POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
Most of us are familiar with positive and negative emotions. Psychology has in the past emphasised mostly the negative emotions. More recently there is greater emphasis on the influence of positive emotions. An impressive body of cross-sectional survey data shows that happy people tend to function better in life than less happy people, are typically more productive, more socially engaged, and tend to have higher incomes (Diener, 2000; Huppert, 2005; Seligman, 2002).
People with positive attitude and emotions get healed from illnesses much faster than others. Individuals with a positive affective style have a higher level of immune function than those with a negative affective style. Interventions which increase positive emotions are associated with enhanced immune system functioning. High levels or prolonged secretion of the stress hormone cortisol damages immune function (Huppert, 2005).