Page 450 - Understanding Psychology

The Illusion
of Stress
Period of Study: 1983, 1988
Introduction: In psychology, the term illu- sions is usually considered to be related to a psychosis, or a major
psychological disorder
in which a person’s
ability to think, re-
spond emotionally,
remember, communi-
cate, or interpret reality
is noticeably impaired.
Although everyone
experiences some per-
ceptual illusions, those
diagnosed with a
schizophrenic-type
disorder often experience bizarre illusions, halluci- nations, or delusions. However, Shelley Taylor in 1983 and Taylor with Jonathon Brown in 1988 discovered that illusions might actually promote healthy living. These illusions are voluntary, unlike those associated with schizophrenia. Individuals use illusions to maintain optimistic, hopeful out- looks on situations that otherwise could cause an unhealthy amount of stress. Illusions such as these work for cancer sufferers, AIDS patients, individuals with physical injuries or mental disa- bilities, and people suffering from other serious illnesses.
Hypothesis: Taylor described illusions as beliefs that were based on “an overly optimistic view of the facts or that had no factual basis at all” (1983). Her hypothesis stated that women suffering from breast cancer who had illusions, by her definition, would cope better with stress from disfiguring surgeries, painful treatments, and the possibilities of death than would
the same women who did not have these illusions. The women who would have illu- sions would benefit from placing them- selves in hopeful situations. In addition to studying women with breast cancer, Taylor and Brown researched the illusion hypothesis further by expanding the pop- ulation studied in 1988.
Method: Taylor conducted a two-year study on women diagnosed with breast cancer. Five years later, Taylor and Brown conducted their research. Both studies consisted of a control group who did not use optimistic illusions and an experimental group of those individuals who did. Once Taylor and Brown established
436 Chapter 15 / Stress and Health
Results:
Taylor and Brown found that the par- ticipants who used illusions to maintain an opti- mistic view were cheerful, had more friends, and were usually more persistent, creative, and pro- ductive than those without such positive illusions (Morris & Maisto, 2000). The positive outlooks these people hold create confidence and the motivation to pursue their interests. Thus, accord- ing to Taylor and Brown’s findings, the use of illusions can reduce the occurrence of stress in sit- uations that may otherwise be extremely stressful. Extreme caution, though, should be taken when a person uses illusions. As mentioned ear- lier, illusions are often associated with psychologi- cal disorders. Not everyone can separate reality from fantasy. Some people who may use illusions by Taylor’s definition could become fixed in their fantasies and lose the capability of returning to the real world. The use of illusions to reduce or elimi- nate stress not only requires a vivid imagination
but also a strong mind.
the two groups, they assessed the emo- tions the participants displayed concerning their conditions, ex- pectations for the future, how they main- tained social relation- ships during their illnesses, and other measures focusing on self-esteem.
Analyzing the Case Study
1. How is the use of illusions related to stress?
2. How did Taylor and Brown test their hypothesis?
3. Critical Thinking When do you think the use of illu- sions crosses the line from healthy to unhealthy living?