LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- An experiment at a California university shows that reflecting on personal values is a good way to cope with stress.
Researchers at UCLA put 80 undergraduates through stressful tasks like giving a five-minute talk or doing math problems before evaluators instructed to behave coldly.
One group of students was asked to reflect for a few minutes first on values they had identified as being meaningful, religious or non-religious. The other group was asked to reflect on non-meaningful things.
Both groups' cortisol levels were measured before and after the stressful tasks. Only 51 percent of the values-affirmation group had a significant increase in cortisol levels while 82 percent of the control group did.
Cortisol is a hormone released in stressful situations that can cause cognitive impairments and increased risk of disease if overstimulated.
"Our study shows that reflection on personal values can buffer people from the effects of stress, but the implications are broader than that," said Shelley Taylor, UCLA distinguished professor of psychology. "Any positive self-affirmation can act as a buffer against stressful events; that can include values, personal relationships and qualities that are a source of pride."
The study was published in Psychological Science.
