| Course | INHE 1003 Introduction to Psychology |
|---|---|
| Week | Week 4 |
| Paper type | Comparison table |
| Length | About 640 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Walden University |
| Program | BS in Integrative Health |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for INHE 1003 Week 4
Two Theories, Six Questions, One Unscheduled Screening: A Comparison Table Setting the Health Belief Model Beside the Stages of Change for a Composite Adult Who Has Not Booked a Recommended Colon Cancer Screening, With One Paragraph on What the Comparison Shows
Student Name
Walden University
INHE 1003: Introduction to Psychology
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Two Theories, Six Questions, One Unscheduled Screening: A Comparison Table Setting the Health Belief Model Beside the Stages of Change for a Composite Adult Who Has Not Booked a Recommended Colon Cancer Screening, With One Paragraph on What the Comparison Shows
The Case
A composite adult of 52 has been told by their doctor, twice, that they are due for colon cancer screening. They agree it is a good idea and say they will "get around to it," but they have not scheduled it. They know a coworker who had a precancerous growth found during screening. They say the preparation sounds unpleasant and that they cannot take a day off work easily.
The Comparison
Table 1
The Health Belief Model and the Stages of Change Asked the Same Questions
| Question | Health Belief Model | Stages of change |
|---|---|---|
| What drives the behavior? | Weighed beliefs: how susceptible the person feels, how serious the illness seems, the benefits of acting and the barriers to acting, plus cues that prompt action | Readiness: the person moves through stages, from not yet considering change to considering, preparing, acting and maintaining |
| What is the person assumed to be doing mentally? | Weighing perceived benefits against perceived barriers | Moving between stages, with different thinking at each one |
| What would predict a change? | A stronger sense of risk, fewer barriers or a new cue to action | Progress to the next stage, often helped by stage-matched support |
| What does the theory look for in this case? | Low perceived susceptibility, high barriers such as preparation and time off, and a coworker's case as a possible cue | A person in contemplation: intending to act but not yet preparing |
| What does it predict next? | Without a reduction in barriers or a stronger cue, the person will keep delaying | Without help moving to preparation, such as a set date, the person may stay in contemplation |
| What does it leave out? | Emotion and habit; the model treats the decision as a calculation | The reasons for being stuck; stages describe readiness but say less about what holds it back |
Cells summarize each theory as applied to this composite case.
What the Comparison Shows
The two theories see different things in the same delay. The Health Belief Model, as reviewed by Janz and Becker (1984), points to the specific barriers the person names, the preparation and the day off, and to a possible cue in the coworker's experience; it suggests that reducing the barriers, for example by offering a home stool test that needs no preparation or time off, should lead to action. The stages-of-change approach, developed by Prochaska and DiClemente (1983) from studies of people quitting smoking, places the person in contemplation and suggests that what they need is help taking a concrete step into preparation, such as choosing a date. Neither theory alone accounts for the whole picture. The Health Belief Model explains what is holding the person back but not why they have been "about to" act for months; the stages approach explains where they are but not what keeps them there. A practitioner might use both: identify the barriers the first model names and use the second to choose a small next step matched to the person's readiness. The course textbook presents both models as frameworks for understanding health behavior rather than as rival laws (Spielman et al., 2020).
Limits of the Comparison
The table compresses each theory into six short answers, and both are richer than that. The Health Belief Model has been extended over time, for example to include self-efficacy, and the stages-of-change approach comes with a set of processes of change that the table does not list. The case is also a single composite person, so the comparison shows how the theories frame one situation, not which theory is better supported by research. A fuller comparison would look at studies testing each model's predictions about screening.
References
Janz, N. K., & Becker, M. H. (1984). The Health Belief Model: A decade later. Health Education Quarterly, 11(1), 1-47. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019818401100101
Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1983). Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51(3), 390-395. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.51.3.390
Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/details/books/psychology-2e
What the INHE 1003 Week 4 instructions ask for
Week 4 asks you to compare two theories in one table and one interpretation paragraph. Choose a case, real with details changed or composite, where both theories apply. Build a table with one column per theory and rows that ask the same questions of both, such as what drives the behavior, what the person is assumed to be thinking, what would predict change, what the theory looks for in the case, what it predicts next and what it leaves out. Write cells as short sentences. Then write a paragraph explaining what the comparison shows, especially anything one theory notices and the other overlooks. Cite a source for each theory and the course textbook.
How the INHE 1003 Week 4 example is put together
The screening comparison describes the case in a short paragraph, including the coworker's experience and the worries about preparation and time off. The table answers six questions for each theory, with the Health Belief Model pointing to barriers and a cue and the stages approach placing the person in contemplation. The interpretation paragraph, citing Janz and Becker and Prochaska and DiClemente, explains that one theory shows what holds the person back and the other shows where they are, and suggests using both: reduce barriers, for instance with a home stool test, and set a concrete date. A limits section notes what the table compresses. Every cell is a full sentence, so the table can be read across as well as down.
Reading the INHE 1003 Week 4 rubric
The questions in the table carry the most weight. Readers check that each row asks the same question of both theories and that each cell answers it accurately for the case. Short, complete sentences in cells earn credit; fragments make comparison harder. The interpretation paragraph is weighed heavily, since it must show what each theory adds beyond the other. Accurate description of each theory, with sources, matters. Comparisons that describe each theory separately without matching rows, answer questions generically rather than for the case, or conclude that one theory is simply correct fall into the middle range. Clear, parallel rows also make the interpretation paragraph easier to write and to grade.
Common INHE 1003 Week 4 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Choose a case where a person intends to do something healthy but has not. Write the six questions first, then answer each for one theory at a time, keeping answers to a sentence. Check that your answers apply to the case, not just to the theory in general. Then read across each row and ask what the difference tells you. Write the interpretation paragraph around the most interesting difference. Keep the table readable. Keep each cell to one sentence and check that the same question is answered in both columns. If you want feedback on your rows, our tutors can help, and the screening comparison above fills every cell.
Get a INHE 1003 Week 4 example written to your instructions
Name the two theories your section paired, add the prompt and the rubric, and include the behavior if one was assigned. The table and its interpretation paragraph follow within 24 to 48 hours, at no charge the first time. Rows your classroom prescribes take the place of the six used in the example.
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INHE 1003 Week 4 questions, answered
Where can I find a free INHE 1003 Week 4 sample paper?
Read the full screening comparison table above, interpretation paragraph included.
Which theories does the INHE 1003 Week 4 sample compare?
The Health Belief Model and the stages-of-change approach.
What does the Health Belief Model look for in the case?
Low perceived susceptibility, barriers such as preparation and time off, and a possible cue to action.
What stage is the person in?
Contemplation: intending to act but not yet preparing.
What does the comparison suggest doing?
Reducing barriers, such as offering a home test, and helping the person set a concrete date.