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Once upon a time, people believed that the Earth was flat, but this turned out to be false. What used to be considered true may be false today. As evidence – three new studies that refute the usual ideas about life.
Constant anxiety is fraught with health problems, money does not bring happiness, and married people are happier and healthier than single people. It would seem that long-verified information, which is not worth arguing with.
However, new studies have shown that not everything is so simple and there is a counterargument to each of these statements.
Misconception 1. All diseases are from nerves
There are people who constantly worry over trifles, are always afraid of something, are more often angry and disappointed, more nervous and feel their own impotence. Psychologists now and then report how these emotional outbursts affect an increased tendency to depression, panic attacks, phobias and all kinds of psychosomatic diseases.
Until now, disturbing personalities could only be pitied. However, the case takes an unexpected turn. The journal Psychological Science has published the results of a multi-year study led by cognitive epidemiology professor Katherine Gale.
Scientists have found that neuroticism has a significant plus – this feature acts as a “hidden protection against death.” The authors interviewed more than half a million people aged 37 to 73, each of whom filled out personality type questionnaires.
In addition, the scientists were provided with detailed information about the participants’ physical health, their medical diagnoses, and health-related behaviors (smoking, physical activity, etc.). The procedure was repeated six years later.
The result surprised the researchers: people with high levels of neuroticism are less likely to have serious fatal diseases – including cancer. Neither the amount of alcohol consumed, nor smoking, nor diets, nor physical activity play any role in this case.
“We assumed that increased anxiety and vulnerability could encourage people to adopt a healthier lifestyle in order to reduce risks, but this is not the case,” the researchers comment on their finding. What exactly is the matter, scientists do not yet know.
Misconception 2. Married people have better health
Back in June 2017, at a conference of the British Society of Cardiovascular Surgeons, scientists said that married people live longer, suffer less from depression and heart attacks. Diabetes and high blood pressure in them are less likely to lead to death than in bachelors with the same diagnoses.
But a month later, a sociologist from Ohio State University Dmitry Tumin refuted this point of view. He compared data on people who were born between 1955 and 1984 and found that the effect had stopped working. The older generation did get better during their married life, but the younger generation did not. First of all, this applies to women.
Tumin is not yet sure why the “protective effect” of marriage has disappeared, but he made several assumptions. The simplest explanation is that scientific methods have changed, so new studies give more accurate results. True, this option does not explain the recent inspiring findings of British scientists.
Perhaps social conditions have changed. In a more patriarchal society, a woman depended on a man for everything, it was much more difficult to provide for herself on her own. Modern women are quite able to take care of their own well-being – including health.
On the other hand, both men and women today are forced to devote more time to work, to do more, to manage to combine career and family. As a result, even married people have only a few hours left for their personal lives. All this is fertile ground for conflicts. You have probably heard about the effects of stress on health.
Misconception 3. Money can’t buy happiness
In the last couple of years, it has become fashionable to stick to the slow life, or leisurely life. One of the mottos of this trend is no fast food. Cook at home with feeling, with sense, with arrangement – and you will be happy. It turns out it won’t.
A group of researchers led by social psychologist Ashley Willans of Harvard Business School interviewed 6 people from the US, Denmark, the Netherlands and Canada. Scientists were interested in the question: how often do people spend money on food delivery, a cleaning lady, or other services that save personal time?
34% of respondents admitted that they regularly use this opportunity. And most importantly, they feel much happier than those who try to save money and enjoy routine activities, as slow life advises.
To test the findings, the researchers conducted another study. Several dozen Canadians were given $40 each and offered to spend it either on services or on material things. Bottom line: things, unlike free time, did not make their owners happier.
“If the thought of doing something makes you feel uncomfortable, you should consider whether you are ready to spend money to have someone else do it,” advises study co-author Elizabeth Dunn, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.