CHAPTER 18: Health and Well-Being Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

CHAPTER 18:Health and Well-Being

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Health and Well-Being

Mind Over Matter

The Self and Well-Being

Stress and Health

Coping with Stress

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

What’s Your Prediction?Does Stress Lower Resistance?

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) A new subfield of psychology that examines

the interactions among psychological factors, the nervous system, and the immune system

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Mind Over Matter

“For a wide range of afflictions, 30 to 40 percent of patients experience relief after taking a placebo.” Walter A. Brown

Placebo Effect A placebo is any medical intervention designed

to improved one’s condition merely via the power of suggestion.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

The Self and Well-Being The Self-Awareness “Trap”Self-Awareness Theory

Self-focused attention leads people to notice their shortcomings, thus motivating a change in behavior or an escape from self-awareness

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

The Self and Well-Being Positive Illusions

Unrealistic Optimism

Regarding their future, students tend to rate their own chances as above average for positive events and below average for negative events.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health

Health Psychology The study of the links between psychological factors and physical health and illness

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health Leading Causes of Death, 1900-2000

Since 1900, heart disease, cancer, and strokes have replaced infectious diseases as the major causes of death.

Behavioral factors contribute to each of these leading causes of death.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Sources of Stress

Stress and Coping

Stress: An aversive state of arousal triggered by the perception that an event threatens the ability to cope effectively.

Although stressful events have effects on the body, the way people cope can promote health or illness.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Sources of Stress

Catastrophes Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• An anxiety disorder triggered by an extremely stressful event, such as combat

Major Life EventsMicrostressors

Result in the most significant source of stress

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Physiological Effects of Stress

General Adaptation Syndrome

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Physiological Effects of StressPersonality & Coronary Heart Disease

Type A Personality Characterized by an

impatient, hard-driving, and hostile pattern of behavior

Type B Personality Characterized by an

easygoing, relaxed pattern of behavior

People with Type A personality are more prone to coronary heart disease (CHD).

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Physiological Effects of Stress

Pathways From Stress to CHD

Under stress, people engage in behaviors that are less healthy and they are more physiologically reactive.

Both of these contribute to coronary heart disease.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Immune System

A biological surveillance system that detects and destroys “nonself” substances that invade the body

Lymphocytes Specialized white blood cells that secrete

chemical antibodies and facilitate the immune response

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Immune System

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Immune System

Immune System Components

B cell migrates to a blood

vessel

Killer T-cell attacks a tumor

cell

Macrophage traps and ingests a

bacterium

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Immune System

Pathways From Stress to Illness

Negative emotional states (stress) can lead to unhealthy behaviors and trigger the release of hormones that suppress immune system activity.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Stress and Health The Immune System

Stress Duration and IllnessVolunteers were

interviewed about life stressors, then infected with cold virus.

As length of stress increased, so did the likelihood of catching the cold.

Stress impairs immune system functioning.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Coping With StressCoping Strategies Two general types of coping strategies

Problem-focused coping, which is designed to reduce stress by dealing with the problem Emotion-focused coping, in which one tries to manage the negative emotions

• Thought Suppression

• Can be maladaptive

• Distraction works better

Relaxation Aerobic Exercise

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Coping With StressCoping Strategies

Relaxation and the HeartHeart attack patients

were taught to relax their pace.

A control group received standard medical care.

After three years, relaxation-trained patients suffered 50% fewer second heart attacks.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Coping With Stress The “Self-Healing Personality”Hardiness

It acts as a buffer against stress. It is a personality style characterized by commitment,

challenge, and control.• Commitment

– Sense of purpose in work, family, and life

• Challenge– Openness to new experiences and change

• Control– Belief that one has the power to influence important future

outcomes

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Coping With Stress The “Self-Healing Personality” Hopelessness and the Risk of Death In Finland, middle-

age men were rated for hopelessness.

Six years later, higher ratings of hopelessness predicted risk of overall death, cancer, and heart attack.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Coping With Stress Social Support

Much evidence shows that social support has therapeutic effects. Women with breast cancer who joined support

groups lived an average of eighteen months longer than women who did not join these groups.

Across gender, age, income level, and ethnicity, social support lowers mortality rates.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Estimated number of adults and children living with AIDS at the start of 2000