Skip to main content

The Impacts of Positive Psychological States on Physical Health: A Review and Theoretical Framework

  • Chapter
From Stress to Wellbeing Volume 1

Abstract

A tremendous amount of research has examined the impacts of job stress on psychological and physiological disorder This research has yielded invaluable evidence concerning the link between negative psychological states, such as stress, and mental and physical illness [1–7] This research has provided invaluable information regarding the nature of the relationship between negative psychological states and health However, by focusing solely on the impacts of negative psychological states, this research fails to answer an equally fundamental question What are the impacts of positive psychological states on health?

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine

[Proverbs 17 22]

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Jenkins C D Psychological and social precursors of coronary disease New Engl J Med 284, 244–255, 307–317, 1971.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. House J S Occupational stress and coronary heart disease a review and theoretical model J Hlth soc Behav 15, 12–27, 1974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Cooper C L and Marshall J Occupational sources of stress review of literature relating to coronary heart disease and mental ill health J occup Psychol 49, 11–28, 1976.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Beehr T A and Newman J E Job stress, employee health, and organizational effectiveness a facet analysis, model and literature review Personnel Psychol 31, 665–699, 1978.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Jenkins C D Behavioral risk factors in coronary artery disease A Rev Med 29, 543–562, 1978.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kasl S V Epidemiological contributions to the study of work stress In Stress at Work (Edited by Cooper C L and Payne R), pp 3–48 Wiley. New York, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Fletcher B B and Payne R L Stress and work, a review and theoretical framework Personnel Rev 9, 19–29, 1980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Cousins N Anatomy of an illness (as perceived by the patient) New Engl J Med 295, 1458–1463 1976.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cousins N Anatomy of an Illness Norton, New York, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lazarus R S, Cohen J B. Folkman S. Kanner A and Schaefer C Psychological stress and adapatation some unresolved issues In Selve’s Guide to Stress Research (Edited by Selye H), pp 90–117 Van Nostrand-Reinhold, New York. 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Lazarus R S, Kanner A D and Folkman S Emotions a cognitive-phenomenological analysis In Emotion Theory, Research, and Experience (Edited by Plutchik R and Kellerman H), pp 189–217 Academic Press. New York, 1980.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  12. Edwards J R and Cooper C L Research in stress, coping, and health theoretical and methodological issues Psychol Med 18, 15–20, 1988.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Cummings T G and Cooper C L Cybernetic framework for studying occupational stress Human Relat 32, 395–418. 1979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Edwards J R The determinants and consequences of coping with stress In Causes, Coping, and Consequences of Stress at Work (Edited by Cooper C L and Payne R) Wiley, London, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Edwards J R and Cooper C L A cybernetic theory of stress, coping, and well-being Paper presented at the International Congress of Psychology, Sydney, Australia, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  16. French J R P Jr, Rodgers W L and Cobb S Adjustment as person-environment fit In Coping and Adaptation (Edited by Coelho G, Hamburg D and Adams J), pp 316–333 Basic Books, New York, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Schuler R S Definition and conceptualization of stress in organizations Org Behav Human Perform 25, 184–215, 1980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Locke E A What is job satisfaction? Org Behav Human Perform 4, 309–336, 1969.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Katz D and Khan R L The Social Psychology of Organizations, 2nd edn Wiley, New York, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  20. McGrath J E Stress and behavior in organizations In Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (Edited by Dunnette M), pp 1351–1395 Rand McNally, Chicago, Ill. 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Selye H (Ed) Selye’s Guide to Stress Research, Vol 1 Van Nostrand, New York, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Selye H The stress concept past, present and future In Stress Research (Edited by Cooper C L), pp 1–20 Wiley. New York. 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Locke E A The nature and causes of job satisfaction In Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (Edited by Dunnette M), pp 1297–1350 Rand McNally, Chicago. Ill, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Rice R W, McFarlin D B, Hunt R G and Near J P Organizational work and the perceived quality of life toward a conceptual model Acad Mgmt Rev 10, 296–310, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Diener E Subjective well-being Psychol Bull 95, 542–575, 1984.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. House J S, Strecher V, Metzner H L and Robbins C A Occupational stress and health among men and women in the Tecumseh Community Health Study J Hlth soc Behav 27, 62–77, 1986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Jenkins C D, Stanton B, Klein M D, Savageau J A and Dwight E H Correlates of angina pectoris among men awaiting coronary by-pass surgery Psvchosom Med 45, 141–153, 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Karasek R A, Russell R S and Theorell T Physiology of stress and regeneration in job related cardiovascular illness J Human Stress 8, 29–42, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Brown M S and Goldstein J L Receptor-mediated control of cholesterol metabolism study of human mutants has disclosed how cells regulate a substance that is both vital and lethal Science 191, 150–154, 1976.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Robinson V M Humor and the Health Professions Slack, Thorofare, N J, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Levine J Humor as a form of therapy introduction to symposium In It’s a Funny Thing, Humour (Edited by Chapman A J and Foot H C) Pergamon, Oxford, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Scheier M F and Carver C S Optimism, coping, and health assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies Hlth Psychol 4, 219–247, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Cohen S and Edwards J R Personality characteristics as moderators of the relationship between stress and disorder In Advances in the Investigation of Psychological Stress (Edited by Neufeld W J) Wiley, New York, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Coser R L Some social functions of laughter Human Relat 12, 171–182, 1959.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Kaplan H and Boyd I H The social functions of humor on an open psychiatric ward Psvchiat Q 39, 502–515, 1965.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Turner R G Self-monitoring and humor production J Person 48, 163–172. 1980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Johnson J and Sarason I Life stress, depression, and anxiety internal-external control as a moderator vanable J psvchosom Res 22, 205–208, 1978.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Lefcourt H M and Martin R A Humor and Life Stress Antidote to Adversity Springer, New York, 1986.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  39. Dixon N F Humor a cognitive alternative to stress? In Stress and Anxiety (Edited by Sarason I G and Spielberger C D), Vol 7, pp 281–289 Hemisphere. Washington. D C, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Porter L W and Lawler E E Managerial Attitudes and Performance Dorsey. Homewood. Ill, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Naylor J C, Pritchard R D and Ilgen D R A Theory of Behavior in Organizations Academic Press, New York, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Menaghan E G Individual coping efforts moderators of the relationship between life stress and mental health outcomes In Psychological Stress Trends in Theory and Research (Edited by Kaplan H B), pp 157–191 Academic Press, New York, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Moody R Laugh After Laugh The Healing Power of Humor Headwaters Press. Jacksonville, Fla. 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Berlyne D E Laughter, humor, and play In Handbook of Social Psychology (Edited by Lindzey G and Aronson E). Vol 3, pp 795–852 Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Suls J M Cognitive processes in humor appreciation In Handbook of Humor Research (Edited by McGhee P E and Goldstein J H), pp 39–58 Springer, New York, 1983.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  46. Frenkel-Brunswik E Intolerance of ambiguity as an emotional and perceptual personality variable J Person 18, 108–143, 1949.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Harrison R V The person-environment fit model and the study of job stress In Human Stress and Cognition in Organizations (Edited by Beehr T A and Bhagat R S). pp 23–55 Wiley, New York. 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  48. McGhee P E The role of arousal and hemispheric lateralization in humor In Handbook of Humor Research (Edited by McGhee P E and Goldstein J H), pp 13–37 Springer, New York, 1983.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  49. Robinson V M Humor and health In Handbook of Humor Research (Edited by McGhee P E and Goldstein J H), pp 109–112 Springer, New York, 1983.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  50. Spencer H The physiology of laughter Macmillan’s Mag 1, 395–402, 1860.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Martin L Psychology of aesthetics experimental prospecting in the field of the comic Am J Psvchol 16, 35–116, 1905.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Jones J M and Harris P E Psychophysiological correlates of cartoon humor appreciation Proc A Convent Psychol Ass 6, 381–382, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Langevin R and Day H I Physiological correlates of humor In The Psychology of Humor (Edited by Goldstein J H and McGhee P E). pp 129–142 Academic Press. New York, 1972.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  54. Fry W F Jr The appeasement function of mirthful laughter In It’s a Funny Thing, Humour (Edited by Chapman A J and Foot H C), pp 23–26 Pergamon, Oxford, 1977.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  55. Fry W F Jr The respiratory components of mirthful laughter J biol Psychol 19, 39–50, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  56. Fry W F Jr Humor and the human cardiovascular system In The Study of Humor (Edited by Mindess H and Turek J) Antioch University, Los Angeles, Calif, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Goldstein J H. Harman J. McGhee P E and Karasek R Test of an information processing model of humor physiological response changes during problem- and riddle-solving J Gen Psychol 92, 59–68, 1975.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Chapman A J Social aspects of humorous laughter In Humor and Laughter Theory, Research, and Applications (Edited by Chapman A J and Foot H C), pp 117–138 Wiley, London, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Godkewitsch M Physiological and verbal indices of arousal in rated humor In Humor and Laughter Theory, Research, and Applications (Edited by Chapman A J and Foot H C), pp 117–138 Wiley, London, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Bushnell D D and Scheff T J The cathartic effects of laughter on audiences In The Study of Humor (Edited by Mindess H and Turek J) Antioch University, Los Angeles, Calif, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  61. Sternbach R A Assessing differential autonomic patterns in emotions J psychosom Res 6, 87–91, 1962.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Levi L The unnary output of adrenalin and noradrenalin during pleasant and unpleasant emotional states Psychosom Med 27, 80–85, 1965.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Avenll J R Autonomic response patterns during sadness and mirth Psychophysiology 5, 399–414, 1969.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Schwartz G E, Weinberger D A and Singer J A Cardiovascular differentiation of happiness, sadness, anger, and fear following imagery and exercise Psychosom Med 43, 343–364, 1981.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Schachter S and Singer J Cognitive, social, and physiological determinants of emotional state Psychol Rev 69, 379–399, 1962.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Schachter S and Wheeler L Epinephrine, chlorpromazine and amusement J Abnorm Soc Psychol 65, 121–128, 1962.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Sales S M Organizational role as a risk factor in coronary disease Admin Sci Q 14, 325–336, 1969.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  68. Edwards J R Job satisfaction and job stress as competing predictors of job outcomes Working Paper No 14-85-86, Graduate School of Industrial Administration, Carnegie-Mellon University, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  69. Freud S Humor Int J Psychoanal 9, 1–6, 1928.

    Google Scholar 

  70. Berlyne D E Humor and its kin In The Psychology of Humor (Edited by Goldstein J H and McGhee P E), pp 43–60 Academic Press, New Yorkf, 1972.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  71. Thoits P A Dimensions of life events that influence psychological distress an evaluation and synthesis of the literature In Psychological Stress Trends in Theory and Research (Edited by Kaplan H B), pp 33–103 Academic Press, New York. 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  72. Chinboga D A Life event weighting systems a comparative analysis J psychosom Res 21, 415–422, 1977.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Svensson J and Theorell T Life events and elevated blood pressure in young men J psychosom Res 27, 445–456, 1983.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Hinkle L E, Christenson W N, Kane F D, Ostfeld A, Thetford W N and Wolff H G An investigation of the relation between life experiences, personality characteristics, and general susceptibility to illness Psychosom Med 20, 278–295, 1958.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Weintraub J R The relationship between job satisfaction and perceived states of health a multivariate investigation Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  76. Near J P, Rice R W and Hunt R G Work and extra-work correlates of life and job satisfaction Acad Mgmt J 21, 248–264, 1978.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  77. Manning M S Job satisfaction as a function of physical health and level of physical fitness Unpublished doctoral dissertation, College of Education, Georgia State University, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  78. Linn L S, Yager J, Cope D W and Leake B Factors associated with life satisfaction among practicing internists Med Care 24, 830–837, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Mier E I and Melamed S The accumulation of person-environment congruences and well-being J occup Behav 7, 315–323, 1986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  80. Rahman M and Sen A K Effect of job satisfaction on stress, performance, and health in self-paced repetitive work Int Arch Occup Environ Hlth 59, 115–121, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  81. Schar M, Reeder L G and Dirken J M Stress and cardiovascular health An international cooperative study II The male population of a factory at Zurich Soc Sct Med 7, 585–603, 1973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  82. McDonald B W and Gunderson E K Correlates of job satisfaction in naval environments J appl Psychol 59, 371–373, 1974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  83. Hauenstein L S, Kasl S V and Harburg E Work status, work satisfaction, and blood pressure among married black and white women Psychol Women Q 1, 334–339, 1977.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  84. Khaleque A Job satisfaction, perceived effort, and heart rate in light industrial work Ergonomics 24, 735–742, 1981.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. House J S, McMichael A J, Wells J A, Kaplan B H and Landerman L R Occupational stress and health among factory workers J Hlth soc Behat 20, 139–160, 1979.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  86. French J R P Jr, Caplan R D and Harrison R V The Mechanisms of Job Stress and Strain Wiley, London, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  87. Palmore E Physicàl, mental and social factors in predicting longevity The Gerontologist 9, 103–108, 1969.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  88. Vaillant G E Natural history of male psychologic health effects of mental health on physical health New Engl J Med 301, 1249–1254, 1979.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  89. Verbrugge L M Work satisfaction and physical health J Commun Hlth 7, 262–282, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  90. Rosse J G and Hulin C G Adaptation to work an analysis of employee health, withdrawal and change Org Behav Human Decis Process 36, 324–347, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  91. Cassileth B R, Lusk E J, Miller D S, Brown L L and Miller C Psychosocial correlates of survival in advanced malignant disease New Engl J Med 312, 1551–1555, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  92. Bruhn J G, McCrady K E and du Plessis A Evidence of “emotional drain” preceding death from myocardial infarction Psvchiat Digest 29, 34–40, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  93. Wolf S Psychosocial forces in myocardial infarction and sudden death Circulation suppl 4 40, 74–83, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  94. Theorell T and Rahe R H Behavioral and life satisfactions of Swedish subjects with myocardial infarction J Chron Dis 25, 139–147, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. Friedman G D, Ury H K. Klatsky A L and Siegelaub M S A psychological questionnaire predictive of myocardial infarction results from the Kaiser-Permanente epidemiological study of myocardial infarction Psychosom Med 36, 327–343, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  96. Kasl S V and Cobb S Variability of stress effects among men experiencing job loss In Handbook of Stress Theoretical and Clinical Aspects (Edited by Goldberger L and Breznitz S), pp 445–465 Free Press, New York, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  97. Liljefors I and Rahe R H An identical twin study of psychosocial factors coronary heart disease in Sweden Psvchosom Med 32, 523–542, 1970.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  98. Hinkle L E Ecological observations of the relation of physical illness, mental illness, and the social environment Psychosom Med 23, 289–296, 1961.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  99. Sales S M and House J Job dissatisfaction as a possible risk factor in coronary heart disease J Chron Dis 23, 861–873, 1971.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  100. Smith P C, Kendall L M and Hulin C L The Measurement of Satisfaction in Work and Retirement Rand McNally, Chicago, Ill, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  101. Udelman D L Stress and immunity Psychother Psychosom Res 37, 176–184, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  102. Udelman D L and Udelman H D A preliminary report on anti-depressant therapy and its effects on hope and immunity Soc Sct Med 20, 1069–1072, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  103. Scheier M F and Carver C S Optimism, coping, and health assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies Hlth Psychol 4, 219–247, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  104. Cohen S and McKay G Social support, stress, and the buffering hypothesis a theoretical analysis In Handbook of Psychology and Health (Edited by Baum A. Singer J E and Taylor S E), Vol 4, pp 253–267 Erlbaum, Hillsdale, N J, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  105. Reich J W and Zautra A Life events and personal causation some relationships with satisfaction and distress J Person soc Psychol 41, 1002–1012, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  106. Cohen S and Hoberman H Positive events and social supports as buffers of life change stress J appl Soc Psychol 13, 99–125, 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  107. Pervin L A A free-response description approach to the analysis of person-situation interaction J Person soc Psychol 34, 465–474, 1976.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  108. Campbell J P, Dunnette M D, Lawler E E and Weick K E Managerial Behavior, Performance, and Effectiveness McGraw-Hill, New York, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  109. Diener E and Emmons R A The independence of positive and negative affect J Person soc Psychol 47, 1105–1117, 1984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  110. Watson D and Tellegen A Toward a consensual structure of mood Psychol Bull 98, 219–235, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  111. Mason J W Emotion as reflected in patterns of endocrine integration In Emotions Their Parameters and Measurement (Edited by Levi L), pp 143–181 Raven, New York, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  112. Frankenhaeuser M Psychobiological aspects of life stress In Coping and Health (Edited by Levine S and Ursin H), pp 203–223 Plenum, New York, 1980.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  113. Goldstein J H A laugh a day can mirth keep disease at bay? The Sciences 22, 21–25, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  114. House J S Chronic stress and chronic disease in life and work conceptual and methodological issues Work Stress 1, 129–134, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  115. Kessler R C The interplay of research design strategies and data analysis procedures in evaluating the effects of stress on health In Stress and Health Issues in Research Methodology (Edited by Kasl S V and Cooper C L), pp 113–140 Wiley, New York, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  116. Cronbach L J and Furby L How should we measure “change”—or should we? Psychol Bull 74, 68–80, 1970.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  117. Johns G Difference score measures of organizational behavior variables a critique Org Behau. Human Perform 27, 443–463, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  118. Wall T D and Payne R Are deficiency scores deficient? J appl Psychol 58, 322–326, 1973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  119. Dwyer J H Statistical Models for the Social and Behavioral Sciences Oxford University Press. New York. 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  120. Joreskog K G and Sorbom D LISREL VI National Educational Resources, Chicago, Ill, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  121. Long J S Covariance Structure Models An Introduction to LISREL Sage. Beverly Hills, Calif. 1983

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Copyright information

© 2013 Jeffrey R. Edwards and Cary L. Cooper

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Edwards, J.R., Cooper, C.L. (2013). The Impacts of Positive Psychological States on Physical Health: A Review and Theoretical Framework. In: Cooper, C.L. (eds) From Stress to Wellbeing Volume 1. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137310651_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics