Nicholas Waters

Paper Assignment
Feb. 14, 2015

Psychology and Health

The health industry is growing tremendously with an increased focus on how we look. Today,
many people spend countless hours at the gym running mile after mile on a treadmill, lifting weights, and
committing themselves to eating healthier in hopes that they may look a certain way or feel happier about
their physical appearance. However, with this growing trend of the need to look like a model, there is an
increase in obesity. How is it then that one person may be what health professionals call fit and lean, but
yet the next person is overweight and obese? Could there be a psychological difference between the two?
The topic I have chosen for this paper is the psychology of health and the personality traits between
healthy and unhealthy persons, particularly the relationship between optimism and hardiness with
physical activity participation.
Optimism is defined as the hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful
outcome of something. In other words, someone who is optimistic believes that in certain times, I
usually expect the best while a pessimist believes if something can go wrong for me, it will (Schacter,
Gilbert, Wegner, Nock, 2014, p. 574). According to the textbook Psychology, by Schacter et al. (2014),
dozens of studies have shown that increased optimism is related to increased cardiovascular health, which
reduces the incidence of heart disease, depression and anxiety. Optimistic people tend to participate in
physical activity more than pessimistic people. However, in a study conducted by Kavussanu and
McAuley (1995), 188 participants took part in a number of questionnaires that trace optimism, pessimism,
physical self-efficacy, trait anxiety and the extent and nature of involvement in physical activity. In their
study, those who are moderate to highly active have a higher tendency to be more optimistic (Kavussanu
& McAuley, 1995). In addition to being more optimistic, those who exercise regularly had higher self-

efficacy and feelings of mastery. The feeling of self-efficacy and mastery is the belief that one can
accomplish what he or she sets out to do and the sense of gratification. So does exercise promote
optimism, or does being optimistic cause one to exercise? Although many studies suggest one or the
other, it is safe to assume that exercise and optimism go hand in hand.
Another personality trait that can affect the health of an individual is hardiness. Schacter et al.
(2014), refers to hardiness as someone who is able to be thick-skinned, somehow able to take stress or
abuse that could be devastating to others (p. 575). Those who are hardy and stress-resistant have three
common traits among them. They show a sense of commitment, control, and accept challenges (Schacter
et al. 2014). The hormone cortisol is released by the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal gland. Cortisol, the
stress hormone, activates the mobilization of blood glucose levels for energy for the fight or flight
response (Taylor, Pietrobon, Taverniers, Leon, Fern, 2013). Most of our stressful situations do not
involve a risk for our lives where energy is needed to either fight or flee; stresses come from work,
school, financial, personal relationship, etc. These situations do not necessarily require the energy that
cortisol is causing to be released. Therefore, this added glucose is then stored in our cells causing an
increase in subcutaneous fat. If we have less stress in our lives, there will be less cortisol and glucose
release. According to Taylor et al., those who are hardy have increased health than those who are not
(2013). Hardiness was found to have an impact on both mental and physical health.
To bring this all together, those who are more active and exercise are more optimistic and hardy.
Being optimistic and hardy lowers the risk for cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and heart
disease. This is important to me because I am interested in the health field and physical activity. I have a
degree in Exercise and Sports Science and wish to see people more actively engaged in physical activity.
Knowing that each individuals personality is different, but being able to recognize those who are
pessimistic versus optimistic, and those who are hardy versus non-hardy could help me work with those
trying to achieve their health goals. Those who may be pessimistic will require a lot of reassurances and
external motivation from me and those around them. They may feel that exercising and becoming

physically active may be an overwhelming task. Health professionals need to be encouraging and
optimistic, helping their clients see the change and good that is taking place when that person exercises.
My wife says that I am the more optimistic person in our relationship and I feel like I am fairly
optimistic in most everything, but I can see the pessimism in an individual with whom I work. He is
always seems to see the bad in situations and becomes stressed. This individual does not exercise and is
probably borderline obese, according to the BMI scale (BMI >30). However, I have another co-worker
who is very optimistic and handles stress very well. Although he does not exercise as much as he should,
he is in much better shape physically. I think this difference in physical fitness may have to do with
optimism and hardiness.
Another example I have seen is someone who I know that was very pessimistic and was not
exercising. He was very large and was very negative towards what seemed everything. I feel that
because he was overweight, he was pessimistic, and negative. This caused stress in his life which caused
him to eat more. It is a cycle that repeats over and over. However, he made a change in his life. He
started to see the good in things. He was more optimistic. He even started exercising! It was a complete
turn around and although it was not easy, he is more friendly, happy and energized. Now, that he is
making better food choices and exercising, he sees the weight coming off, his stress levels have decreased
and now the cycle has changed for the good.
It was interesting to learn about how being optimistic and hardy can relate to an area of study that
I interested in. I had never thought about how being optimistic could help with physical fitness and
helping others achieve their goals. The psychology of exercising and leading a healthy lifestyle is
something more to be studied it would be interesting to learn if someone could change their personality,
but for now, I will hope that through researching about this paper I will be more equipped in helping
people with their health.

References
Kavussanu, M., & McAuley, E. (1995). Exercise and Optimism: Are Highly Active Individuals More
Optimistic?. Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 17(3), 246-258.
Schacter, D. L., Gilbert, D. T., Wegner, D. M., & Nock, M. K. (2014). Psychology (3rd ed.). New York,
NW: Worth.
Taylor, M., Pietrobon, R., Taverniers, J., Leon, M., & Fern, B. (2013). Relationships of hardiness to
physical and mental health status in military men: a test of mediated effects. Journal Of
Behavioral Medicine, 36(1), 1-9. doi:10.1007/s10865-011-9387-8