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Feeling Good, Feeling Well

Identity, Emotion, and Health

  • Chapter
Advances in Identity Theory and Research

Abstract

Over the past decade, health psychologists have been finding empirical evidence that negative emotions and unexpressed emotions have negative effects on physiology and health (Kubzansky & Kawachi, 2000; Mayne, 1999; Baum & Posluszny, 1999). Correspondingly, other studies have found that the interpersonal expression of negative emotion about stressful or traumatic events produces health improvements (Pennebaker & Beall, 1986; Smyth et al., 1994). These findings are bolstered by results in the social support literature regarding psychological and emotional distress (Tyler & Hoyt, 2000; Lechner, 1993; Whelan, 1993; Thoits, 1995). However, to date, no explanation has been developed to explain why expressing emotion to others produces such positive health outcomes. Drawing on Identity Theory (Stryker, 1980; Stryker and Statham, 1986), Affect Control Theory (Heise, 1979; 1999), and sociological theories of emotion management (Francis, 1997; Thoits, 1996; Hochschild, 1983), this paper attempts to address this issues. In this chapter, I will develop a theoretical explanation of social interaction to suggest the utility of understanding the role of identity and affect in health.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, 11794

    Linda E. Francis

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  1. Linda E. Francis
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California

    Peter J. Burke

  2. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

    Timothy J. Owens

  3. California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, California

    Richard T. Serpe

  4. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

    Peggy A. Thoits

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© 2003 Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers

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Francis, L.E. (2003). Feeling Good, Feeling Well. In: Burke, P.J., Owens, T.J., Serpe, R.T., Thoits, P.A. (eds) Advances in Identity Theory and Research. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9188-1_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9188-1_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-306-47741-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-9188-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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