Health And Human Behavior 2021 PDF

HEALTH AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR BY DR. ERIC KOKA HEALTH DEFINED The English word "health" comes from the Old English word hale, meaning "wholeness, being whole, sound or well," Hale comes from the Proto-Indo-European root kailo meaning "whole, uninjured, of good omen". Kailo comes fr...

HEALTH AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR BY DR. ERIC KOKA HEALTH DEFINED The English word "health" comes from the Old English word hale, meaning "wholeness, being whole, sound or well," Hale comes from the Proto-Indo-European root kailo meaning "whole, uninjured, of good omen". Kailo comes from the Proto-Germanic root khalbas , meaning "something divided" HEALTH DEFINED Med lexicon's: medical dictionary has three def in itions for health. These are: 1.The state of the organism when it functions optimally without evidence of disease or abnormality. 2. A state of dynamic balance in which an individual's or a group's capacity to cope with all the circumstances of living is at an optimal level. HEALTH DEFINED A state characterized by anatomic, physiologic, and psychological integrity, ability to perform personally valued family, work, and community roles; ability to deal with physical, biologic, psychological, and social stress; a feeling of well-being, and freedom from the risk of disease and untimely death HEALTH DEFINED Health: A state of complete social, psychological and physical well-being (WHO, 1978) This def inition is useful to WHO but it asks the question of what is exactly this STATE and whether it will be universally recognized That is what may constitute this sense of well-being in one society may be quite different from well-being in another. For eg. Physical well-being interpreted as having a substantial amount of body fat might be seen as a sign of excellent health in a population but seen as ‘overweight’ and need of medical intervention in HEALTH DEFINED D e p re s s e d b e h a v i o u r m a y b e s e e n a s a c a u s e o f hospitalization in one culture but evidence of the power of witchcraft in another There is also variation in what constitutes ‘healthiness’ within a populations. A body weight considered healthy for a man may be considered overweight for a woman Pregnancy in a 25 year old woman may be seen as entirely routine, whereas pregnancy in a 45 year old woman may be considered risky Hence the concept and appropriate measure of well-being are specif ic to and m eaningful within a set of local social conditions HEALTH DEFINED Scientist & author, René Dubois views health: ‘‘as a way of life that enables imperfect human beings “to achieve a rewarding and not too painful existence while they cope with an imperfect world.” These definitions indicate that:  there is no single; all-purpose def inition of health that fits all circumstances,  but there are many concepts such as health as normality, the absence of disease,  or the ability to function WHY? The indication here is that: the fashion model the Jesuit priest the cattle rancher  the Mafia don the oil tycoon and the adowa, borborbor, and kpalongo singer all will have different views on what health means. REASON? Their physical & mental needs, their hopes & aspirations, their stresses & their vulnerability to disease differ They can measure their health generally by how well they are able to function within & adapt generally to their constantly changing environments. The implication:  IMPLICATION  lay persons tend to view health as the capacity to carry out their daily activities.  That is, many people consider health to be a state of functional f it ness and apply this def in ition to their everyday lives In view of the limitation of WHO’s definition for health, the Lancet questions it The Lancet states that: health is not a "state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being". Neither is it "merely the absence of disease or infirmity".  HUMAN BEHAVIOR DEFINED The basic insight of sociology is that human behavior is shaped by the groups to which people belong by the social interaction that takes place within those groups. We are who we are and we behave the way we do because we happen to live in a particular society at a particular point in space and time. People tend to accept their social world unquestioningly, as something "natural." But the sociological perspective enables us to see society as a temporary social product, created by human beings and capable of being changed by them as well. HUMAN BEHAVIOR DEFINED Human behavior is the potential and expressed capacity for physical, mental, and social activity during the phases of human life. Human behavior refers to the range of behaviors exhibited by humans and which are influenced by  culture, attitudes, emotions, values, ethics, authority, rapport, persuasion, coercion and/or genetics.  The behavior of people falls within a range with some behavior being common, some unusual, some acceptable, and some outside acceptable limits HUMAN BEHAVIOR Most people use the word ‘behavior’ to mean conduct.  Behavior is anything that a person does  In psychology, behavior is regarded as any observable activity by human beings  HUMAN BEHAVIOR DEFINED Humans, like other animal species, have a typical life course that consists of successive phases of growth, each of which is characterized by a distinct set of physical, physiological, and behavioral features. These phases are prenatal life, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood (including old age). HUMAN BEHAVIOR DEFINED Human behavior is experienced throughout an individuals lifetime. It includes the way they act based on different factors such as genetics, social norms, core faith, and attitude. Behavior is impacted by certain traits each individual has. The traits vary from person to person and can produce different actions or behavior from each person Behavior is the manner in which a person behaves, whether they can conform to the accepted social standards or not Principles of human behavior 1. Almost all human behavior is learned 2. All behaviors occur for a reason 3. No behaviors occur “ out of blue” 4. Behaviors continue to occur because they are effective 5. Behaviors stop occurring when they are ineffective 6. Behavior is observable and measurable  CULTURE DEFINED  Culture as def in ed by E. B Taylor is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.  Keesing also stresses the ideational aspects of suspects of culture, that is, cultures comprise: systems of shared ideas, systems of concepts and rules and meanings that underlie and are expressed in the ways that humans live.  Culture is a set of guidelines(both explicit and implicit) which individuals inherit as members of a particular society, and which tells them how to view the world, how to experience it emotionally and how to behave in it in relation to other people, to supernatural forces or gods, and to the natural environment.  CULTURE DEFINED Culture can be seen as an inherited lens through which individuals perceive and understand the world that they inhabit, and learn how to live within it. Enculturation is the process whereby the individual slowly acquires the cultural lens of that society. Cultural lens involves the division of the world and the people within it, into different categories, each with their own name. Example All cultures divide up their members into different social categories, such as men and women, children or adults, young people or old people, upper class or lower class, able or disabled, normal or abnormal, mad or bad, healthy or ill. All cultures have elaborate ways of moving people from one social category into another such as from “ill person” to “healthy person” and also of conf ining people, sometimes against their will, to the categories into which they have been put(such as mad, disabled or elderly)  CULTURE DEFINED Leach pointed out that virtually all societies have more than one culture within their borders. Example Most societies have some form of social stratif ic ation into classes, castes or ranks and each stratum is marked by its own distinctive cultural attributes/perspective. To some extent, both men and women can have their own distinctive cultures within the same society and are expected to conform to different norms and different expectations, each with their own distinctive culture.  CULTURE DEFINED Acculturation is whereby the smaller society incorporate some of the cultural attributes of the larger society. Subcultures are developed from the larger culture and shares many of its concepts and values with unique, distinctive features of it own. In each case, they form a group apart, with their own concepts, rules and social organization. Example includes: professionals such as medical, nursing, legal or military professions CULTURE DEFINED Cultural background therefore has an important inf luence on many aspects of people’s lives, including their beliefs, behaviors, perceptions emotions, language, religion, family structure etc. and other forms of misfortune; all of which may have important implications for health and health care. The culture into which you are born, or in which you live, is by no means the only such inf lu ence. It is only one of a number of influences which includes: 1. Individual factors(such as age, gender, appearance, personality, intelligence and experience) CULTURE DEFINED 2. educational factors(both formal and informal, and including education into a religious, ethnic or professional subculture) 3. socio-economic factors (such as social class, economic status and the networks of social support from other people). Misuses of the concept of culture 1. Cultures are never homogenous and therefore one should always avoid using generalizations in explaining people’s beliefs and behaviors. One cannot make broad generalizations about the members of any human group without taking into account that differences among the group’s members may be just as marked as those between the members of different cultural groups. 2. Generalizations can also be dangerous, for they often lead to the development of stereotypes and then usually to cultural misunderstandings, prejudices and also discrimination. MISUSE OF THE CONCEPT OF CULTURE 3. Cultures are never static; they are usually inf luenced by other human groups around them, and in most parts of the world they are in a constant process of adaptation and change. 4. Culture should never be considered in a vacuum, but only as one component of a complex mix of inf luences on what people believe and how they live their lives. Culture and its influence on human behavior Culture is a belief about ethics, behaviors and values that are held by a majority of people within a society. The culture of which we are a part impacts our identity and even our beliefs about the nature of life. The type of culture either Individualistic or Collective into which a person is born affects and influences what that person believes and how that person behaves.  For example, someone growing up in a “tight” (Collective) culture, where rules are strongly enforced, does not support individualistic thought or behavior.  Culture and its influence on human behavior However, persons who are raised in a “loose” (Individualistic) culture have more latitude in how they behave and what they believe. Loose cultures are more prominent in western societies like America.  On the other hand, Collective cultures believe a person’s f irst obligation is to society.  And, they must sacrif ic e their needs to benef it the greater good. When rules of thought and behavior are more rigid, it is a Collective society. Culture also reinforces certain religious beliefs. Some countries are predominantly Catholic while others may be Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu or Buddhist.  Culture and its influence on human behavior Each religion carries its own set of standards for personal conduct.  For example, consider how these cultures limit the choices people have in choosing a profession, a spouse, women’s roles and the garments they wear and behave. Some cultures encourage close physical proximity when in conversation, while others foster loud, even argumentative verbal exchanges, and some may prize soft-spoken, polite conversation. Emotional well-being is generally more evidenced in cultures that promote belief in facts and not theories because there is more emotional security in reality. Culture and its influence on health The influence of culture on health is vast.  It affects perceptions of health,  illness and death,  beliefs about causes of disease,  approaches to health promotion,  how illness and pain are experienced and expressed,  where patients seek help,  and the types of treatment patients prefer.  Culture and its influence on health Health is a cultural concept because culture frames and shapes how we perceive the world and our experiences. Along with other determinants of health and disease, culture helps to define:  How patients and health care providers view health and illness.  What patients and health care providers believe about the causes of disease.  They may not accept a diagnosis and may even believe they cannot change the course of events. Instead, they can only accept circumstances as they unfold.  Which diseases or conditions are stigmatized and why. In many cultures, depression is a common stigma and seeing a  Culture and its influence on health How illness and pain are experienced and expressed.  in some cultures, stoicism is the norm, even in the face of severe pain. In other cultures, people openly express moderately painful feelings. Where patients seek help, how they ask for help and, perhaps, when they make their f ir st approach. Some cultures tend to consult allied health care providers f irst, saving a visit to the doctor for when a problem becomes severe. Patient interaction with health care providers. For example, not making direct eye contact is a sign of respect in many cultures, but a care provider may wonder if the same behavior means her patient is depressed. Culture and its influence on health The degree of understanding and compliance with treatment options recommended by health care providers who do not share their cultural beliefs. Some patients believe that a physician who doesn’t give an injection may not be taking their symptoms seriously. How patients and providers perceive chronic disease and various treatment options.  Social and psychological aspect of illness Cassell uses the world ‘illness’ to stand for what the patient feels when he goes to the doctor “Disease” for what he has on the way home from the doctors office. Illness is a subjective response of the patient and of those around him, to his being unwell  Particularly how he and they interpret the origin and significance of this event;  How it affects his behavior, and his relationship with other people  And the various steps he takes to remedy the situation  Social and psychological aspect of illness It not only includes his experience of ill-health but also the meaning he gives to that experience.  For example a person who has suddenly fallen ill might ask themselves “why has it happened to me”? Or “have I done anything wrong to deserve this”?  Or even in some societies, “has anyone caused me to be ill? Both th e mean i n g gi v en to h i s s ymptoms an d h i s emotional response to them are inf lu enced by his own background and personality as well as the cultural, social and economic context in which they appear.  Social and psychological aspect of illness In other words the same disease or symptom may be interpreted completely differently by two patients from different cultures, and in different contexts And this will affect their subsequent behavior and the sorts of treatment they will seek out. On an individual klevel, the process of def ining oneself as being ill can be based on ones own perceptions, on the perception of others or on both. Def ining oneself as being ill usually follows a number of subjective experiences including:  Social and psychological aspect of illness  Perceived changes in bodily appearance, such as loss of weight, changes in skin color or hair falling out  Changes in regular bodily functions, such as urinary frequency, heavy menstrual periods, irregular heart beats  Unusual bodily emissions such as blood in the urine or stool  C h an ges i n f iv e maj or s en s es s u c h as deafn es s , blindness, lack of smell or loss of taste sensation  Unpleasant physical symptoms such as headache, abdominal pain, fever or shivering  Excessive or unusual emotional states such as anxiety, depression, nightmares or exaggerated fears Social and psychological aspect of illness The sociology of health and illness examines the interaction between society and health to see how social life has an impact on morbidity and mortality rate and vice versa Sociologist have demonstrated that the spread of diseases is heavily inf lu enced by socioeconomic status of individuals, ethnic, traditions or beliefs and other cultural factors. Individuals in the lower socio-economic groups report more stressors than those in higher and that these stressors are frequently linked directly to their material conditions. The less well off have less control over their environment and fewer personnel resources to moderate the impact of such stressors than the better off.  Social and psychological aspect of illness Both men and women who have small number of social contacts are more likely to die earlier than those who have more extended networks. There is a strong association between ethnicity and health status. Some of the variations in health outcome may be explained by differences in behavior across ethnic group. Ethnicity may also confer different sexual norms and behaviors that may impact health.  Example the most common exposure route for HIV infection among white is through sexual intercourse between men, black through heterosexual, whilst for Asians it is mixed of both The demand of the job, the latitude the worker has in dealing with these demands and the support available to them SOCIALISATION PROCESS Michael S. Bassis, Richard J. Gelles - The life-long process of social interaction through which individuals acquire a personal identity and social skills Self/personal identity refers to the process of self- development through which we formulate a unique sense of ourselves and our relationship to the world around us. Eg. Being a male or female Social identity refers to the characteristics that are attributed to an individual by others. Example student, mother, lecturer, lawyer, single, married SOCIALISATION DEFINED It is the process through which a helpless infant is gradually transformed into a more or less knowledgeable, more or less co-operative member of society’ Ian Robertson - the ‘process of social interaction through which people acquire personality and learn the way of life of their society. It is the essential link between the individual and society…’ Socialization Anthony Giddens -‘the process whereby the helpless infant gradually becomes a self-aware, knowledgeable person, skilled in the ways of the culture into which she or he is born’ Socialization connects different generations to one another The birth of a child changes the lives of those who are responsible for its upbringing-and they themselves therefore undergo new learning experiences Through socialization, individuals not only learn the values, norms and skills of their culture Socialisation defined cont’d Through the process of socialization individuals also acquire a sense of who they are and where they belong Socialization involves both explicit instruction and unconscious modeling Socialization inf luences both personality development and social behaviour Socialization connects the different generations to one another STAGES IN THE SOCIALISATION PROCESS Although the foundations of personality are laid and bas ic s ocial s kills acquired, in early childhood, socialization continues throughout life Three main stages in the socialization process: Primary socialization Secondary socialization Tertiary socialization STAGES IN THE PROCESS OF SOCIALIZATION Primary socialization It occurs in infancy and childhood and is the most intense period of cultural learning. It is the time when language and basic behavioral patterns which form the foundation for later learning are acquired The family is the main agent of socialization during this phase STAGES IN THE PROCESS OF SOCIALIZATION Secondary socialization It takes place later in childhood and into maturity In this phase, other agents of socialization take over some of the responsibilities from the family Schools, peer groups and the media eventually become socializing forces for the individual Social interaction in these contexts help people learn the values norms and beliefs which make up the patterns of their culture. Stages In The Process Of Socialisation Tertiary socialization It takes place later in adulthood Organizations, media and workplace eventually become socializing forces for the individual Social interaction in these contexts help people learn the values norms and beliefs which make up the patterns of their culture. Value Of The Science Of Socialization For millions of years, humans have not had much accurate information for guiding the socialization of children or adults Most children received rather haphazard socializations, based more on the quirks of their parents than the needs of the children Gradually, cultures began to collect tips and folklore for raising the young -- and guiding the social development of adults Value Of The Science Of Socialisation But this folklore was not always the best of the fullest development of the young or adults For example, the maxim, "C h i l dre n are to b e s e e n , n ot h e ard," was on c e considered valid; yet today we see that it was used as a technique to silence children, and not to help them actualize as much of their human potential as possible Value Of The Science Of Socialisation The folklore that "Old dogs do not learn new tricks" can lead adults to think, incorrectly, that learning is not expected or appropriate with increasing age Much of the commonly held folklore about socialization is incorrect There has been a breakthrough over the past 100 years Value Of The Science Of Socialisation Psychologists, sociologists and other researchers have developed a growing science of socialization and social development Today we have a great deal of useful information that can help people learn how easy it can be to guide socialization wisely Value Of The Science Of Socialization Social Learning Theory is turning out to be especially useful in helping us understand socialization and the best ways to guide it during childhood and all the rest of life The focus is on how to help people develop the prosocial and creative aspects of their human potential -- helping people learn to do things that make the world a better place for them and others Influence Of Socialisation On Health Mental Health Confidence and self-esteem Increased quality of life Reduced blood pressure Increased brain health Promotes purpose.  Nature And The Nurture Debate Nature refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are— from our physical appearance to our personality characteristics. Nurture refers to all the environmental variables that impact who we are----including our early childhood experiences, how we were raised, our social relationships, and our surrounding culture. Even today, different branches of psychology often take a one versus the other approach. For example, biological psychology tends to stress the importance of genetics and biological influences. Nature And The Nurture Debate Behaviorism, on the other hand, focuses on the impact that the environment has on behavior. In the past, debates over the relative contributions of nature versus nur ture often took a very one-sided approach, with one side arguing that nature played the most important role and the other side suggesting that it was nurture that was the most significant. Today, most experts recognize that both factors play a critical role. Not only that, they also realize that nature and nurture Nature and Nurture Debate Do genetic or environmental factors have a greater inf luence on your behavior? Do inherited traits or life experiences play a greater role in shaping your personality? The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest issues in psychology. The debate centers on the relative contributions of genetic inheritance and environmental factors to human development. Some philosophers such as Plato and Descartes suggested that certain things are inborn, or that they occur naturally regardless of environmental influences. Nativists take the position that all or most behaviors and characteristics are the results of inheritance. Nature and the Nurture Debate Advocates of this point of view believe that all of our characteristics and behaviors are the result of evolution. Genetic traits handed down from parents inf luence the individual differences that make each person unique. Other well-known thinkers such as John Locke believed in what is known as tabula rasa, which suggests that the mind begins as a blank slate. NATURE AND NURTURE DEABATE Empiricist take the position that all or most behaviors or characteristics result from learning Behaviorism is a good example of a theory rooted in empiricism. The behaviorists believe that all actions and behaviors are the results of conditioning. Theorists such as John B. Watson believed that people could be trained to do and become anything, regardless of their genetic background. Nature and Nurture Debate For example, when a person achieves tremendous academic success, did they do so because they are genetically predisposed t o b e su c c e ssfu l o r is it a re su lt o f an e n r ic h e d environment? If a man abuses his wife and kids, is it because he was born with violent tendencies or is it something he learned by observing his own parent's behavior? A few examples of biologically determined characteristics (nature) include certain genetic diseases, eye color, hair color, and skin color. Other things like life expectancy and height have a strong biological component, but they are also inf lu enced by environmental factors and lifestyle.  The Nature Theory - Heredity Scientists have known for years that traits such as eye color and hair color  are determined by specific genes encoded in each human cell. The Nature Theory takes things a step further to say that more abstract traits  such as intelligence, personality, aggression, and sexual orientation are also encoded in an individual's DNA. The search for "behavioral" genes is the source of constant debate. Many fear that genetic arguments might be used to excuse criminal acts or justify divorce.  The Nature Theory - Heredity The most debated issue pertaining to the nature theory is the existence of a "gay gene,“ pointing to a genetic component to sexual orientation. An April, 1998 article in LIFE Magazine, "Were You Born That Way" by George Howe Colt, claimed that "new studies show it's mostly in your genes." If genetics didn't play a part, then fraternal twins, reared under the same conditions, would be alike, regardless of differences in their genes.  The Nature Theory - Heredity But, while studies show they do more closely re s e mb l e e ac h oth e r th an do n on - twi n brothers and sisters, they also show these same striking similarities when reared apart - as in similar studies done with identical twins.  The Nurture Theory - Environment While not discounting those genetic tendencies may exist,  supporters of the nurture theory believe they ultimately don't matter –  that our behavioral aspects originate only from the environmental factors of our upbringing. Studies on infant and child temperament have revealed the most crucial evidence for nurture theories. American psychologist John Watson, best known for his controversial little Albert experiments with a young orphan named Albert, demonstrated that the acquisition of a phobia could be explained by classical conditioning.  The Nurture Theory - Environment A strong proponent of environmental learning, he said: Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specif ied world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select...regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations and race of his ancestors.  The Nurture Theory - Environment A study published by faculty at the Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology unit at St. Thomas' Hospital in London in 2000—Happy Families: A Twin Study of Humour —suggests that a sense of humor is a learned trait, inf luenced by family and cultural environment, and not genetically determined. I f e nv i ro nme nt d i d n't pl ay a par t i n d e t e rmi ni ng an individual's traits and behaviors, then identical twins should, theoretically, be exactly the same in all respects, even if reared apart.  The Nurture Theory - Environment But a number of studies show that they are never exactly alike, even though they are remarkably similar in most respects. So, was the way we behave engrained in us before we were born? Or has it developed over time in response to our experiences? Researchers on all sides of the nature vs nurture debate agree that the link between a gene and a behavior is not the same as cause and effect. While a gene may increase the likelihood that you'll behave in a particular way, it does not make people do things. Which means that we still get to choose who we'll be when we grow up.  EMOTIONS They are the inner feelings that everybody has and responds to life situations which vary in type and intensity according to the experience of the moment. Emotions are things that happen to us rather than things we wish to occur.  Some degree of emotional control is possible, but emotions tend to involve autonomic reactions that are difficult to regulate (control). Emotions are neither good nor bad. We all experience these inner feelings according to what is happening to us and how we perceive the experience.  People characterize their emotions as pleasant or unpleasant. TYPES OF EMOTIONS The two main types of emotions are: Positive emotions/ pleasant emotions Negative emotions/ unpleasant emotions Both pos itive and negative emotions are natural reactions to life experiences, but negative emotions appear to have more powerful effects than positive emotions. There also appear to be fewer positive emotion s th an n egativ e. Moreov er, an d pos itiv e emotions are less clearly differentiated from each other than negative emotions. POSITIVE EMOTIONS Positive emotions contribute to feeling good and primarily joy and love.  Words such as Elation and Ecstasy describe extremely high states of joy, whereas pleasure and satisfaction imply less intense state of joy.  Love is a complex emotion of which there are various types.  The intensity of love varies according to type, the object of the love and the circumstances of the moment.  These two emotions are essential to the state of “happiness”.  POSITIVE EMOTIONS Some degree of joy is experienced whenever good things happen, when our life is somehow free of trials and tribulations and when we are aware of loving others and being loved. Happiness is possible even when our life situation includes problems, some degree of stress and times of negative feelings. The experience of happiness is dependent upon one’s ability to focus on positive aspects of life i.e. The sources of pleasure and satisfaction and minimize negative feelings by dealing competently with the problems and challenges that are a part of everyday living. Love is so important to happiness and health.  NEGATIVE EMOTIONS Negative emotions are uncomfortable and unpleasant, but they are natural reactions to displeasing or threatening experiences.  The intensity of each emotion can range from mild to very strong, with various degrees of feeling in between these two extremes.  The effects on the individual may be restlessness, a feeling of dissatisfaction or a state of intense agitation.  The arousal of negative emotions may occur as a response to the behavior of another person, a specific event, a piece of information or mind-talk. NEGATIVE EMOTIONS  The emotional arousal may be anger, fear, guilt or sadness. Regardless of which emotion is being experienced, it results in stress and physiological changes.  The intensity of the emotional response is based on how the individual perceives the precipitating events thoughts.  The effects occur regardless of whether the emotional response is to actual events or mind –talk.  The following negative emotions are explained in detail below:  EMOTIONS AND BEHAVIOR In striving to understand yourself and your behavior, you must give attention to your emotional patterns. Answer this question: do you usually react to unpleasant situations with fear or anger?  If you overreact, you may need help in understanding reasons for your strong feelings.  Some situations call for intense feelings, but most life situations do not justify a strong emotional reaction.  Answer this question also: do you give too much attention to negative feelings? EMOTIONS AND BEHAVIOR  Enjoyment of a misfortune is manifested through conversation, pessimism, self-pity and other attention- getting behavior.  You only have to think of one person who manifests such behavior to recognize the unfavorable effect on others.  Obviously, such behavior is not appropriate for health care providers.  Emotions do exist and they affect us physically, psychologically and mentally.  To deny these feelings is a form of suppression. EMOTIONS AND BEHAVIOR  Suppressed emotions will have their effects sooner or later through “blowing up” in an uncontrolled display of emotion, illness, poor coping mechanisms or poor interpersonal relations.  Self—control is a constructive way of using emotions, rather than not showing emotions.  Self-control is a learned behavioral pattern for expressing feelings in  socially acceptable ways while dealing with a situation intelligently. IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONS Emotions have physical and mental effects. Indirectly, emotions determine the amount of satisfaction one gets from life,  the degree of success in solving life problems,  the satisfaction found in relations with other people and ultimately,  one’s physical and mental well-being throughout life. The relationship between negative emotions and physical health is not well established. IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONS  Anger, when experienced frequently, tends to evolve into resentment (chronic low-level anger),  hostility (an angry attitude toward a specific person or group or cynicism (an attitude of contempt or distrust of others).  Thus anger can become incorporated into one’s personality. Since our emotions have powerful mental and physical effects,  it is important that we learn to use emotions effectively, rather than allow emotions to control our behavior. IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONS The person who has learned to express feelings in socially acceptable ways is competent in dealing with life situations both good and bad. A p e r s o n w h o h a s n o t l e a r n t to u s e e m o t i o n s constructively is likely to lose control when feelings become strong. The sudden eruption of powerful feelings may result in behavior that is uncalled for in dealing with a situation. Appropriate expression of emotions in any job situation inf lu ences relations with coworkers, supervisors and patients. Effec ti v e per forman c e of on e’s du ti es does n ot