1. Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
Prepared by Michael J. Renner, Ph.D.
These slides ©2001 Prentice Hall Psychology Publishing.
CHAPTER 18:
Health and Well-Being
©2001 Prentice Hall

2. Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Health and Well-Being
Mind Over Matter
The Self and Well-Being
Stress and Health
Coping with Stress
Chapter outline
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

3. What’s Your Prediction? Does Stress Lower Resistance?
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
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
©2001 Prentice Hall

4. Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
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
©2001 Prentice Hall

5. 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

6. The Self and Well-Being Positive Illusions Unrealistic Optimism
Health and Well-Being
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The Self and Well-Being Positive Illusions Unrealistic Optimism
Figure 18.3 from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Source:
Weinstein, N. D. (1980). Unrealistic optimism about future life events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39,
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
©2001 Prentice Hall

7. Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Stress and Health
Health Psychology
The study of the links between psychological factors and physical health and illness
Section Outline
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

8. Stress and Health Leading Causes of Death, 1900-2000
Health and Well-Being
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Stress and Health Leading Causes of Death,
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.
Figure 18-4 from:
Kassin, S. (1998). Psychology, second edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Source:
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

9. Stress and Health The Sources of Stress Stress and Coping
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Stress and Health The Sources of Stress Stress and Coping
Figure 18.4 from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
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
©2001 Prentice Hall

10. 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 Events
Microstressors
Result in the most significant source of stress
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall

11. Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Stress and Health The Physiological Effects of Stress General Adaptation Syndrome
Figure 18-5 from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Source:
Selye, H. (1936). A syndrome produced by diverse nocuous agents. Nature, 138, 21.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

12. Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Stress and Health The Physiological Effects of Stress Personality & 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).
Figure 18-6 from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Source:
Miller, T. Q., Turner, C. W., Tindale, R. S., Posavec, E. J., & Dugon, B. L. (1991). Reasons for the trend toward null findings in research on Type A behavior. Psychological Bulletin, 110,
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

13. Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Stress and Health The Physiological Effects of Stress Pathways From Stress to CHD
Figure 18-7 from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Source:
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
©2001 Prentice Hall

14. 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

15. Stress and Health The Immune System
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Stress and Health The Immune System
Figure 18-8a from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

16. Stress and Health The Immune System Immune System Components
Health and Well-Being
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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
Figure 18-8b from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

17. Stress and Health The Immune System Pathways From Stress to Illness
Health and Well-Being
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Stress and Health The Immune System Pathways From Stress to Illness
Figure 18-9 from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
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
©2001 Prentice Hall

18. Stress and Health The Immune System Stress Duration and Illness
Health and Well-Being
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Stress and Health The Immune System Stress Duration and Illness
Volunteers 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.
Figure from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Source:
Cohen, S., Frank, E., Doyle, W. J., Skoner, D. P., Rabin, B. S., & Gwaltney, J. M. (1998). Types of stressors that increase susceptibility to the common cold. Health Psychology, 17,
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

19. Coping With Stress Coping Strategies
Health and Well-Being
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Coping With Stress Coping 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
Section Outline
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

20. Coping With Stress Coping Strategies Relaxation and the Heart
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Coping With Stress Coping Strategies Relaxation and the Heart
Heart 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.
Figure from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Source:
Friedman, M. & Ulmer, D. (1984). Treating Type A behavior - and your heart. New York: Knopf.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

21. Coping With Stress The “Self-Healing Personality”
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
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
©2001 Prentice Hall

22. Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
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.
Figure from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Source:
Everson, S. A., et al. (1996). Hopelessness and risk of mortality and incidence of myocardial infarction and cancer. Psychosomatic Medicine, 58,
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

23. 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

24. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Figure from:
Kassin, S. (2001). Psychology, third edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Estimated number of adults and children living with AIDS at the start of 2000
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin ©2004 Prentice Hall
©2001 Prentice Hall

25. Health and Well-Being
4/24/2017
©2001 Prentice Hall