PSYCHOLOGY OF HEALTH

In the last several decades, psychology of health has been formed into a relatively independent branch of science. It includes psychological studies dealing both with mastering difficult health situations (the so called coping), and with influencing undersirable activities (e.g., type of smoking), and strengthening/supporting those forms of behavio ur that have got positive significance from the viewpoint of health. T he article presents a summary of 9 most important theoretical concepti ons in the above mentioned sphere of psychology of health: Lazarus' mo del of coping with stress, theory of reasoned action, theory of planne d behaviour, protection motivation theory, social/cognitive approach t o the problems of healthy way of life (health belief model), theory of reliance upon individual ability of coping with health problems (self -efficacy theory), precaution adoption process model, Limburg and Berl in model. In the conclusion, the most important moments of motivation and realization phases of given behaviour are mentioned.