Cognitive Science Speaks to the “Common-Sense” of Chronic Illness Management

Abstract

We describe the parallels between findings from cognitive science and neuroscience and Common-Sense Models in four areas: (1) Activation of illness representations by the automatic linkage of symptoms and functional changes with concepts (an integration of declarative and perceptual and procedural knowledge); (2) Action plans for the management of symptoms and disease; (3) Cognitive and behavioral heuristics (executive functions parallel to recent findings in cognitive science) involved in monitoring and modifying automatic control processes; (4) Perceiving and communicating to "other minds" during medical visits to address the declarative and non-declarative (perceptual and procedural) knowledge that comprise a patient's representations of illness and treatment (the transparency of other minds).

Illness Schema Activation and the Effects of Illness Seasonality on Accessibility of Implicit Illness-Related Information

“…In the context of a rising pandemic, this might be effective and beneficial in Accessibility of Illness Schemata 12 initiating management of spread of the illness or treatment, if available [22,23]. However, increased accessibility of a particular schema may also increase the possibility of selfmisdiagnosis of symptoms with similar characteristics to the accessible illness [4]. Relatedly, an accessible illness schema may lead the 'worried well' to match minor somatic signs of deviation from the normal self to the accessible schema [4,5,24,25,26] and conclude that they are ill.…”

“…Although the principal route to illness schema activation is a bottom-up process by which symptom detection is matched to conceptual elements of the schema such as the disease label, the CSM also posits alternative top-down routes to risk perception [4]. Media images or stories, or observations of family members might also activate illness schema and consequent self-scrutiny [2,3,4]. In the instance of a high-incidence, relatively inconsequential illness such as the common cold, wherein sufferers remain largely functional and highly visible, activation by direct observation of people with illness in the social environment is also likely.…”

Using meta-analytic path analysis to test theoretical predictions in health behavior: An illustration based on meta-analyses of the theory of planned behavior

“…Examples of mediation processes in social cognitive models applied in health contexts abound. In the common sense model of illness, for example, impact of illness beliefs such as serious consequences or perceived control on illness outcomes such as illness status or functioning is proposed to be mediated by coping procedures to manage the illness threat (Hagger and Orbell, 2003;Leventhal et al, 2011). In the theory of planned behavior, an individual's intention to engage in a health behavior is proposed to mediate the effects of attitudes (personal beliefs about outcomes), subjective norms (normative beliefs regarding behavioral engagement), and perceived behavioral control (beliefs about capacity to engage in the behavior) on actual behavioral engagement (Ajzen, 1991;Armitage and Conner, 2001).…”

Strategies Used by Older Adults with Asthma for Adherence to Inhaled Corticosteroids

“…Studies framed according to the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation 20 have found that medication adherence is associated with accurate conceptualizations (beliefs) of asthma and favorable opinions of ICS. 5,21 Three questions from the validated Brief Illness Perceptions Questionnaire and used extensively in prior research were used to measure asthma beliefs.…”