Interpersonal Relationships
Lecture 1: Relationship impact on well-being
Why study relationships?
Heart-failure study:
- Men who were happily married had higher survival rates from a heart attack
compared to men who were unhappily married
A classic study:
- Both among men and women the least socially integrated people had a significantly
higher chance of mortality within 9 years compared to the most socially integrated
people
,Relationships support the immune system:
- People who were not very socially integrated had a significantly higher chance to get
sick of the rhinovirus (cold) which they were infected with
Can the right relationship make you heal?
- Quite literally!
- Couple interactions and wound healing
- To the extent that couples displayed more positive and less negative behaviours
towards each other was associated with higher levels of the hormone oxytocin, which
in turn was associated with significant faster recovery from blisters
Why study relationships?
- Effect sizes of different factors on mortality rates
- Lack of social relationships increase the chance of mortality
,The importance of social relationships for people is misunderstood:
- Laypeople think that social integration is not strongly associated with mortality
Humans as social animals
Why is social integration associated with both physical and psychological well-being?
- Social support
- Emotional support & instrumental support are strongly correlated and often
‘confounded’ (e.g., go shopping when ill)
- Calibrated to the needs of the receiver
, How is social support related to health and well-being?
1. Direct effect-hypothesis (main effect hypothesis)
o Social support makes people to take better care of themselves (e.g., less
smoking, more exercise, healthier diet, etc.); social influence/norms
o Experience more positive affect
2. Stress-buffering hypothesis
o Social support reduces stress under potentially stressful circumstances
o Stress (e.g., cortisol) directly related to health via cardio-vascular and immune
system (social support buffers the negative effects of stress on our well-being)
Example of the stress-buffering hypothesis:
- fMRI study: neurophysiological responses to anticipated pain
- Women in a heterosexual couple viewed a red cross (associated with an electrical
shock) or a blue circle on a screen
- 3 conditions: holding hand of romantic partner, stranger, or no hand holding, while
anticipating a hurtful electric shock
- Less stress-related brain activity when hand is held, especially by the partner
- In addition, holding hand of their partner was even more effective (experienced less
stress) for women who were satisfied with their relationship
Strength and strain model of marriage and health:
- A low relationship quality is related to poorer health outcomes
Lecture 1: Relationship impact on well-being
Why study relationships?
Heart-failure study:
- Men who were happily married had higher survival rates from a heart attack
compared to men who were unhappily married
A classic study:
- Both among men and women the least socially integrated people had a significantly
higher chance of mortality within 9 years compared to the most socially integrated
people
,Relationships support the immune system:
- People who were not very socially integrated had a significantly higher chance to get
sick of the rhinovirus (cold) which they were infected with
Can the right relationship make you heal?
- Quite literally!
- Couple interactions and wound healing
- To the extent that couples displayed more positive and less negative behaviours
towards each other was associated with higher levels of the hormone oxytocin, which
in turn was associated with significant faster recovery from blisters
Why study relationships?
- Effect sizes of different factors on mortality rates
- Lack of social relationships increase the chance of mortality
,The importance of social relationships for people is misunderstood:
- Laypeople think that social integration is not strongly associated with mortality
Humans as social animals
Why is social integration associated with both physical and psychological well-being?
- Social support
- Emotional support & instrumental support are strongly correlated and often
‘confounded’ (e.g., go shopping when ill)
- Calibrated to the needs of the receiver
, How is social support related to health and well-being?
1. Direct effect-hypothesis (main effect hypothesis)
o Social support makes people to take better care of themselves (e.g., less
smoking, more exercise, healthier diet, etc.); social influence/norms
o Experience more positive affect
2. Stress-buffering hypothesis
o Social support reduces stress under potentially stressful circumstances
o Stress (e.g., cortisol) directly related to health via cardio-vascular and immune
system (social support buffers the negative effects of stress on our well-being)
Example of the stress-buffering hypothesis:
- fMRI study: neurophysiological responses to anticipated pain
- Women in a heterosexual couple viewed a red cross (associated with an electrical
shock) or a blue circle on a screen
- 3 conditions: holding hand of romantic partner, stranger, or no hand holding, while
anticipating a hurtful electric shock
- Less stress-related brain activity when hand is held, especially by the partner
- In addition, holding hand of their partner was even more effective (experienced less
stress) for women who were satisfied with their relationship
Strength and strain model of marriage and health:
- A low relationship quality is related to poorer health outcomes
