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Illness representations are one class of illness cognitions which
in a general sense might also include other cognitive constructs
related to health threats, including perceived vulnerability,
optimism and self-efficacy beliefs, as well as perceptions
of social norms. Although these cognitions have not been part
of the traditional conceptualization of the self-regulation
framework, they have been incorporated into expanded versions
of the self-regulation framework, such as the Cognitive-Social
Health Information Processing (C-SHIP) model (Miller,
Shoda, Hurley, 1996
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Miller, SM, Shoda Y, Hurley, K. (1996). Applying cognitive-social
theory to health-protective behavior: Breast self-examination
in cancer screening. Psychological Bulletin; 119:70-94.
; Miller
& Diefenbach, 1998
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Miller, S.M. & Diefenbach, M.A. (1998). C-SHIP: A cognitive-social
health information processing approach to cancer. In D. Krantz
(Ed.), Perspectives in Behavioral Medicine (219-244).
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.). Rather than focusing on the
role of the six illness attributes, their interactions with
affect, and their effect on health behaviors, the C-SHIP takes
a more expansive view of the different variables that effect
behavior. Specifically, this model postulates the existence
of five units through which different cognitive and emotional
variables are being processed. The following processing units
have been postulated:
- encodings and constructs (e.g., personal risk perceptions)
- beliefs and expectations (e.g., self-efficacy expectations, optimism, illness beliefs)
- goals and values (e.g., the goal of being physically fit and to value ones health)
- affect and emotions (e.g., cancer-relevant anxieties and worries)
- self-regulatory competencies and skills (e.g., coping skills)
The units are linked through a network of connections that variously are activated or inhibited. For example, a person is likely to adhere to a recommendation to get screened for breast cancer, if she feels at risk for breast caner, is optimistic that the mammogram will be negative, prizes her health, is moderately worried about developing cancer, and has the necessary personal and financial resources and skills to obtain a mammogram. To date, the C-SHIP has found most of its application in behavioral research with cancer patients.
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