Assignment task:
Summarize the mechanism by which religious involvement could influence physical health; and tell us a story from your life that is related to one or more of these mechanisms operating in a real life situation. Psychosocial Factors The possible influence of religion on physical health through psychological and social factors has already been discussed above. There is ample evidence that religious involvement could influence immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular functioning by reducing psychological stress, enhancing positive emotions (optimism, hope, joy), preventing psychiatric disorders (or speeding their resolution), enhancing social support, and reinforcing "other"-directed attitudes and activities (forgiveness, altruism, giving sup- port to others). Religious doctrines emphasize these experiences and behaviors; subjects report that religion helps them to cope; and studies show that religious people cope better, have more positive emotions, and fewer psychiatric disorders, and are more involved in prosocial activities. These, in turn, have been associated with better immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular functioning, which are directly linked with positive health outcomes. I would like to further elaborate on possible mechanisms of religion's effects on health through cardiovascular pathways. Not only may religious involvement reduce blood pressure or prevent its rise, it may also affect vascular compliance, degree of plaque buildup in coronary/carotid arteries, degree of heart rate variability, and cardiovascular reactivity tied to sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity. There are studies that suggest connections between religious activity and blood pressure, coronary artery disease mortality, and cardiovascular reactivity. However, no studies have yet examined relationships between traditional religious activities and vascular compliance (flexibility of blood vessel walls), heart rate variability, or plaque buildup in coronary or carotid arteries. If religious activity reduces stress level, enhances immune function (and susceptibility to viral infections that may be responsible for plaque formation), and influences inflammatory markers (such as C-reactive protein), then vascular compliance and artery plaque levels could be likewise