The income-happiness nexus: uncovering the importance of social comparison processes in subjective wellbeing

IntroductionPrevious research has established a positive correlation between income and subjective wellbeing (SWB). This correlation is attributed to income’s ability to provide material circumstances and influence one’s perceived socioeconomic rank in society, known as subjective socioeconomic status (SES).ObjectiveThis study sought to examine whether social comparison processes could mediate the relationship between income and SWB. Specifically, we aimed to explore the impact of comparing one’s current socioeconomic situation to individuals from a similar socioeconomic background (referred to as Comsim) on SWB, based on the similarity hypothesis of social comparison theory.MethodsData stem from two separate two-wave surveys. Study 1 comprised 588 participants, with 294 men and 294 women; age range 25–60 years; mean age 41.5 years). Study 2 comprised 614 participants, with 312 men and 302 women; age range 25–60 years; mean age 43.5 years. In both studies, data on predictors and SWB were collected 3 months apart.ResultsIn both study 1 and study 2, bivariate analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between income and SWB. However, multivariate regression models revealed that income did not have a direct effect on SWB. Instead, in both studies, subjective SES and Comsim emerged as significant predictors of SWB, with Comsim being the most influential. Furthermore, our formal mediation analysis indicated that subjective SES and Comsim fully mediated the relationship between income and SWB, when combined. Additionally, in study 2, we found that cognitive factors such as personal control, as well as affective factors like self-esteem, played a mediating role between the social comparison processes and SWB.ConclusionThis study contributes to existing research by emphasizing the importance of two distinct social comparison mechanisms in mediating the relationship between income and SWB.ImplicationsTherapeutic interventions to improve SWB should also consider social comparison processes. From a political standpoint, policies addressing income inequality can mitigate the negative effects of social comparisons on wellbeing. Providing support to those in lower socioeconomic positions can also enhance SWB

Observational and genetic associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and cancer: a UK Biobank and international consortia study

Background The association of fitness with cancer risk is not clear. Methods We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of lung, colorectal, endometrial, breast, and prostate cancer in a subset of UK Biobank participants who completed a submaximal fitness test in 2009-12 (N = 72,572). We also investigated relationships using two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR), odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using the inverse-variance weighted method. Results After a median of 11 years of follow-up, 4290 cancers of interest were diagnosed. A 3.5 ml O2⋅min−1⋅kg−1 total-body mass increase in fitness (equivalent to 1 metabolic equivalent of task (MET), approximately 0.5 standard deviation (SD)) was associated with lower risks of endometrial (HR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.73–0.89), colorectal (0.94, 0.90–0.99), and breast cancer (0.96, 0.92–0.99). In MR analyses, a 0.5 SD increase in genetically predicted O2⋅min−1⋅kg−1 fat-free mass was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86–0.98). After adjusting for adiposity, both the observational and genetic associations were attenuated. Discussion Higher fitness levels may reduce risks of endometrial, colorectal, and breast cancer, though relationships with adiposity are complex and may mediate these relationships. Increasing fitness, including via changes in body composition, may be an effective strategy for cancer prevention

Genome-wide association analyses of physical activity and sedentary behavior provide insights into underlying mechanisms and roles in disease prevention

Although physical activity and sedentary behavior are moderately heritable, little is known about the mechanisms that influence these traits. Combining data for up to 703,901 individuals from 51 studies in a multi-ancestry meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies yields 99 loci that associate with self-reported moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity during leisure time (MVPA), leisure screen time (LST) and/or sedentary behavior at work. Loci associated with LST are enriched for genes whose expression in skeletal muscle is altered by resistance training. A missense variant in ACTN3 makes the alpha-actinin-3 filaments more flexible, resulting in lower maximal force in isolated type IIA muscle fibers, and possibly protection from exercise-induced muscle damage. Finally, Mendelian randomization analyses show that beneficial effects of lower LST and higher MVPA on several risk factors and diseases are mediated or confounded by body mass index (BMI). Our results provide insights into physical activity mechanisms and its role in disease prevention.Multi-ancestry meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies for self-reported physical activity during leisure time, leisure screen time, sedentary commuting and sedentary behavior at work identify 99 loci associated with at least one of these traits

The Interplay between Symptoms, Rumination, Attentional Bias and Control Processes in Depression

Contemporary cognitive models incorporate an information-processing approach in explaining the causes of depression. The common core in these models is that depression is caused by a vicious cycle of negative thoughts and maladaptive behaviours, and maintained by an excessive focus on the causes and consequences of the depression symptoms (i.e. rumination). Using a variety of study designs, this thesis examines three aspects of cognition assumed to underlie this process: negative attentional bias, cognitive control and metacognitions. The thesis shows that using a computerized intervention to target negative attentional bias in currently remitted depression patients leads to reduced interaction between depression and anxiety symptoms, and that this is associated with increased interest and motivation for social involvement. Furthermore, the thesis indicate that there are bidirectional links between depression symptoms, rumination, and negative beliefs about rumination (negative metacognitions) in currently remitted depression patients, suggesting that negative metacognitions have a relevant role in the feedback loop between depression and rumination. The thesis also demonstrates that there is a basic association between negative metacognitions and reduced ability to shift between mental sets, suggesting a fundamental interaction between cognitive control processes and metacognitions. In sum, the findings presented in this thesis are in line with the notion of depression as a complex interplay of several cognitive and emotional mechanisms within and between different levels of processing

Inhibition and rumination in remitted major depressive disorder

Background: Rumination in response to dysphoric mood heightens the risk of major depressive disorder. Investigating the underlying cognitive mechanism of rumination can lead to a better understanding of the etiology, and development of effective treatment and prevention. Inhibition is important in controlling cognition and behavior. Previous studies have indicated that rumination and inhibition are related in major depressive disorder. This study investigates if reduced effectiveness in inhibiting prepotent responses and elevated rumination can be conceived as etiological factors in major depressive disorder. Method: The data were collected as a part of the project “Cognitive control and serotonergic genes in emotion regulation and depressive rumination". The principal investigator of this project is Martin Aker, and the advisor is Nils Inge Landrø. The author participated in the collection of the data. Participants were 20 formerly depressed and 19 never-depressed females aged 19-63 years old. Prepotent response inhibition was assessed by the Emotional stop-signal task, and rumination was assessed by the Ruminative responses scale. Results: Formerly depressed participants had a statistically significant longer stop-signal reaction time and a statistically significant higher rumination score compared to never-depressed participants. Across the whole sample there was a statistically significant positive correlation between stop-signal reaction times and rumination scores. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that remitted major depressive disorder is characterized by less effective prepotent response inhibition and elevated rumination, and that less effective prepotent response inhibition is related to elevated rumination. The reciprocal process between inhibition and rumination is discussed and considered a possible etiological mechanism in major depressive disorder

Dysfunctional Metacognitive Beliefs Are Associated with Decreased Executive Control

Dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs (“metacognitions”) and executive control are important factors in mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, but the relationship between these concepts has not been studied systematically. We examined whether there is an association between metacognitions and executive control and hypothesized that decreased executive control statistically predicts increased levels of metacognitions. Two hundred and ninety-nine individuals recruited from the general population and outpatient psychiatric clinics completed the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 and three subtests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery corresponding to the three-component model of executive functions. Controlling for current depression and anxiety symptoms, decreased ability to shift between mental sets was associated with increased negative beliefs about the uncontrollability and danger of worry and beliefs about the need to control thoughts. The results suggest a basic association between metacognitions and executive control. Individual differences in executive control could prove important in the personalization of metacognitive therapy. This Document is Protected by copyright and was first published by Frontiers. All rights reserved. it is reproduced with permission

Are unpopular children more likely to get sick? Longitudinal links between popularity and infectious diseases in early childhood

Social stress and inflammatory processes are strong regulators of one another. Considerable evidence shows that social threats trigger inflammatory responses that increase infection susceptibility in both humans and animals, while infectious disease triggers inflammation that in turn regulates social behaviours. However, no previous study has examined whether young children’s popularity and their rate of infectious disease are associated. We investigated the longitudinal bidirectional links between children’s popularity status as perceived by peers, and parent reports of a variety of infectious diseases that are common in early childhood (i.e. common cold as well as eye, ear, throat, lung and gastric infections). We used data from the ‘Matter of the First Friendship Study’ (MOFF), a longitudinal prospective multi-informant study, following 579 Norwegian pre-schoolers (292 girls, median age at baseline = six years) with annual assessments over a period of three years. Social network analysis was used to estimate each child’s level of popularity. Cross-lagged autoregressive analyses revealed negative dose–response relations between children’s popularity scores and subsequent infection (b = –0.18, CI = –0.29, –0.06, and b = –0.13, CI = –0.23, –0.03). In conclusion, the results suggest that children who are unpopular in early childhood are at increased risk of contracting infection the following year

Attention bias modification in remitted depression is associated with increased interest and leads to reduced adverse impact of anxiety symptoms and negative cognition.

Using a computational network approach, we reanalyzed data from a randomized controlled-trial of attention bias modification task (ABM) on residual depression symptoms. The main aim was to characterize the symptom-to-symptom changes following ABM. ABM was associated with improvements in interest, which was, in turn, associated with improvements in other depression symptoms. Although there were no changes in the global network strength following ABM, the comparison between symptom change in the ABM and control group suggests that ABM lead to a reduction of the association between anxiety, depressed mood, and guilt. Findings suggest that reduction in depression symptoms following ABM may have been set in motion by increased interest and involvement in everyday activities, leading to a reduction of the adverse impact of anxiety and negative cognition. ABM may be more effective in patients where these symptoms are prominent

The association between depression symptoms and reduced executive functioning is primarily linked by fatigue

Depression is associated with reduced executive functioning. Still, we lack a more detailed understanding of the factors explaining this association. Addressing several limitations in the previous literature, we examine whether poor executive functioning is associated with specific depression symptoms using a network approach. The sample consisted of currently depressed, previously depressed, and never-depressed individuals (n ​= ​289; 67% female; M age ​= ​37.4 years). Associations between poor executive functioning and nine depression symptoms were estimated using regularized Gaussian graphical modelling. Results showed associations between poor executive functioning and fatigue/energy loss, interest/pleasure loss, appetite changes, sleep problems, and concentration difficulties. Fatigue/energy loss was the most important symptom bridging depression with poor executive functioning. There were no direct associations between executive functions and core negative affect symptoms. Findings are discussed in the context of motivational impairments, and potential mechanisms such as immunological- and stress-related processes are considered

Examining attentional functioning in depression using a personalized network approach: A proof-of-principle study

Reduced attentional functioning has been identified as an important factor in depression etiology and maintenance. However, current research does not fully take into account the large heterogeneity of depression, for example identifying for whom and how reduced attentional functioning plays a role. In this proof-of-principle study, we demonstrate how a personalized network approach can provide more nuanced insight into the role of attentional functioning in depression. To this end, we estimated person-specific symptom networks in a depression sample, and explored associations between reduced attentional functioning (alerting, orienting, executive control) and symptom centrality (expected influence). Participants with ongoing and remitted depression were enrolled to 14 days of intensive assessment of depression symptoms in their daily life using a smartphone app. Based on these data, person-specific network models were estimated using vector autoregression modelling. Orienting, alerting and executive control were assessed using the Attentional Network Test in the laboratory. Person-specific networks showed large variability in symptom dynamics. Higher centrality of fatigue was associated with reduced orienting efficiency, and higher centrality of passivity was associated with reduced executive control. This study highlights the potential of assessing individual symptom dynamics when considering cognitive functioning in depression