Final answer:
Reinforcing factors related to the positive feedback from social support can significantly influence health behaviors and are best explained by Social Cognitive Theory, involving reciprocal determinism and self-efficacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reinforcing factors are a crucial concept within the field of health psychology, and they refer to the positive feedback or encouragement one receives from their social network after engaging in a health-related behavior. This social support network can include family, peers, teachers, employers, and health care providers. These factors can have a significant impact on a person's ability to maintain healthy behaviors, and they are a key component of Social Cognitive Theory (c).
The evidence of the importance of social support on health outcomes is extensive, with studies showing that strong social relationships can notably increase the likelihood of survival and positively influence health behaviors. Albert Bandura's work on reciprocal determinism and self-efficacy within Social Cognitive Theory explains how an individual's environment can impact their behavior, and conversely, how their behavior can affect their environment. This interaction plays a pivotal role in understanding and predicting human behavior in various contexts including health-related actions.