Abstract: Recent progress in the field of health psychology and positive psychology has evidenced an increasing number of studies examining the relationship between positive emotions and health. This review brought together studies that have examined how positive emotions are related with health status. Health is defined in terms of three aspects: physical health, mental health, and social adaptation. Existing findings consistently support the notion that positive emotions are positively related with these three aspects of health. First, positive emotions can decrease the risking rate of infectious diseases, enhance recovery from various diseases and decrease mortality. Second, positive emotions trigger adaptive appraisal of negative life events, and help individuals buffer against stressful situations; consequently positive emotions can prevent or relief individuals from experiencing psychological disorders, such as depression. Last but not least, there is a bidirectional relationship between higher levels of positive emotions and higher levels of social connections and social support. It has been suggested that positive emotions achieve these desirable outcomes because they help individuals build lasting resources and increase individuals’ flexibility when dealing with various challenges. Consequently, individuals with more positive emotions become more adaptive in stressful encounters. Two models, the Main (Direct) Effect Model and the Stress-Buffering Model, have been proposed to explain both the direct and indirect effects of positive emotions on individuals’ well-being. The Main Effect Model suggests that positive emotions have direct impact on endogenous opioids, automatic nervous system and HPA, social connection and health practice, which in turn influence individuals’ immune system and cardiovascular activity. As a result, differences in levels positive emotions lead to differences in individuals’ health status. The Stress-Buffering Model is built upon the Main Effect Model. The major distinct between these two models is that the Stress-Buffering Model takes into account when do positive emotions influence health status, and it emphasizes the role of stress in the relationship between positive emotions and health. Future studies are needed to address both theoretical and methodological issues that have not been fully answered by existing studies. First, future studies may implement more ecologically valid and rigorous methods (e.g., EMA) to generate more convincing findings; second, the strengths of positive emotions and its relation with individuals’ well-being need to be considered; third, the two existing models may be improved by considering social and psychological factors as mediators between positive emotions and well-being.

Key words: positive emotions, physical health, mental health, social adaptation

摘要： 积极情绪与身体健康、心理健康和社会适应有密切的关系。首先，积极情绪不仅能够降低传染性疾病的感染风险，能够影响非传染性疾病病情、病程及死亡率。其次，积极情绪能够降低个体的心理易感性，使个体更好的应对负性或压力事件。最后，现有的研究表明积极情绪和社会交往存在相互促进的关系。现存的直接效应模型和压力缓冲模型解释了积极情绪直接和间接促进健康的机制。未来的研究还需在研究方法和模型完善等方面进一步改进。

关键词: 积极情绪, 生理健康, 心理健康, 社会适应