Take your bad news lying down

Here's an interesting question: Are emotional reactions influenced by whether you're sitting, standing or lying down?

A study published this week in the journal Psychological Science suggests they can be. The idea is not without some support. Other studies have shown that body movements affect emotions. For example, smiling will make people feel better even when they're sad and don't feel like smiling. And slouching leads to helpless behaviors. The new study tests the idea that anger can be tempered depending on body posture. It found that the part of the brain that becomes active when one feels angry was somewhat muted among people who were lying down when the emotion was triggered.

Researchers at Texas A&M University studied 46 college students who were told to write a short essay that would be evaluated by another participant. Brain-wave sensors were attached to each participant when they were evaluated. Some participates were left sitting upright in a chair while others were told to recline the chair so they were lying down. Those who were sitting up when their essays were insulted showed more activity in the left prefrontal cortex (the anger center) than those who were insulted while lying down.

It's possible that there is some other explanation for why those who were lying down reacted with less anger, the researchers said. But, they wrote, "it is also possible that some yet-to-be-discovered incidental physiological process occurred as a result of the supine manipulation."

Try it. It can't hurt. It may save you from blowing a gasket.

-- Shari Roan

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Sensitivity to social rejection and physical pain linked by a common gene

The hurt of social rejection or exclusion is emotional. But there must be a reason why we so often experience it -- and talk about it -- as if it were a physical pain. One feels "burned" by a partner's infidelity, "wounded" by a friend's harsh words, "heartache" when spurned by a lover.

It turns out, there is a good reason we use such terms: The same circuits in the brain that are responsible for processing physical pain are also called into play when one feels the sting of social rejection. And a new study finds that people who have a rare variation of a gene that programs cells in those circuits are acutely sensitive to physical pain and to the hurt that comes from social rejection.

One class of brain cells that plays a key role in physical and social pain are mu-opioid receptors. They're best known for their role in dampening pain when an opiate drug or one of the body's own painkillers appears in their midst. But they are at work when we seek out or feel pleasure as well. The gene OPRM-1 helps govern the function of these mu-opioid receptors. Scattered through the family of man are several variants of OPRM-1.

Research already has shown that those who have the rarest variant of that gene are keenly sensitive to physical pain. The latest study suggests that this same population reacts strongly when, in an experimental situation, they are drawn into a group and then excluded from its activities. The study was published Friday in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, and due in print in the coming weeks. 

After collecting saliva from 122 subjects to determine which variation of the OPRM-1 gene they had, the researchers -- all from UCLA -- had subjects answer a survey of questions determining their level of sensitivity to social rejection. They found a strong relationship between those with a rare variant of the gene and those who agreed strongly with such questions as "I am very sensitive to the signs that a person might not want to talk to me."

Under scrutiny in a scanner that pinpoints bursts of activity in the brain, those subjects with the rare variant of OPRM-1 also showed acute discomfort when they played a virtual game of "catch" in which their presumed playmates progressively left them out of the game. By comparison, the brains of subjects who had the more common variant of OPRM-1 shrugged off the slight.

Here's an interesting fact: While the social-sensitivity variant of the OPRM-1 gene appears rarely in Caucasian populations tested to date, it appears to be far more common in those of Asian descent. That may offer some insight into the many rituals, customs and social conventions that govern social interaction in many Asian cultures: If social exclusion is painful, adherence to clearly delineated rules of intercourse would be an important way to prevent such discomfort.

Naomi Eisenberger, a researcher at UCLA who is one of the study's authors, said that, for humans, it may be highly adaptive to experience the sting of social rejection as physical pain. Pain is nature's way of alerting us to dangers such as poisonous animals and proximity to fire. Perhaps, said Eisenberger, psychological pain was an effective way to keep us from withdrawing from family and friends who help us tend our young, catch our food and protect us from predators. It is no surprise that two functions might eventually have evolved to use the same brain circuitry, said Eisenberger.

 "It helps us make sure we stay connected."

-- Melissa Healy

Hostile, negative and introverted? Beware peripheral artery disease

In boardrooms, classrooms, bedrooms and the playing field, we all recognize the classic signs of a "Type A" personality. And most of us know that these hard-chargers seem to be at higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. Their demanding, competitive, restless, short-fused behavior seems to make them more likely to work themselves ragged, blow a physiological gasket, drink hard and drive fast.

Clearly, not personality traits likely to promote well-being -- physical or emotional well-being, anyway.

But who has ever heard of the Type D personality? Depending on whom you ask, D stands for distressed. Or, that it follows sequentially from Type A (above); Type B (A's opposite -- laid-back, cooperative, slow to anger); Type C (a martyr -- compliant, eager to please, and prone to hopelessness and depression; studies have shown Type Cs to be vulnerable to cancer and other malfunctions of the immune system).

In any event, Type Ds are notable for negative thinking, worrying, suppressed anger and a tendency to respond to stress by withdrawal and denial. They stew. They simmer. They blame themselves -- and others. And when it comes to feelings, they're given to stoicism: They rarely give voice to strong emotions, such as anger, and are likely equally disinclined to acknowledge them, say, in daily journal entries.

Turns out, being a Type D isn't a personality type given to robust health, either, a fact that a new study underscores. (Want to explore your personality type? Here's a bit more information.)

In an article in this week's Archives of Surgery, Dutch researchers found that Type D personalities who suffer from peripheral artery disease -- a build-up of plaque in the lower body's veins and arteries that causes cramping and pain in the legs and pelvis -- were more likely to die in the four years they were studied than fellow patients with peripheral artery disease who were not identified as Type Ds.

The study followed 184 patients diagnosed with peripheral artery disease and who had filled out questionnaires that identified their personality traits as Type D. Type Ds were strong on social avoidance and tended to fret a lot. They were mostly likely to agree strongly with statements such as "I often find myself worrying about something," or "I would rather keep people at a distance."

By the end of the study period, 16 of the Type-D PAD patients had died -- three times the number expected among a group of their average age (64) and health status. That's despite the fact that the Type Ds on the whole had no greater risk factors for death than did any of the PAD patients in a larger study. Most -- seven -- died of cancer, and six of cardiovascular disease.

What is it about Type Ds that might make them more vulnerable to succumbing to a wide range of illnesses? For starters, said the study's authors -- led by Annalies E. Aquarius -- studies have shown that Type D personality types tend to respond to stress with a surge of stress hormones, and that their blood carries physiological markers of inflammation higher than those not identified as Type D. Inflammatory processes over time are widely believed to give rise to cancer and erode the function of arteries.

Beyond that, the researchers note, the types of behavior that emerge from Type Ds' personalities might well lead to a reluctance to acknowledge unwellness, seek care and participate aggressively in one's treatment. Rather, a Type D personality might choose instead to fret about, give up on, or deny measures to protect his or her health. 

As physicians cope with epidemics of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, say the authors, the importance of personality types in influencing treatment decisions, quality of life and outcomes will be ever more important.

Even, judging from the article's publication in the Archives of Surgery, to surgeons, who might otherwise be tempted to cut those personality traits out.

--Melissa Healy

Think positive, ladies. Your health depends on it

Many studies suggest that people who possess a sunny outlook on life tend to have better health and live longer. Here's more evidence for the theory. A study by cardiac researchers showed that optimistic women had a lower risk of developing heart disease or dying of any cause compared to pessimistic women.

The study, published today in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Assn., studied 97,253 postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79 from the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study. The women did not have cancer or heart disease at the start of the study. They completed questionnaires designed to assess their emotional outlook. After eight years of follow-up, the optimistic women had a 9% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 14% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to the pessimistic women. Women who had a high degree of cynical hostility were 16% more likely to die during the eight years of follow-up compared to women with a low degree of cynical hostility.

"The majority of evidence suggests that sustained, high degrees of negativity are hazardous to health," the lead author of the study, Dr. Hilary A. Tindle, of the University of Pittsburgh, said in a news release.

Race was found to be a factor in modifying the relationship between optimism and death.  Among African American women, optimists had a 33% lower risk of death after eight years of follow-up. Among white women, optimists had a 13% lower risk. The study found that optimists tended to be younger, live in the Western United States, report higher education and income, be employed, have health insurance and attend religious services at least once a week.

-- Shari Roan

Photo: Lawrence K. Ho  /  Los Angeles Times

Except for dementia, even very old people are happier

Among the most praised psychological research in recent years is Stanford professor Laura Carstensen's work on happiness and aging. Through her studies, Carstensen has found that, contrary to popular opinion that young people are the happiest, people generally become happier as they age.

Even the oldest of the old can be truly contented, according to research presented today at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Assn. The fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population are people over age 85. A study by Susan Turk Charles of UC Irvine reviewed several studies on aging and mental health. Except for people with dementia-related diseases, mental health generally keeps improving with age, Charles found.

Carstensen's work suggests that as people age, they have better emotional control and are less likely to despair over life's bumpy moments. Research also shows that social relationships influence stress management.

Carstensen, who also spoke at the APA meeting today, has a new book detailing her findings entitled, "A Long Bright Future," (Broadway Books). Here are a few of her tips:

• Envision ways to thoroughly enjoy the years that lie ahead and imagine what it would be like to live a healthy, happy 100 years.
• Design your social and physical environments -- home, spending habits, eating habits -- so that your daily routine enforces your goals.
• Diversify your expertise and activities to avoid putting your social investments into only your spouse, children or job.

-- Shari Roan

 

The truth is, we're easily tempted

Humans regularly succumb to greed, lust and self-destruction. One reason we fail so often in the face of temptation is that we routinely overestimate our personal powers of restraint, researchers say.

A study from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University tested how an individual's belief in his or her ability to control impulses -- such as greed, drug craving or sexual arousal -- influenced his or her response to temptation. It found that people usually miscalculated the amount of temptation they could truly handle, which led to a greater likelihood of indulging in an impulsive behavior.

"People are not good at anticipating the power of their urges, and those who are the most confident about their self-control are the most likely to give into temptation," the lead author of the paper, Loren Nordgren, said in a news release. "The key is simply to avoid any situations where vices and other weaknesses thrive and, most importantly, for individuals to keep a humble view of their willpower. . . . We expose ourselves to more temptation than is wise, and subsequently we have millions of people suffering with obesity, additions and other unhealthy lifestyles."

Besides individual behavior, the study raises important questions about whether we can trust our leaders and the need for regulations and oversight in business and government. People also tend to overestimate another person's ability to resist temptation, the study's authors say. People (say, parents) should think carefully when judging whether a person (say, a teenager) might fall prey to temptation.

The study will published this year in the journal Psychological Science.

-- Shari Roan

Photo credit: Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times

Psychology is to blame for humans not acting on climate change, psychologists say

If you ever wondered what is to blame for the world's sluggish reaction to climate change, wonder no longer. The American Psychological Assn. has concluded in a 225-page report that the culprit is...

...human behavior.

That's right! Human behavior. Read all about it here. The panel of eight psychologists is slated to present its findings at a meeting of the American Psychological Assn. on Friday.

It may seem a tad ridiculous to have to even say that human behavior is responsible for the failure of humans to act, let alone take 225 pages to say it. I mean, what else would likely be responsible than people's minds and brains -- their big toes?

But the report gets into useful specifics. It draws on past studies on people's behavior in disaster situations. It examines what science knows about how you can get people to alter their behavior and what doesn't seem to work at all, no matter how fine and dandy an idea may sound. One example: People are more likely to use energy-efficient devices if they're given feedback, right then and there, about how much energy/money they're saving, rather than if they have to wait until they get their power bill.

Makes sense: Our species doesn't seem especially well-wired to act with long-term rewards in mind. We're much better at seeking gratification right this second, which is why I ate that bag of trail mix five minutes ago even though I'd like to drop some pounds and had only just had lunch.

The task force was convened because the APA wanted to involve psychologists in crafting a solution to climate change and in predicting how people are likely to react to it. 

--Rosie Mestel

Photo credit: BBC Worldwide

Psychologists say sexual orientation can't be changed through therapy

There is no evidence to support the claims of some practitioners that sexual orientation can be changed through therapy, a special committee of the American Psychological Assn. reported today. Mental health professionals should not tell patients that they can change their sexual orientation and instead should help them "explore possible life paths that address the reality of their sexual orientation," according to the report, which was released at a Toronto meeting of the association and online.

Although the majority of scientists now believe that sexual orientation is genetically predetermined, many therapists have claimed to be able to change gay people into straight ones. Spurred by the controversy surrounding such claims, the APA in 2007 appointed a six-member committee of experts to examine the review and update the association's 1997 report on the subject. Today's 138-page report, approved by the APA's governing council, represents their conclusions.

The panel reviewed 83 peer-reviewed journal articles that appeared in English between 1960 and 2007. Most were conducted before 1978, and only a handful had been conducted in the last 10 years.  "Unfortunately, much of the research ... contains serious design flaws," said psychologist Judith M. Glassgold of Rutgers University, who chaired the committee. "Few studies could be considered methodologically sound and none systematically evaluated potential harms" from the conversion efforts, she said. Potential harms include depression and suicide attempts.

"Scientifically rigorous older studies in this area found that sexual orientation was unlikely to change due to efforts designed for this purpose," she said. "At most, certain studies suggested that some individuals learned how to ignore or not act on their homosexual attractions. Yet these studies did not indicate for whom this was possible, how long it lasted, or its long-term mental health effects."

-- Thomas H. Maugh II

All right, all right! We'll try to be happier! Jeesh.

Americans seem to have become somewhat preoccupied with their happiness level.

A recent Atlantic article, What Makes Us Happy?, examines one of the more notable studies in the field.

"Is there a formula -- some mix of love, work, and psychological adaptation -- for a good life? For 72 years, researchers at Harvard have been examining this question, following 268 men who entered college in the late 1930s through war, career, marriage and divorce, parenthood and grandparenthood, and old age. Here, for the first time, a journalist gains access to the archive of one of the most comprehensive longitudinal studies in history. Its contents, as much literature as science, offer profound insight into the human condition -- and into the brilliant, complex mind of the study’s longtime director, George Vaillant.

A recent Booster Shots blog post, The key to happiness is living in the micro-moment, explains that the ability to appreciate little things is crucial.

And in today's New York Times, we have an explanation of how an iPhone app can help you identify, and more easily get in touch with, those things that make you happy.

Now there's the Happiness Project Toolbox.

The website says: "The Happiness Project Toolbox supplies eight tools to help you construct your 'happiness project.' Everyone's project will be different, and there's no right or wrong way. You can use all eight tools, or you can pick one tool that appeals to you. Just jump in and start now."

The toolbox is the work of Gretchen Rubin, who not coincidentally has a book titled "The Happiness Project" landing in the fall. The book is described as "a memoir about the year I spent test-driving every principle, tip, theory, and scientific study I could find, whether from Aristotle or St. Therese or Martin Seligman or Oprah." She also has a blog about her efforts to be happier on the Huffington Post. 

The first step in the toolbox, by the way, is to set resolutions.

For an overview of the science of happiness, here's a package of L.A. Times stories.

C'mon, get happy: Being happy has always seemed like a good idea. But now science, with research to back it up, can finally show us how to get there.

How a 'Happiness' guide helped one Topanga Canyon family

Tips on switching to a happy outlook

Recent self-help books on happiness

So with all this expounding, if you're not happy, you know who's fault it is. The media. They obviously didn't do enough to provide the proper advice, explanation or context.

-- Tami Dennis

Why we choke under pressure

Perhaps it was golfer Tom Watson's desire to become the oldest person to win a major golf tournament that led to his poor putt on the 18th green and ultimate loss in the British Open a few weeks ago.

A new study in the  journal Psychological Science shows that certain processes take place in the brain when a person is performing for a high reward and that those processes can have a detrimental effect on performance.

The study, published today by British researchers, used functional MRI brain scans to examine people while they played a computerized game for a modest monetary reward. Nineteen subjects played the games in which they had to catch a "high-payoff prey" or "low-payoff prey." They performed worse when trying to catch the high-payoff prey. Brain scans showed increased activity in the ventral mid-brain, an area linked to motivation and reward response.

"[H]ighly skilled players sometimes perform catastrophically when on the brink of victory," the authors wrote. "Often called 'choking under pressure,' this phenomenon extends beyond sport." Examples include students taking academic tests and tasks that are performed in front of an audience.

This study suggests that it's the presence of an incentive or reward that causes people to choke and that they might perform better if they didn't care as much. The intense desire to perform well causes an excessive arousal and activity in the brain that actually could interfere with decision-making, memory and attention.

The researchers note, however, that many variables are linked to choking under pressure. Anxiety, for example, can impair performance. But the fact that subjects in this study performed worse on a computer game in which the reward was relatively modest suggests that being over-motivated can be a stumbling block.

-- Shari Roan

Photo: Tom Watson on the 18th green during the British Open final round July 19. Credit: Peter Morrison  /  AP