The body sensation hypothesis: A new contribution to the understanding of preventive health behavior

Abstract

A conceptualization of preventive health behaviors (PHBs) is outlined which focuses upon the body sensations that accompany performance of PHB. While many workers have noted that the sensory consequences associated with PHB may be important in understanding why non-symptomatic, healthy individuals engage in PHB, current models of PHB ignore this dimension of health behavior. The Body Sensation Hypothesis suggests that an important function of PHB may be to regulate body sensations by eliminating and avoiding aversive sensations and to produce pleasurable sensations. The implications of the Body Sensations Hypothesis for the definition of PHB, the acquisition of PHB, health education and health-cognitions, and sex differences in PHB are discussed.