs, and coauthored the books The Social Psychology of Health and Advanced Statistics for Kinesiology and Exercise Science.