On the psycho- in psychophysiology: notes for a history of the mind-body effect

One hundred and twenty-five years of the dialogue between psychology and physiology reveal a vibrant discussion about the mind-body effect--the ability of waking consciousness to influence its own normally unconscious physiology through conscious intention, and conversely, the reciprocal effect of physiology on consciousness. In the early phase, the data remained largely anecdotal. Scientific study of the emotions then opened the door to dynamic theories of the subconscious. Such formulations, however, were repeatedly overshadowed by concurrent advances in brain neurophysiology, which rejected not only any exploration of the unconscious that relied on the method of symbolism, but also the reality of the unconscious itself. Nevertheless, scientific advances at the interface between psychology and physiology persisted. Since the 1950s, however, there has been an explosion of new work in the neurosciences at the interface between molecular genetics, endocrinology, neurology, immunology, and psychiatry. This has fueled both new research and renewed discussion about the mind-body effect, a dialogue that is now, in part, also a response to a counter-culture revolution occurring at the interface between the delivery of clinical services throughout the healthcare professions and an increasingly sophisticated consumer demand for alternative and complementary therapies.