La Trobe University PSY1PAC Introductory Psychology: People and Culture Lecture 10 PDF

latrobe.edu.au PSY1PAC Introductory Psychology: People and Culture Lecture 10: Physical Health and Food Readings: Rozin (1999) Dr Matthew Ruby Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy...

latrobe.edu.au PSY1PAC Introductory Psychology: People and Culture Lecture 10: Physical Health and Food Readings: Rozin (1999) Dr Matthew Ruby Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy [email protected] La Trobe University CRICOS Provider Code Number 00115M  Lecture Outline Genetic and Physical Variation Across Cultures SES & Health Medical Practices and Attitudes “The French Paradox” Attitudes and Eating Motivations Traditional and Modern Eating  Learning Outcomes Students should be able to: Explain the process of culture-gene coevolution. Detail cultural differences in sleep. Understand how socioeconomic status (SES) is related to physical health. Describe some cultural variations in the practice and understanding of medicine.  Learning Outcomes Students should be able to: Describe some key cultural differences in the approach to food and eating. Detail common motivations for why people eat what they eat, and how this can vary across cultures. Explain how traditional and modern eating practices are conceptualised around the world.  Biological Variability of Humans Human biology varies across cultures, and there are two main explanations. 1. Innate biological differences Different selection pressures over generations cause genetic variations in different human populations 2. Acquired biological differences Caused by different experiences within one’s lifetime in diverse locations  Biological Variability of Humans Humans evolved due to selective pressures in their environments. Different environments have different selection pressures, leading different populations to evolve specific traits. Image is public domain / CC0 license (Hawks et al., 2007; Laland et al., 2010)  Biological Variability of Humans Example: Skin color across different populations. Humans need ultraviolet radiation (UVR) to provide Vitamin D, but too much UVR can be damaging. In high-UVR locations, darker skin prevents overabsorption of UVR. In low-UVR locations, lighter skin allows enough UVR absorption to synthesize Vitamin D. Skin color strongly correlates with the amount of UVR that reaches different parts of the globe. (Jablonski & Chaplin, 2000) Image is public domain / CC0 license  Culture-Gene Coevolution Cultural factors can influence genomic variation. Example: Lactose tolerance (or intolerance) in humans Most adults develop lactase nonpersistence, or meaning they don’t have enough lactase to digest lactose. Cow domestication in northern Europe  mutation that helps humans digest milk. Lactase persistence developed in regions with high genetic diversity in cattle. Image is public domain / CC0 license (Hollox, 2005; Beja-Pereira et al., 2003; Tishkoff, 2007)  Dairy African Americans Native Americans Indigenous Australians Adapted from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_map_of_lactose_intolerance.png  High Altitude Environmental factors can influence genetic variation Several cultural groups in Tibet live at very high elevations (> 4000 m) Several handy genetic adaptations Higher blood-oxygen levels Greater lung capacity Greater capacity for exercise at high levels Result of natural selection Image is public domain / CC0 license (Yi et al., 2010)  Underwater Vision Moken (nomadic people in SE Asia) ~300 years ago, fled turmoil in Indonesia, most now in Thailand DOUBLE the underwater visual acuity of Europeans Very young, Moken children swim underwater to collect fish and shellfish Differences in visual acuity appears experience-driven Typical pupil (not under water) (Gislen et al., 2003; 2005) Moken pupil under water  Physical Height Average height (men) (Floud, 1994; Shay, 1994)  Physical Height Potential explanation: The economic wealth of a country has close ties with the height of its people. More wealth may allow a healthier diet, especially at ages when growth spurts occur. Changes in average heights across time have happened alongside broad societal changes that affected diet. Image is public domain / CC0 license (Komlos, 1998)  Culture and Sleep How many hours of sleep per night do you think are necessary for good health? a) fewer than 6 b) 6 c) 7 d) 8 e) 9 f) More than 9  Culture and Sleep Before electric lighting, people’s sleeping cycle had two phases. First, people went to sleep a little after sunset and woke in the middle of the night for an hour or so. Then they slept again until around dawn. Similar pattern observed in subsistence societies, and when people are kept in a room that only has 10 hours of light per day. (Crook, 2008; Ekirch, 2005; Wehr et al., 1993) Image is public domain / CC0 license  Culture and Sleep Many people think 8 hours a night is needed It’s a lot more complicated National Sleep Foundation (USA) made guide in 2015 Reviewed 300+ articles; formed panel of 18 experts Adapted from Hirschkowitz et al. (2015)  Culture and Sleep Euro Canadian, Asian Canadian, & Japanese students How much do they sleep? How much do they want to sleep? How efficient is their sleep? What beliefs do they hold about sleep? Tracked using self-report and actigraphy data Image is public domain / CC0 license (Cheung et al., 2021)  Culture and Sleep Japanese students slept the least, and least efficiently Yet, they were least tired and reported the best health They had lower ideal sleep times (personal & cultural) Perceived weaker link between sleep and health Two Canadian groups quite similar; suggests local acculturation (Table from Cheung et al., 2021)  Culture and Sleep Infant Hours of Sleep per Day (including naps) 13.5 13 12.5 12 11.5 11 Adapted from Mindell et al. (2010) There is a lot of variation between countries  Culture and Sleep From Pronk et al. (2024) There is also lots of variation within countries  SES & Health SES Health in every country studied Not limited to industrialized countries Burkina Faso: Major cause of death is malaria Mossi: genetic resistance Rimaibe: genetic resistance Fulani: arrived < 200 years ago, no resistance Higher SES (conquered other groups) Fulani contract malaria least often (Gordon, 2000; Wallace & Wallace, 2002) Image is public domain / CC0 license  SES & Health Psychosocial factors may be involved in the relationship between SES and health. Personality characteristics Example: Hostility and pessimism  Poorer health Cognitive resources Poverty can have physical consequences, (e.g., reduced surface area of the cortex). Impoverished people more likely to engage in short-term strategies. Poverty preoccupies people because it brings difficult trade-offs for survival. Poverty can require people to spend more money than otherwise required. (Chen, 2004; Mani et al., 2013; Marmot, 2004; )  SES & Health Relationship similar in places with/out universal health care Lower SES people engage in more unhealthy habits Smoking Fast food Differences remain if controlled for Important mediator: stress Image is public domain / CC0 license (Crespo et al., 1999; Kaplan & Keil, 1993)  Stress & Health Stress  Health Health-damaging behaviors (drinking, smoking, poor diet) Weakens immune system Some environments produce more stress New York City will kill you 55% higher rate of heart attacks than national average Visitors to city more likely to have heart attack New Yorkers who travel elsewhere LESS likely to have heart attack Lack of control (being low on hierarchy)  Stress Providing lower SES people with control  Less illness (Miller & Cohen, 2005; Hajat et al., 2010; Christenfeld et al., 1999) https://giphy.com/gifs/vogue-carey-mulligan-far- from-the-madding-crowd-538SrAd6CnGKc  SES & Health Primates with lower status show greater stress hormone levels when in a social system where: hierarchy is stable order is maintained via intimidation rather than physical attacks subordinates can’t avoid dominant individuals there is low availability for social support Image is public domain / CC0 license (Sapolsky, 2005)  SES & Health Primate research parallels human research Subjective SES very important to health Objective matters, but less Perception of control critical  Practice Question Imagine that one group of people has developed lungs that can breathe underwater while another group has not, but with training, it is possible for anyone to develop these lungs. What would this be an example of? a) Innate biological difference b) Acquired biological variation c) Distal causality d) Subconscious differences BREAK TIME   Cross-Cultural Medical Practices Medical practices vary greatly by culture. In many societies that use traditional medicine, disease is often attributed to supernatural causes, such as witches, demons, or ghosts. Modern Western medicine relies on the scientific method, using controlled experiments that are shared internationally, and does not consider supernatural causes to be good explanations for illness. (Angel & Thoits, 1987; Murdock, 1980) Image is public domain / CC0 license  Cross-Cultural Medical Practices Example: Metaphors for the body In China, yin and yang emphasizes opposite forces that are in balance. In France, terrain emphasizes “resistance.” French doctors prescribe more long rests and spa visits. Dirt and germs can strengthen one’s terrain, so there is less emphasis on daily bathing. In the USA, the metaphor of the machine emphasizes that the body needs to be tended regularly if it is to run well. American doctors more likely to do surgery. Germs are key threat to health  doctors prescribe more antibiotics there than anywhere else. Image is public domain / CC0 license (Payer, 1996; Goossens et al., 2005; Leeman et al., 2001)  Cross-Cultural Medical Practices In Germany… Kreislaufkollaps “Catching a draft” We’ll return to the idea of culturally specific concepts of distress next week https://www.deutschcentre.com/single-post/2019/10/22/german-illness-beware-the-draft Image is public domain / CC0 license  Imagine... If you could take an inexpensive pill each day that fully satisfied your nutritional needs and made you feel full, would you? a) No b) Yes  % Preferring inexpensive pill to eating (Rozin et al., 2003) Median domain page citations in indices of current major psychology texts 6 intro psych texts Sum: work, business, 3 money, food, eating1, play, sports, religion, politic-, war, music, art, novels, fiction, literature 1 Not including eating disorders (Rozin, 2006) The French Paradox All images are public domain / CC0 license  Life Expectancy 1. Japan 84.3 years 2. Switzerland 83.4 years 3. South Korea 83.3 years … 8. Australia 83.0 years … 11. France 82.5 years … 40. USA 78.5 years (WHO, 2020) Given the choice between spending the weekend in a luxury hotel with average food, or an average hotel with gourmet food, which would you prefer? a) Luxury hotel (average food) b) Gourmet food (average hotel)  Percent of participants preferring luxury hotel to gourmet hotel at the same price Women (students) Men (students) France 13% 8% USA 83% 71% (Rozin et al., 2003) Image is public domain / CC0 license Percent of participants saying “unhealthy” Heavy cream: whipped or unhealthy Women (students) Men (students) France 28% 23% USA 67% 48% Image is public domain / CC0 license (Rozin et al., 2003)  “Food and medicine are fundamentally different” % strongly agree % agree France 74 18 US 16 59 (Rozin et al., 2003) Image is public domain / CC0 license  Percent of participants agreeing that they eat a “healthy diet” Women (students) Men (students) France 76% 72% USA 28% 38% Image is public domain / CC0 license (Rozin et al., 2003)  Minutes Eating Lunch Source France USA McDonalds 22.3 13.2 Quick / Burger King 16.5 15.3 Portion Size Restaurant France USA McDonald’s (7) 189g 256g Quick / Burger King (5) 207g 322g Chinese (6) 244g 418g (Rozin et al., 2003) Image is public domain / CC0 license  Time use in France (Rennes) and USA (Columbus) Activity France USA Working/ commuting 6.3 hours 5.4 hours Walking 19 minutes 7 minutes Reading 48 minutes 33 minutes Pray/worship 3 minutes 19 minutes Eating 117 52 minutes minutes (Kahneman et al., 2010)  Supermarket Food Portions ITEM Carrefour Acme Yogurt (modal) 125g 227g Fresh fruit (mean,4 types) 431g 553g Coca cola (modal) 330ml 500ml ITEM Carrefour Acme Toothpaste (modal, ml) 75 170 Toilet paper (mean, sq cm) 121 117 Cat food (modal, g) 100 85 Image is public domain / CC0 license (Rozin et al., 2003)  Some French-American Differences Portion size Eating time Eating sociality / conversation Freshness and taste (vs. shelf life) priority Snacking prevalence & opportunities Moderation vs. abundance ideology (Rozin, 1999; Rozin et al., 2003) Different Definitions of Healthy Eating Australia India Different Definitions of Healthy Eating Canada Mexico Different Definitions of Healthy Eating Japan Different Definitions of Healthy Eating Brazil  Eating Motivations Considering other cultural similarities / differences… In general, what drives food choice? The Eating Motivations Scale (TEMS) “I eat what I eat because…” (Sproesser et al., 2017)  Eating Motivations (Sproesser et al., 2017)  Eating Motivations (Sproesser et al., 2017)  Changes in Food and Eating Ancestral Environment  Modern World Food scarce  Food abundant High effort  Lower effort Modest  enormous variety Calorie dense super foods (chocolate) Epidemiological information, but no teaching of how to interpret Image is public domain / CC0 license (Rozin, 1999)  Changes in Food and Eating: Positive General increase in food supply Increased efficiency in production FAR more food variety in most of the world Food safety improvements These changes have been linked to overall increases in life expectancy (Chopra et al., 2002; Almanza et al., 2017; Drewnowski & Popkin, 1997) Image is public domain / CC0 license  Changes in Food and Eating: Negative More fat, sugar, calories; less fiber and complex carbs Increase in chronic, degenerative diseases Homogenisation of diets: ‘Coca-Colonization’ Michael Pollan (2009): “regard non-traditional foods with skepticism” (p. 89) “people who eat according to the rules of a traditional food culture are generally healthier than those of us eating a modern Western diet of processed foods” (p. 89). Image is public domain / CC0 license (Cassel & Boushey, 2015; De Flora et al., 2005; Popkin et al., 2012)  Changes in Food and Eating Increasing interest in returning to ‘traditional eating’ But what even IS traditional and modern? This changes a LOT across time and culture (Sproesser et al., 2018, 2019, 2022) Images are public domain / CC0 license  The TEP10 Project Large grant led by Dr Gudrun Sproesser, with collaborators from 10* countries Developed framework for traditional and modern eating Examined lay perceptions of traditional and modern eating practices (Sproesser et al., 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)  The TEP10 Project Time zone coordination Cultural differences in punctuality Interdisciplinary differences (positive and negative) Assessing traditional and modern eating in 10 different countries (which comprise ~50% of humanity) Difficulty translating concepts “Spiritually speaking, some foods are better than others” “High consumptions of sugar” (Sproesser et al., 2018, 2019, 2022) The TEP10 Project From Sproesser et al. (2019)  The TEP10 Project Country N Mage (SDage) % female Brazil 847 42.40 (18.59) 58 China 408 44.89 (19,83) 51 France 127 47.87 (19.69) 50 Germany 223 49.86 (19.13) 60 Ghana 142 45.95 (21.55) 51 India 569 44.84 (20.51) 49 Japan 333 47.71 (21.72) 53 Mexico 731 43.25 (16.37) 64 Turkey 108 45.40 (20.51) 51 USA 415 45.99 (19.30) 52 Online surveys in all 10 countries All 3903 44.83 (19.32) 55 Paper & pencil surveys in 10 countries Face-to-face interviews in rural Ghana Administered in local language(s) Rated 86 facets from -3 very traditional to 3 very modern  The TEP10 Project Out of 10 countries, 9 food cultures emerged (Figure from Sproesser et al., 2022)  The TEP10 Project (Figure from Sproesser et al., 2022)  The TEP10 Project (Figure from Sproesser et al., 2022)  The TEP10 Project (Figure from Sproesser et al., 2022)  The TEP10 Project Biggest Similarities Biggest Differences Recently produced food Dairy products Food from around the world Sweet desserts at end of meal Food from other cuisines Home-canned food Eating out Table manners Food from vending machines Consumption of red meat Far more agreement about modern than traditional (Sproesser et al., 2022)  Practice MC Question In Sproesser et al.’s (2019) model, traditional and modern eating can best be understood by considering ________: a) Eating duration & Eating location b) Unprocessed food intake & Processed food intake c) What people eat & How people eat d) Nutrient density & Caloric density