PhD fellowship in psychologyProject description : Health goals conflicts and facilitation
Multiple healthy lifestyle behaviours (e.g. physical activity, healthy diet, not smoking) are often needed to have an impact on public health and reduce morbidity and mortality rates. Sometimes one healthy lifestyle can give us the confidence to also tackle another one, for example when being more physically active may also encourage us to change to a healthier diet (facilitation). Sometimes, however, these health goals are in conflict, when we feel we may reward ourselves with an unhealthy behaviour (e.g. eating chips) when we have been healthy in another area (e.g. gone for a walk), or just simply because we lack time, resources, or motivation to address multiple healthy lifestyles. This research project aims to assess how healthy lifestyles fit with higher-level personal goals (e.g. caring for others, pro-environmental goals) and how they conflict with or facilitate each other, to provide recommendations for future interventions when aiming to improve multiple healthy lifestyles. The research includes qualitative research and quantitative research (Ecological Momentary Assessment, Implicit measures), and focuses on the lifestyles of healthy diet and physical activity.