Chapter 4

Chapters 2 and 3 introduce a logic-based grammar of action that serves as the basis for modeling behavior using simple rules. With this logic-based grammar of conditional actions we can describe not only shared conditions, but many familiar concepts used in behavioral and social sciences. Now chapter 4 defines major variables in health behavior theory in terms of these logic-based, condition action statements. We examine how to model several key variables in standard health behavioral change theory, such as intentions, perceived self-efficacy, perceived efficacy of interventions, and risk perceptions, all in terms of potential benefits and costs associated with the behavior. The modeling of needs and intentions, and need and condition satisfaction, is one of the most significant yet simple rules we learn, for it connects the sometimes elusive concept of intention to a very concrete process of balancing feedback, otherwise known as negative feedback, that can take action to adjust conditions to meet specified conditions. Adding in perceptions of efficacy modifies what individuals believe they actually can achieve, all in terms of conditional probabilities of achieving benefits. We then use our logic-based language to model the links between these standard health behavior variables, and to specify how these variables may interact. Moreover, we model how benefits and costs change when individuals following these rules of behavior interact. To model that interaction, we apply evolutionary games.

The book lists a password that will allow you to access and interact with the several games and models I describe in chapter 4. Login with username "user" and use the password listed under "how to use this book." Then you will see extra tabs open up after each chapter, in this case 4i, Chapter 4 - Interactive.