This episode covers the timeline of key ideas and events that shaped the field of health psychology. How and when did we begin to understand the complex ways psychological and social factors impact health? Includes an introduction to the biopsychosocial model and social determinants of health, two key theories informing our current understanding. Health is very complex, and discovering which factors drive it to improve our understanding is extremely complicated. To grasp the complexity of health, we must start with an appreciation for the scientific method as a means for discovering truths about our world. In this episode we discuss how the rise of empiricism enabled us to better understand health, and why it is vitally important that we continue to rely on it as the supreme method of discovery.