Question

What did psychologist sheldon cohen and his colleagues find when investigating the relationship between chronic stress and susceptibility to the common cold?

a. it is a myth that stress is associated with greater susceptibility to the common cold and respiratory infections.
b. when people are under chronic or long-term stress, their immune system functioning responds strongly, reducing susceptibility to the common cold and other infections.
c. the higher a person's level of stress, the higher the rate of respiratory infections and colds.
d. those with a pessimistic explanatory style are more susceptible to the common cold than those with an optimistic explanatory style.

Answer 1

Research by Sheldon Cohen and his team has shown that chronic stress impairs immune system functioning, leading to an increased susceptibility to the common cold. (option b) Chronic stressors, particularly those involving work and relationships, elevate the risk of respiratory infections. The field of psychoneuroimmunology explores this relationship between chronic stress and immune response.

Step-by-step explanation:

Psychologist Sheldon Cohen and his colleagues found that chronic stress increases susceptibility to the common cold. In their research, they discovered that individuals who reported experiencing chronic stressors for more than one month, particularly those related to work or personal relationships, were significantly more likely to develop colds after being exposed to the virus. Unlike short-term stress, which may enhance some elements of the immune response, long-term stress inhibits immune system functioning, resulting in a higher rate of respiratory infections.

The findings of Cohen et al. are supported by numerous studies indicating that various stressors can impair immune function, such as public speaking, medical school exams, unemployment, and caring for a relative with Alzheimer's disease. This weakening of the immune system is theorized to stem from the body's prolonged activation of a physiological system initially evolved to handle acute physical emergencies, now triggered by chronic psychological stress.

Pioneering the field of psychoneuroimmunology, researchers are investigating the complex interactions between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, which have evolved to communicate with one another. This research area uncovers how chronic stress adversely affects immune response, making individuals more prone to illnesses such as the common cold.