Cynical hostility might lead to cardiovascular disease

According to a Baylor University-led study that appeared in the September 2020 issue of Psychophysiology, cynical hostility may cause an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Tyra, a doctoral candidate in psychology and neuroscience and the lead study author, explains, “These methods of social and self-evaluation are designed to increase the experience of stress and have been validated in prior research.” Tyra’s team looked at three types of hostility: cognitive, which includes cynical hostility; emotional hostility, which links to chronic anger; and behavioral hostility, which involves verbal and physical aggression. A 2014 study appearing in Neurology found that those with higher levels of cynical distrust in later life might be more likely to develop dementia.The study author, Anna-Maija Tolppanen, Ph.D., of the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, believed her team’s findings showed a person’s “view on life and personality may have an impact on their health.”Although it is more common to probe the harm caused by cynicism and negative thinking, some researchers try to find a positive outcome for less positive mindsets.