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Paschali AA, Mitsopoulou E, Tsaggarakis V, et al. Changes in health perceptions after exposure to human suffering: using discrete emotions to understand underlying processes. PLoS One. 2012;7(4):e35854doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035854.
Paschali, A. A., Mitsopoulou, E., Tsaggarakis, V., & Karademas, E. C. (2012). Changes in health perceptions after exposure to human suffering: using discrete emotions to understand underlying processes. PloS one, 7(4), e35854. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0035854
Paschali, Antonia A, et al. "Changes in health perceptions after exposure to human suffering: using discrete emotions to understand underlying processes." PloS one vol. 7,4 (2012): e35854. doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0035854
Paschali AA, Mitsopoulou E, Tsaggarakis V, Karademas EC. Changes in health perceptions after exposure to human suffering: using discrete emotions to understand underlying processes. PLoS One. 2012;7(4):e35854. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035854. Epub 2012 Apr 30. PMID: 22558242; PMCID: PMC3340397.
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PLoS One. 2012;7(4):e35854. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035854. Epub 2012 Apr 30.

Changes in health perceptions after exposure to human suffering: using discrete emotions to understand underlying processes.

PloS one

Antonia A Paschali, Efi Mitsopoulou, Valentinos Tsaggarakis, Evangelos C Karademas

Affiliations

  1. Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Nursing, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. [email protected]

PMID: 22558242 PMCID: PMC3340397 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035854

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine whether exposure to human suffering is associated with negative changes in perceptions about personal health. We further examined the relation of possible health perception changes, to changes in five discrete emotions (i.e., fear, guilt, hostility/anger, and joviality), as a guide to understand the processes underlying health perception changes, provided that each emotion conveys information regarding triggering conditions.

METHODOLOGY/FINDINGS: An experimental group (N = 47) was exposed to images of human affliction, whereas a control group (N = 47) was exposed to relaxing images. Participants in the experimental group reported more health anxiety and health value, as well as lower health-related optimism and internal health locus of control, in comparison to participants exposed to relaxing images. They also reported more fear, guilt, hostility and sadness, as well as less joviality. Changes in each health perception were related to changes in particular emotions.

CONCLUSION: These findings imply that health perceptions are shaped in a constant dialogue with the representations about the broader world. Furthermore, it seems that the core of health perception changes lies in the acceptance that personal well-being is subject to several potential threats, as well as that people cannot fully control many of the factors the determine their own well-being.

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