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10 - Social psychology of health and illness
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- By Arie Dijkstra, University of Groningen, Alexander Rothman, University of Minnesota
- Edited by Linda Steg, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands, Kees Keizer, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands, Abraham P. Buunk, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands, Talib Rothengatter, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands
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- Book:
- Applied Social Psychology
- Published online:
- 28 May 2018
- Print publication:
- 24 April 2017, pp 214-234
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- Chapter
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Summary
Introduction
The societal burden of unhealthy behaviours
When a baby is born, we can estimate the expected number of years the new individual will live. This life expectancy is calculated based on statistics regarding how long people in a given population usually live and is considered an important indicator of health and illness in populations. During the past 40 years, life expectancy has increased all over the world (Table 10.1), although more in some regions than in others. Besides the number of years people live, one can calculate the number of healthy years in a person's life. The at-birth expected number of healthy years of life ranges from about 40 years in African countries to about 70 years in developed countries (Mathers et al., 2004).
Although the increase in life expectancy is a good sign, many factors continue to threaten health and life expectancy. In developing and in developed countries, different factors threaten life expectancy. In developing countries (e.g., African countries, Afghanistan, Haiti, Philippines) the relatively low life expectancy is largely determined by a high child mortality rate, often related to infectious diseases, poor housing, and malnutrition. Most of the factors that underlie the high child mortality rate are more strongly determined by structural factors such as economic policy and the quality of the healthcare system than by individual behaviour. In developed countries (e.g., European countries, Canada, USA, Australia), life expectancy is largely related to lifestyle factors, such as smoking tobacco and dietary choices, as these are important causes of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Thus, as countries become more developed, the lower their child mortality rate, and the more life expectancy is determined by individual behaviours.
Smoking tobacco is one of the greatest behavioural threats to human health. It is related to several types of cancers, to heart disease, and to chronic lung disease. One in two smokers will die from smoking. On average smokers live 7 years less than non-smokers and also they live more unhealthy years. Worldwide, about 1.1 billion people smoke, representing about one-third of the population aged 15 years and older. About 3 million smokers die each year from smoking.
10 - Social psychology of health and illness
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- By Arie Dijkstra, University of Groningen, Department of Psychology, Alexander Rothman, University of Minnesota, Department of Psychology
- Edited by Linda Steg, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands, Abraham P. Buunk, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands, Talib Rothengatter, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, The Netherlands
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- Book:
- Applied Social Psychology
- Published online:
- 05 June 2012
- Print publication:
- 11 September 2008, pp 226-248
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- Chapter
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Summary
Description of problems in the field
The societal burden of unhealthy behaviours
When a baby is born, we can estimate the expected number of years the new individual will live. This life expectancy is calculated based on statistics regarding how many years people in a given population usually live. Life expectancy can be an important indicator of health and illness in populations. During the past forty years, life expectancy has increased all over the world (Table 10.1), although in some regions more than in others. Besides the number of years people live, one can calculate the number of healthy years in a person's life. The at-birth expected number of healthy years lived ranges from about forty years in African countries to about seventy years in developed countries (Mathers et al., 2004).
Although the increase in life expectancy is a good sign, many factors continue to threaten health and life expectancy. In developing and in developed countries, different factors threaten life expectancy. In developing countries the relatively low life expectancy is largely determined by a high child mortality rate, often related to infectious diseases, bad housing and malnutrition. Most of the factors that underlie the high child mortality rate are more strongly determined by structural factors such as economic policy and the quality of the healthcare system than by individual behaviour. In developed countries life expectancy is largely related to lifestyle factors, such as smoking tobacco and dietary choices. Lifestyle factors are important causes of cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
No Effects of Verbal Versus Imaginal Cognitive Strategies on Emotional Responses to Aversive Slides
- Harald Merckelbach, Arie Dijkstra, Peter J. de Jong, Peter Muris
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- Journal:
- Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy / Volume 22 / Issue 3 / July 1994
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 16 June 2009, pp. 199-209
- Print publication:
- July 1994
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- Article
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A number of studies have indicated that the right hemisphere is specialized for (negative) emotions. Some authors have suggested that this specialization stems from the cognitive characteristics of this hemisphere. More specifically, the verbal and analytic approach that characterizes left hemisphere functioning would inhibit emotional reactions, whereas the imaginal and global approach that characterizes right hemisphere functioning would facilitate emotional reactivity. The present study examined whether these two cognitive strategies have, indeed, different effects on emotional responsivity. Subjects were exposed to a series of aversive slides. One group (n = 14) was instructed to process the slides in a verbal/analytic manner. The second group (n = 14) employed an imaginal/global strategy while viewing the slides. The third group (n = 14) was a control group that received no explicit instructions. Self-reported emotions, skin conductance responses, heart rate frequency, and eye blink startles were recorded. There were no differences between the three groups with regard to any of these variables. Thus, no evidence was obtained to support the idea that processing modes (i.e., verbal/analytic versus imaginal/global) have a differential impact on emotional reactivity. The implications for theories about lateralization of emotions and for cognitive therapy are discussed.