Positive Health: Connecting Well-being with Biology Ryff, Singer, & Love (2004)

Health & Happiness Positive Health: the experience of well- being contributing to the effective functioning of several biological systems Eudaimonic well-being: the task of life is to recognise and realise your unique capabilities Hedonic well-being: pleasure, happiness and the satisfaction of human needs

The Study Whether well-being is associated with reduced biological risk Whether eudaimonic and/or hedonic well- being have an effect on biological correlates Predicted that eudaimonic well-being would produce greater biological activation than states of hedonic well-being, i.e. happiness and contentment

Sample & Measures 135 ageing women (61-91yrs) Eudaimonic well-being was measured on 14 item scales based on 6 dimensions of well- being Hedonic well-being was assessed in terms of positive affect Biomarkers from neuroendocrine, immune and cardiovascular systems Assessments of sleep to determine whether well-being is linked to a restorative process

Results The overall pattern of effects were modest Older women with higher levels of eudaimonic well-being had: 1.lower levels of cortisol level 2.pro-inflammatory cytokines 3.Positive cardiovascular markers 4.Longer, and better quality sleep

Results There was only one significant effect for hedonic well-being: 1.HDL (the good) cholesterol was positively related to positive affect

Discussion Their study shows that eudaimonic and hedonic well-being are not biologically correlated Future research should look at whether positive well-being offers protection against illness Whether you can maintain well-being despite adversity and negative life-events

Question Could this be a circular argument? Does well-being affect health, or does good health cause well-being?