[Psychology of everyday hygiene]

The present publication discusses the following hypotheses: 1) With a continual increase in the state of scientific knowledge and the hygienic risk factors (infectious diseases, multi-resistant pathogens, age structure of the population with increasing risk of infection, etc.) a hygiene behaviour with increasing deficits develops. 2) Essential hygiene behaviour is blocked by irrational psychological defensive strategies: (a) hygiene biases (childhood illnesses as stabilisers for health development; hygiene as a health risk; overrating chemical-physical environmental risks as e.g. triggers for causing illness), (b) one's own personal risk balance: objective risks are minimised in the likelihood of their occurrence. 3) Hygiene education: the development of a prophylaxis-oriented lifestyle lies (a) in the model behaviour of parents, (b) in conveying the reasons for sensible behaviour, (c) in continually checking behaviour and (d) in appropriate sanctioning when deficits are perceived. 4) Conveying hygiene knowledge is an essential but inadequate prerequisite for corresponding hygiene behaviour. Motivators for hygiene behaviour are the following: (a) parental model behaviour and development of personal responsibility, (b) establishing simple, short, understandable and--for specific risk areas--specific rules of behaviour, (c) conveying hygiene information in the language of the target group, (d) integrating hygiene behaviour in a preventive lifestyle which must be inspired by the quality of life and well-being occurring and being experienced.