- Published: September 27, 2022
- Updated: September 27, 2022
- University / College: The University of Exeter
- Level: Doctor of Philosophy
- Language: English
- Downloads: 42
A Person’s Judgmental Reaction It is not always true that what a person does not know will not harm them. Such innocence causes judgmental reactions and unfriendly reception to other people whom may have a different perception from themselves. Innocence towards a very important fact or vital information may cause discrimination to the person whom may have a physical difference from the norm or may have been diagnosed with a particular incurable disease.
A Person’s Judgmental Reaction
There are life instances where a person will experience discrimination in their lifetime. Either it will be due to the color of their skin, school they attended, neighborhood where they grew up or when they are diagnosed to have a communicable and incurable ailment. Different people have different perception and reaction towards people who are inflicted with such disease especially when the disease is either Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Shumaker et al (2009) explored the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change that was proposed by Prochaska et al. This model explores how a population or certain individuals move forward towards accepting and sustaining what is called the “ health behavior change of optimal health.” What makes this framework different is that the model integrates various principles and processes and making it into a harmonious thought that will make understanding towards psychotherapy and behavior change better.
Every person’s reaction to the unknown will definitely be considered as judgmental and discriminatory. There have been theories proposed towards health promotion and health behavior practices. However, the effectiveness of the different theories is always on a case to case basis. There is still no generalization on how people will react with regards to situation that health conditions are involved. Behavioral change is also noted to occur in different levels i. e. individual, organizational, and community. Most of the times, the individual perception can be manipulated or influenced by a larger population. These organizations or community may or may not have the same perception that the individual do has (National Cancer Institute, 2005).
Relating the transtheoretical model to the incident that happened in Texas, change happens as issues unfolds and time progress. The women who were victimized by an HIV patient suffered not just relationship trauma but also social trauma. These women did not know that their partner was an unfaithful man who had multiple partners within the relationship. None of them knew the risk that they have encountered when the moment they entered into the relationship. When these women walk down the street without the public’s knowledge that they are HIV positive, they are just like any normal people. Once the public gain awareness that these women have the virus, they will be prejudge as either a whore or a disrespectful person. Yet once the public get to know the whole story, these women are just victims of a very crazy and unreasonable man.
There are stages that the model suggested. The female victims will be going through stages where result is uncertain. Such event has left these women distress every single time that the event will be remembered. Even if there are no theories with regards to such reactions towards people who have an issue, a person does not have to judge another outright without knowing anything about the person’s background or even just how they acquired the ailment.
References
Druckerman, S. (2009, September 18). Women Recall HIV Criminal’s Allure. 20/20. Video retrieved from http://abcnews. go. com/2020/video/women-recall-hiv-criminals-allure-8617050.
National Cancer Institute. (2005) Theory at a Glance: A Guide for Health Promotion Practice (2nd ed). U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and National Institutes of Health.
Shumaker, S. A., Ockene, J. K., Riekert, K. A. (2009). The Handbook of Health Behavior Change. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.