Alexandria Digital Research Library

From Positive Emotions to Health Outcomes : Understanding Mechanisms

Author:
Hopper, Elizabeth
Degree Grantor:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Psychological & Brain Sciences
Degree Supervisor:
Shelly L. Gable
Place of Publication:
[Santa Barbara, Calif.]
Publisher:
University of California, Santa Barbara
Creation Date:
2014
Issued Date:
2014
Topics:
Psychology, Social
Keywords:
Health
Coping
Positive emotion
Gratitude
Stress
Genres:
Online resources and Dissertations, Academic
Dissertation:
M.A.--University of California, Santa Barbara, 2014
Description:

Although positive emotions have been relatively understudied (in comparison to negative emotions), the existing research suggests that positive emotions can have a beneficial effect on health outcomes and health-relevant biomarkers. It is likely that positive emotions benefit health through buffering individuals from the effects of stress; however, more research is needed to uncover the psychosocial processes through which positive emotions exert this stress-buffering effect. Two studies tested the hypothesis that positive emotions can impact coping, rumination, and perceptions of resources, three processes with important implications for health and well-being. In Study 1, participants were assigned to watch film clips designed to induce the emotions of love or amusement (or to watch a neutral film clip), after which they completed measures of coping and rumination (including an implicit measure of coping). In Study 2, participants were assigned to write about experiences of gratitude (or neutral topics), after which they completed measures of coping, social resources, and personal resources. The present studies failed to find support for the hypothesis that positive emotions impact coping, rumination, and perceived resources. The findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Physical Description:
1 online resource (79 pages)
Format:
Text
Collection(s):
UCSB electronic theses and dissertations
ARK:
ark:/48907/f3513wch
ISBN:
9781321567946
Catalog System Number:
990045118380203776
Rights:
Inc.icon only.dark In Copyright
Copyright Holder:
Elizabeth Hopper
File Description
Access: Public access
Hopper_ucsb_0035N_12278.pdf pdf (Portable Document Format)