For Richer … in Good Times … and in Health: Positive Processes in Relationships

2009 ◽  
pp. 454-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalya C. Maisel ◽  
Shelly L. Gable
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotional Expressions ◽  
Positive Events ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Low Levels

Although psychologists have learned a great deal about negative and harmful processes in relationships, they have focused less on understanding the positive and beneficial processes in relationships. Of course, almost every close relationship offers the promise of both meaningful rewards and substantial risks, such as support, intimacy, companionship, conflict, rejection, and criticism. In this chapter, we attempt to highlight the complexities involved in relationships, with an emphasis on positive processes, with the goal of creating a picture that represents the dynamic reality of the social world. We first discuss the important role that intimate relationships play in human life and their strong links with health and well-being. We then highlight research on the positive processes in relationships, such as positive emotional expressions, shared novel experiences, intimacy, and the benefits of sharing positive events. This work complements previous literature which has tended to focus on the potential pitfalls in relationships. For example, displaying low levels of negative emotions may not be enough to create a strong relationship—expressions of positive emotions are also beneficial. Finally, we point to future directions in the positive psychology of relationships, such as a greater focus on biology and health (e.g., examining hormones that promote bonding), and the need to examine other types of relationships, such as friendships.

Positive Processes in Close Relationships

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelly L. Gable ◽  
Natalya C. Maisel
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Relationships ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Positive Events ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

Although psychologists have learned a great deal about negative and harmful processes in relationships, they have focused less on understanding the positive and beneficial processes in relationships. Of course, almost every close relationship offers the promise of both meaningful rewards and substantial risks, such as support, intimacy, companionship, conflict, rejection, and criticism. In this chapter, we attempt to highlight the complexities involved in relationships and emphasize the positive processes, with the goal of creating a picture that represents the dynamic reality of the social world. We first discuss the important role that intimate relationships play in human life and their strong links with health and well-being. We then highlight research on the positive processes in relationships, such as positive emotions, intimacy, growth of the self-concept, and the benefits of sharing positive events. This work complements previous literature, which has tended to focus on the potential pitfalls in relationships. Inherent in our position is that a lack of negatives in a relationship is not equivalent to a positive relationship; just as an absence of psychopathology is not equivalent to flourishing. We end with outlining future directions in the positive psychology of relationships, such as a greater focus on biology and health and the need for examining moderating conditions.

scholarly journals Perceived Social Integration Predicts Engagement and Responsiveness to Positive Events: Test of Age Moderation

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 397-397
Author(s):  
Patrick Klaiber ◽  
David Almeida ◽  
Nancy Sin
Keyword(s):  
Positive Affect ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
National Study ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Positive Events ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Using Data

Abstract Social Integration has important implications for health and well-being during adulthood. Being socially integrated might be an important resource that helps people to regularly engage in daily positive events. With older age, this resource might become increasingly important. However, being well socially integrated might also mean that people are certain that they experience more positive events in the future and thus, respond with less positive affect to any given positive event. We examined perceived social integration as a predictor of engagement and responsiveness to positive events using data from the National Study of Daily Experiences 2. 1904 adults (Mean age = 56.25, min = 33, max = 84) reported their daily positive affect and daily positive events during 8 consecutive days of telephone interviews. Perceived social integration was assessed at baseline. Adults higher in social integration experienced daily positive events more frequently (b = 0.01, SE = 0.003, p < .001), but showed less of an increase in positive affect on days with more-than-usual positive events (b = -0.003, SE = 0.001, p = .030). These models controlled for the Big Five personality traits, purpose in life, demographic variables and same-day occurrence of stressors. Age did not moderate the present associations. The present findings imply that social integration might be an important contributor to experiencing more positive events across adulthood. Being better socially integrated might also lead to responding with less positive emotions to any given positive event.

Pateicības izpausmes folklorā psiholoģiskā kontekstā

2021 ◽  
pp. 42-53
Author(s):  
Ieva Ančevska
Keyword(s):  
Family Relationships ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Neuroscience Research ◽  
Health And Well Being

The article examines the depiction of gratitude and related events in Latvian folklore through comparative evaluation. Gratitude is considered in a psychological context, comparing the attitude expressed in folklore with the findings of modern scientific research. Gratitude is a concept that is usually associated with a relationship or a benefit, it is most often aimed outwards, dedicated to someone else, but at the same time, it creates a pleasant feeling within the person. In modern psychology, gratitude is receiving more and more attention from researchers because its manifestations stimulate the formation of positive emotions and contribute to the improvement of the person’s overall well-being. Research and clinical studies in psychotherapy confirm that gratitude plays an important role in improving mental health and reducing depressive, destructive feelings. In turn, neuroscience research shows the potential of a grateful and positive attitude in strengthening psycho-emotional health and well-being in general. In Latvian folklore, gratitude is depicted as an important part of ritual events, which helps to ensure a positive, balanced connection with the forces of nature, gods, and society. In folklore, the importance of gratitude is emphasised more when building family relationships or accepting various situations and occurrences in life. In both psychological research and the practice of systemic therapy, as well as in folklore, gratitude appears as one of the most important values of interpersonal connection, which promotes the formation of harmonious relationships. Similar to the opinions of psychology, the folk world views emphasise the motivational role of gratitude in improving the quality of human life and health in general.

scholarly journals Competence-based approach: prerequisites and prospects for studying the mechanisms of managing the emotional response of schoolchildren

2021 ◽  
Vol 284 ◽  
pp. 09014
Author(s):  
Natalia Verkhoturova
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Response ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Emotional Literacy ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Impact

Emotional processes are the most important class of mental manifestations in human life, the state of which largely determines physical and social well-being, mental and somatic health, as well as the success of the subject in all types of his life. The accumulation and expansion of emotional experience, its development, consolidation and modification under the influence of purposefully organized education and upbringing, as well as the impact of cultural and conventional norms adopted in a particular society, consistently lead to the formation of a significant group of abilities, knowledge and skills that reveal the emotional literacy of an individual in management of emotional response and characterizing the behavior of the subject from the point of view of his rationality, consciousness, criticality, regulation, self-control and self-management. The presence of emotional literacy determines the social maturity of a person, which is revealed in his emotional competence when interacting with the social environment.

Daily Positive Experiences and Health: Biobehavioral Pathways and Resilience to Daily Stress

2018 ◽  
pp. 154-172
Author(s):  
Nancy L. Sin ◽  
David M. Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Daily Stress ◽  
Positive Events ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Stress Buffering ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Stress And Health

Positive emotions and minor positive events are more likely to occur in people’s daily lives than negative emotions and stressors. This chapter provides an overview of theoretical perspectives and previous research linking positive experiences with stress and health. A conceptual framework is proposed that describes constructs within the realm of “daily positive experiences.” The framework posits that daily positive experiences contribute to health through biological, behavioral, and stress-buffering pathways. The sociodemographic patterning of daily positive experiences by age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status is described. Multidisciplinary work is presented linking between-person differences and within-person (day-to-day) variations in daily positive experiences to stressor reactivity, inflammation, and diurnal cortisol rhythms. The chapter concludes with a discussion of unanswered questions and key areas for future discovery and innovation. The study of everyday positive experiences provides insights into health and well-being that go beyond what can be learned from focusing solely on negative experiences.

Role of music in the development of psychological well-being

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minakshi Rana
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Effect ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Beneficial Impact

affected by the changing world's scenario. People these days are more stressed out which has a negative impact on their well-being. The purpose of this paper is to focus on how Music constructively contributes to positive emotions and enhances Psychological well-being. Music can be considered as an informal type of self-medicated therapy. Many call it, 'Healing without Medicine'. Music has a therapeutic effect in the human life. It helps us connect with our deeper self and bring our emotions to the fore. It has the power to take the listener to a different world where there is only emotional ecstasy. Thus the present paper is an attempt to emphasize the beneficial impact of music on the Psychological well-being of people.

Adaptation of the Questionnaire of Hahn, Cella, Bode, and Hanrahan in Spanish Patients Affected by Asbestos Poisoning

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Clemente ◽  
Adela Reig-Botella
Keyword(s):  
High Reliability ◽  
Chronically Ill ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Chronic Illnesses ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Male Patients ◽  
Chronically Ill Patients ◽  
Social Companionship ◽  
Very High

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to assess whether or not the questionnaire developed by Hahn, Cella, Bode, and Hanharan (2010) for use with cancer patients accurately measures the social well-being of individuals suffering from chronic illnesses associated with asbestos poisoning. One hundred ten male patients with asbestos poisoning were age-matched in blocks to a comparison group of 70 “healthy” controls, all of whom were current or retired employees of the largest naval company in Spain. The results indicate very high reliability of the Hahn et al. (2010) test to assess social well-being in these chronically ill patients, and a high concurrent validity of the measured outcomes with regard to results of the SCL-90 Derogatis questionnaire, especially on the social well-being dimensions of negative emotional support, negative social companionship, and satisfaction. Limitations of the study and possible future directions are discussed.

scholarly journals Living Alone During COVID-19: Social Contact and Emotional Well-Being among Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 951-951
Author(s):  
Yee To Ng ◽  
Karen Fingerman ◽  
Shiyang Zhang ◽  
Katherine Britt ◽  
Gianna Colera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Emotion ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Living Situation ◽  
Telephone Contact ◽  
The Social ◽  
To Receive

Abstract The COVID-19 outbreak and the associated physical distancing measures dramatically altered the social world for most older adults, but people who live alone may have been disproportionately affected. The current study examined how living alone was related to social contact and emotional well-being among older adults during the pandemic. Adults (N = 226) aged 69+ completed a brief survey assessing their living situation, social contact with different social partners (in person, by phone, electronically), and emotions during the morning, afternoon and evening the prior day. Older adults who live alone were less likely to see others in person or to receive or provide help, and reported less positive emotion the prior day than those who lived with others. Living alone was associated with more positive emotions concurrent with in-person contact. In contrast, phone contact was related to higher levels of negate affect among those living alone, but not among those who live with others. Findings suggest older adults who live alone may be more reactive to social contact during the COVID 19 outbreak than older adults who reside with others. In-person contact appears to confer distinct benefits not available via telephone contact, suggesting that possible interventions during the pandemic may work best with safe forms of in-person contact.

scholarly journals Can Urban Forest Settings Evoke Positive Emotion? Evidence on Facial Expressions and Detection of Driving Factors

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8687
Author(s):  
Ping Liu ◽  
Mengnan Liu ◽  
Tingting Xia ◽  
Yutao Wang ◽  
Hongxu Wei
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Senior Citizen ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Daily Minimum Temperature ◽  
Emotional Expressions ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Mental Well Being

There is increasing interest in experiences of urban forests because relevant studies have revealed that forest settings can promote mental well-being. The mental response to a forest experience can be evaluated by facial expressions, but relevant knowledge is limited at large geographical scales. In this study, a dataset of 2824 photos, detailing the evaluated age (toddler, youth, middle-age, and senior citizen) and gender of urban forest visitors, was collected from Sina Weibo (a social media application similar to Twitter in China) between 1–7 October 2018, in 12 randomly chosen cities in China. Happy and sad expressions were rated as scores by FireFACE software V1.0, and the positive response index (PRI) was calculated by subtracting sad scores from happy scores. Regional environmental factors were collected to detect driving forces using regression analyses. Happy scores were higher in forests than in urban settings, while sad scores for toddlers were lower in forests than in promenades and squares. Females showed more positive emotional expressions than males. Increases in happy scores were driven by the increase of daily minimum temperature; while PRI declined with increases in latitude. Overall, an urban forest experience can evoke positive emotions, which is likely due to comfortable feelings in warm temperatures.

scholarly journals Oxytocin, Dopamine, and Opioid Interactions Underlying Pair Bonding: Highlighting a Potential Role for Microglia

Endocrinology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 162 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith K Loth ◽  
Zoe R Donaldson
Keyword(s):  
Social Behaviors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Endogenous Opioids ◽  
Pair Bonding ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Pair Bonds ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Social ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Pair bonds represent some of the strongest attachments we form as humans. These relationships positively modulate health and well-being. Conversely, the loss of a spouse is an emotionally painful event that leads to numerous deleterious physiological effects, including increased risk for cardiac dysfunction and mental illness. Much of our understanding of the neuroendocrine basis of pair bonding has come from studies of monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), laboratory-amenable rodents that, unlike laboratory mice and rats, form lifelong pair bonds. Specifically, research using prairie voles has delineated a role for multiple neuromodulatory and neuroendocrine systems in the formation and maintenance of pair bonds, including the oxytocinergic, dopaminergic, and opioidergic systems. However, while these studies have contributed to our understanding of selective attachment, few studies have examined how interactions among these 3 systems may be essential for expression of complex social behaviors, such as pair bonding. Therefore, in this review, we focus on how the social neuropeptide, oxytocin, interacts with classical reward system modulators, including dopamine and endogenous opioids, during bond formation and maintenance. We argue that an understanding of these interactions has important clinical implications and is required to understand the evolution and encoding of complex social behaviors more generally. Finally, we provide a brief consideration of future directions, including a discussion of the possible roles that glia, specifically microglia, may have in modulating social behavior by acting as a functional regulator of these 3 neuromodulatory systems.

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