Canadian Positive Psychology Conference
July 20-21 st , 2012
Dr. Kate Hefferon, PhD, C Psychol
University of East London k.hefferon@uel.ac.uk

 A ‘neck up focused discipline’ (Seligman, 2007)
 Positive Psychology predominantly focuses on passive
leisure activities to enhance well-being (e.g. gratitude, best possible self)
 Focuses on changing perceptions of the self via cognitive reframing and not holistically engaging the person
 There is a noticeable neglect of the important role of the body in a healthy and happy mind (Warmouth, Resnick & Serlin, 2001)
 Active leisure activities can have significant positive effects on one’s wellbeing and satisfaction with life
(Holder, Coleman, & Sehn, 2009)
 We need to engage our bodies in order to ensure optimal functioning

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-All have an impact on our Hedonic and Eudaimonic well being-

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Note- This lecture contains sensitive content and medical photos

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(Hefferon & Mutrie, 2012;Resnick, Warmoth, & Serlin, 2001)

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 Maurice Merleau-Ponty
 Embodiment as how people experience having and using their body
 Not physical but phenomenological
 Body effects our emotions, feelings and experiences
1) The subjective body: our body as-it-is-lived. This body engages with the world but we are not conscious of our bodies, we take them for granted – this is the habitual body or the ‘taken-for-granted’ body
1) The objective body: the body that is known by the
Other and can be observed and objectified.
Objectification has negative implications on young females
(Gil-Rodriguez, 2012; Impett et al)

 Somatic psychology: reunite body and mind through therapy
 Experiential and gestalt
 Embodied interactions
 Humanistic psychology
“examines somatic influences and the fundamental role played by states of the body in the ability to attain and especially to sustain a positive frame of mind:”
(Warmoth et al., 2001, p.5)
 Since then= Indifference
(Frank, 1998)
(Wilhelm Reich)

 Nothing you do, say or feel is not connected to the body
 Touch is an important component for healthy development
 Significantly reduces psychological and physiological distress
 Reduces cortisol levels and blood pressure
 Increase in Serotonin and Dopamine neurotransmitters
 Induces higher levels of oxytocin
(Harlow & Zimmermann, 1959; Grewen, Anderson, Girdler, & Light, 2003; Light, Grewen, & Amico, 2005; Grewen, Girdler, Amico, & Light 2005; M. Matsunaga et al., 2009) Gallace & Spence, 2010; Diego,
Field, & Hernandez-Reif, 2008; Dieter, Field, Hernandez-Reif, Emory, & Redzepi, 2003; Diego et al., 2002; Field et al., 1998; Field et al., 1997; Field, Quintino, Hernandez-Reif, & Koslovsky, 1998; Hernandez-
Reif, Dieter, Field, Swerdlow, & Diego, 1998; Hernandez-Reif et al., 2000; Moyer, Rounds, & Hannum, 2004; Field, Hernandez-Reif, Diego,Schanberg & Kuhn, 2005; Diego et al., 2001; Hernandez-Reif et al.,
2005; Hernandez-Reif et al., 2004; Field, Hernandez-Reif,Diego, Schanberg, & Kuhn, 2005)

 Engagement in sexual relationships with trusted partners can:
 Increase in physical and psychological (hedonic and eudaimonic) wellbeing
 Better physical shape
 Enhanced immune system functioning
 Reduced cancer risk in males (Prostate)
 Longevity
 Exposure to moments of intense joy, relaxation and ecstasy
 Increased self esteem and confidence
 Feelings of love and connection to another
 Reduced anxiety and depression
 Enhanced overall quality of life
 Self development and growth
(Bancroft et al., 2003; Brody, 2006, 2010; Brody, Veit, & Rau, 2000; Davey Smith, Frankel, & Yarnell, 1997; Janssen & Everaerd,
1993; Meston & Buss, 2007; 2009; Meston & Buss, 2009; Bancroft et al., 2003; Brody, 2006, 2010; Brody, Veit, & Rau, 2000; Davey
Smith, Frankel, & Yarnell, 1997; Janssen & Everaerd, 1993)

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(Frank,
1998)
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(Orbach, 2012)
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(BAAPS,
2011)
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(YMCA report, 2012; Impett et al.)
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(Orbach, 2012)
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(Favazza, 2011)
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(Frank, 1995; Stam, 1998)

Myselftogetheragain.org

 Physical trauma (Injury, illness, burns, etc.)
 Disrupt our consciousness and calls attention to the body
 Systematic decline of bodily functioning (e.g. increased fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, steady attack on the body by the body)
 Positive Existential Embodiment
(Goldenberg, Spee, & Greenberg, 2006, p. 129)

 Illness and trauma can help us reconnect to our bodies
(Frank, 1995;Hefferon et al., 2009)
 Can create enhanced appreciation for the body
 Increased care towards the body (listen to body; treat it better)
 Increase in health behaviour changes (Teachable moment)
(Demark
Wahnefried; Hefferon et al., 2010)
Claire
“When you go out the house in the morning now, you appreciate, ‘I feel, ya, feel well!’ And it’s a lovely feeling. [uh huh]. You know? Em, so, you know, that’s a positive feeling as well […] It’s just, you don’t, you do not realize how nice it is to feel…feel well”.
Brenda
“Because if you don’t have your health, you hav’nae got anything
[…] But em…it’s just that my health, I would never take (pauses), you know, never take it for granted…ever again.”

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“The ability to build psychological and emotional strength via the building of physical strength”
(Hefferon & Mutrie, 2012)
 Mens sana in corpore sano
 There is a noticeable lack of focus on the body and its impact on well-being within the positive psychology literature
(Mutrie & Faulkner,
2004; Hefferon & Mutrie, 2012)
 Positive Binary effects= physical and psychological
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 Normal and clinical populations
(Hefferon et al., 2012)

Physical activity
 Movement
 Energy expenditure
 Break a sweat
Exercise
 Planned
 Structured
 Direct focus is fitness progression
AT LEAST
• 30 minutes/5 days a week
• Moderate intensity
• Can be broken up (10 min x 3) http://www.acsm.org/

Reduces the risk of developing:
 Obesity
 Cardiovascular disease
 Coronary heart disease
 Stroke
 Diabetes (type 2)
 Osteoporosis
 Sleep disorders
 High blood pressure
 Certain cancers (colon, breast; rectal, lung, prostate, endometrial)
 Premature death
(Salonen et al, 1983; Paffenbarger et al. 1986; Biddle & Mutrie,
2001;2008;Mutrie & Faulkner, 2004; Department of Health, 2004)

 Improved acute and chronic positive affect
 Increased well being ( Hellmich, 2009; Mayo clinic)
 Enhanced body image, self-esteem and selfperceptions (Fox, 2000; Moses, Steptoe, Mathews,
& Edwards, 1989)
 Improved general cognitive functioning (Ratey,
2008; Boutcher, 2000; Rejeski & Mihalko, 2001;
Rejeski et al., 2001)
 Reduced emotional distress (Steptoe, Wardle,
Pollard, Canaan, & Davies, 1996)
 Reduced anxiety (McDonald & Hodgdon, 1991)
 Reduced depression (Babyak et al., 2000;
Hassmen, Koivula, & Uutela, 2000; Kritz-
Silverstein, Barrett-Connor, & Corbeau, 2001)

STUDY 1
 Alameda county study (Camacho et al, 1991)
 N=8,023 non-institutionalized adults >20
 1965, 1974, 1983
 Those that were low active at baseline were significantly more likely to be depressed then high active
STUDY 2
 Bluementhal et al. (1999)
 Three groups (exercise, medicine, exercise*medicine)
Results (16 weeks):
 All three groups improved (>60%)
 No significant differences among groups (except medication results were faster)
STUDY 3
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Babyak et al. (2000)
 10 months follow-up
 Relapse medication: 38%
 Relapse medication*exercise: 31%
 Relapse exercise: 9%

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(Carless & Douglas; Biddle & Mutrie, 2008; Hefferon et al., 2012)

 Study 1 consisted of one preintervention focus group
(n=8) and one post intervention focus group
(n=4)
 Pre intervention results yielded three main themes and several subthemes
 Post-intervention results, focused on the actual experience of the programme, yielded three main themes and several subthemes
Main Theme
Gone off track
Social re-integration
Class constituents
Main Theme
Praise of class
Wayne
Path to Metamorphosis
Subtheme
Loss of physical self
Loss of confident self
Endeavour
Free to ‘Be’
Wayne
Evoke power
Subtheme
A focused challenge
Healthy escape
Camaraderie
Superstar status
Proxy Efficacy
Wayne's gym
Lost and found
Somato-psychic principle in practice
Heightened awareness of health

‘I think as well there’s some emotions due to numerous reasons that also feel I need to get out, and I think boxing is one of those sports that can help do that.’ (Andrea)
‘Yeah, I am [looking forward to] hitting that bag. Just getting all my frustrations out you know.’
(Becca)
‘[It] takes your mind off things. Em, especially as you’re kind of learning a new skill. It’s kind oflike the speedball for instance-You zone in on looking at that little ball and you just totally forget everything. Or like focus pads. Yeah. Because it’s so- don’t know, everything to think about. [So you] Just totally zone out.’ (Andrea)
‘Yeah I feel that way as well. I feel as though em, don’t know, just achieved, a big life changing, kind of [Life changing?] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah…no it’s just that I’ve come to a fork in the road and this has taken me in the right direction. Instead of, keep em, in the wrong direction. Like trying to drag everything back from wrong- wrong direction and putting it on the right road.’ (Becca)
‘It’s very interesting […] I’m not really an emotional person. Well not in public anyway. Em…like I mentioned before, it has given me a lot more confidence to approach different situationssituations, in a more controlling, em, collected way.’ (Peter).

Purpose in life
Personal growth
Psychological
Well-being
Self acceptance
Autonomy
Positive relationships
Environmental mastery

 Ancient practices of adornment exist today (e.g. Fashion, make-up, hair, jewelry)
 Beauty, status, celebration of events, rituals, to mark individuals as part of a certain in-group
 Transient to more permanent forms of adornment (e.g. necklace to neck rings)
 Body Modification (BM)

 Body modification is the deliberate altering of the human body
 At some point in time, all cultures have engaged in practices of body art (Cuyper & Perez-Cotapos, 2010)
 Tattooing, Piercing, Scarification, Implantation, Branding and many more
 Traditionally been regarded as practices of marginalized populations and associated with psychopathology (Fisher, 2002; Cardasis et al., 2008; Jeffreys, 2000)
 Contemporary research now looks at positive experiences and psychological well-being from certain BM practices (e.g. enhanced confidence, authenticity, completeness)
Motivations include:
1.
Identification (as part of a group or as unique)
2.
Rites of passage
3.
Authenticity
4.
Transcending physical body to higher level of consciousness
5.
Positively engaging with mortality
6.
Meaning and purpose
7.
Achievement

 1000’s of years with evidence existing to have been in use up to 12000 years ago (Angulo, García-Díez & Martínez, 2011)
 Symbolic nature of tattoos (positive to negative): “fertility, aesthetic decoration, Valor in war, rank and status in the group, age, ingroupoutgroup, Marital status, to ward offs spirits or the marking of slaves, deserters, criminals” (Laumann, 2010, p. 2)
 18 th century popularity amongst sailors, military and working class
 Miami, L.A., London ink TV Reality shows= tattoos have become more acceptable (Laumann, 2010)
 Skin and tattooing can be seen from three metaphorical perspectives:
 Skin as container
 Projection surfaces
 Cover to be modified
 Skin has a ‘double sidedness’ in which tattoo culture can dissect its intercorporeality and embodiment (Patterson & Schroeder)
(Smithsonian, 2007)

 Artistic permanence to the self derives a sense of pleasure in creating something meaningful
 This then becomes part of their body = a corporeal artifact
 Individuals derive authenticity by having the final say in how they look and how they portray themselves to the world
 BM can not only enhance individual identity, but also connect and solidify certain social groups
 Two meaning making processes: a) the design (rebellion, independence, conformity) and b) the act of undergoing BM (tolerance of pain, rite of passage, achievement)

 Reviewed several ways in which individuals can engage with the body and facilitate/maintain both Hedonic and Eudaimonic well being:
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How we treat it
How we move it
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How we sooth it
How we feed it
How we dress it
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How we decorate it
How we connect to it
 Positive psychology needs a more holistic approach to well being
(theoretically and in applications/interventions)
 Several further areas of research: Body therapies (body psychotherapy, mindfulness, yoga); Nutrition; Genetics; Positive neuroscience; Positive psychophysiology
 Creation of ‘Embodied Positive Psychology’ interest groups or divisions
(sport and physical activity, performance psychology)