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Positive illusions and its association with cardiovascular functions
Yong Peng Why1, Raymond Zhiwei Huang
1National University of Singapore, Singapore. psywyp@nus.edu.sg
Summary
Positive illusions, or self-enhancement, are linked to poorer cardiovascular function in Asian populations. This relationship may be causal and is partly influenced by an individual's sense of control.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cardiovascular Health
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Positive illusions, also known as self-enhancement, involve an overly favorable self-view.
- Previous research has explored the link between self-enhancement and health outcomes, but less is known about its impact on cardiovascular function, particularly in Asian populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between self-enhancement and cardiovascular functions in Asian samples.
- To explore whether this relationship is correlational or potentially causal.
- To examine the mediating role of perceived control in the self-enhancement and cardiovascular stress response link.
Main Methods:
- Study 1 involved assessing self-enhancement in 241 participants and measuring ambulatory cardiovascular functions in 122 participants over a day.
- Study 2 experimentally induced self-enhancement or self-effacement in participants (n=72 total) and measured cardiovascular arousal and perceived control during a mental arithmetic task.
Main Results:
- Self-enhancement predicted lower cardiovascular functions in both studies.
- In Study 1, self-enhancement assessed later in the study predicted cardiovascular function, but not when assessed earlier.
- In Study 2, perceived control partially mediated the relationship between self-enhancement and vascular reactivity.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest that self-enhancement is associated with poorer cardiovascular function in Asian populations, extending previous research.
- The results indicate a potentially causal link between self-enhancement and cardiovascular stress response.
- Increased perceived control may partially explain the link between self-enhancement and vascular reactivity, with implications for cardiovascular health.
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