Emotional expression and health

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511543579.019

Emotional expression and health

from Psychology, health and illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 December 2014

Richard B. Slatcher and

Edited by

John Weinman and

Richard B. Slatcher: Affiliation:
The University of Texas at Austin
James W. Pennebaker: Affiliation:
The University of Texas at Austin
Susan Ayers: Affiliation:
University of Sussex
Andrew Baum: Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Chris McManus: Affiliation:
St Mary's Hospital Medical School
Stanton Newman: Affiliation:
University College and Middlesex School of Medicine
Kenneth Wallston: Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
John Weinman: Affiliation:
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's
Robert West: Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London

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Summary

A longstanding puzzle within psychology and psychosomatic medicine concerns the relationship between the expression of emotions and physical health. Descartes and Shakespeare suggested that not expressing powerful emotions could be unhealthy. Similarly, William James (1890) and Franz Alexander (1950) forcefully argued that inhibiting the expression of strong emotions over time could result in physical health problems through basic biological stress-related channels (see ‘Psychoneuroimmunology’ and ‘Psychosomatics’). Despite these early hypotheses, there is still no overwhelming evidence to support the idea that the suppression of emotional expression is unhealthy and, conversely, that the open expression of emotions is beneficial.

Emotional expression has been viewed by our culture somewhat ambivalently. On the one hand, emotional expression is often viewed as rather uncivilized, as ‘giving in’ to passion (King & Emmons, 1990, p. 864). On the other hand, it is assumed that emotions usually should be let out, that the healthy end to an emotional response is emotional expression. This view is especially common in the psychological literature. From Breuer and Freud (1895/1966) to the present (e.g. Cole et al., 1996; Pelletier, 1985) the inherent value of naturally expressing one's thoughts and feelings has been emphasized. Emotional expression is thus viewed as a somewhat unseemly but normal part of everyday life.

While emotional expression is a normative behaviour which is neither good nor bad per se, actively holding back emotion through inhibition may have negative health consequences.

Type: Chapter
Information: Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine , pp. 84 - 87

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511543579.019 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2007

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