Journal Article

Theorizing Social Context: Rethinking Behavioral Theory

Pasick, Rena J., Joseph, Galen, Barker, Judith C., Burke, Nancy J.

2009

Overview

Major behavioral theories focus on proximal influences on behavior that are considered to be predominantly cognitive characteristics of the individual largely uninfluenced by social context. Social ecological models integrate multiple levels of influence on health behavior and are noted for emphasizing the interdependence of environmental settings and life domains. This theory-based article explains how social context is conceptualized in the social sciences and how the social science conceptualization differs from and can broaden the analytic approach to health behavior. The authors use qualitative data from the Behavioral Constructs and Culture in Cancer Screening study to illustrate our conceptualization of social context. We conclude that the incorporation into health behavior theory of a multidimensional socioculturally oriented, theoretical approach to social context is critical to understand and redress health disparities in multicultural societies like the United States.

• Publisher: SAGE Publications,SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subject: Attitude to Health / Behavior / Behavior Theories / Behavioral sciences / Cancer / Cognitive-behavioral factors / Concept formation / Conceptualization / Cultural Pluralism / Culture / Ecological models / Ecological studies / Health Behavior / Health behaviour / Health disparities / Health education / Health Promotion / Humans / Influence / Interdependence / Medical screening / Mental health / Models, Theoretical / Multiculturalism & pluralism / Qualitative Research / Screening / Screening Tests / Social context / Social Environment / Social factors / Social psychology / Social Sciences / Sociocultural Patterns / Theory