Sports Psychology to

the Fore:Can Empathy-

Based Exercise Help Ameliorate

‘Aging’?Robin Lynn Treptow, PhD

—Wisdom for the Body & for the Soul—

Round Tableat the Northeast Atlantic Sport

Psychology Conference28 March 2014

Gentle care is requisite to distract the psyche from its resolute belief that death is inevitable...

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how

far one can go. —T. S. Eliot

Is death inevitable?

Two alternative hypotheses:

‘reality’of human‘aging’

‘reality is an illusion; albeit a very persistent one’

—Albert Einstein

Wurm, Warner, Ziegelman, Wolff, & Schüz, 2013“Self-fulfilling Prophecy”

Abramson, Seligman, & Teasdale, 1978“Universal Learned Helplessness”

Questioning death's sovereignty

symptoms of helplessness

Abramson, Seligman, & Teasdale, 1978

Flow of events yielding helplessness

•perception of present/past noncontingency—>•attribution for present/past noncontingency—>•expectation of future noncontingency—>

Objective noncontingency—>>

“Universal Learned Helplessness”

Alternative views of 'aging'

Recent data shows health-related outcomes as people grow older may result from patterns of cognition that impede healthy action via lack of self-efficacy.

• Wurm, Warner, Ziegelman, Wolff, & Schüz, 2013“Self-fulfilling Prophecy”• Gerstorf, Ram, Lindenberger, & Smith, 2013

Keith A. Johnson (keith@bwh.harvard.edu)

J. Alex Becker (jabecker@mit.edu)

http://www.med.harvard.edu/AANLIB/cases/case36/

mr1-tc1/012.html

Neuroanatomy of “normal aging”

Peterson, T. (2008). SrFit: The personal trainer’s resource for senior fitness. American Academy of Healthy & Fitness.

“Normal aging” or simply disuse?

……at least half at least half the the typical decline typical decline

associated with aging associated with aging is is NOTNOT due to aging due to aging but rather to but rather to disusedisuse……

p. 276

Peterson, T. (2008). SrFit: The personal trainer’s resource for senior fitness. American Academy of Healthy & Fitness.

Loss of muscle & gains in body

fat……the gradual loss of muscle the gradual loss of muscle strength strength is the main reason is the main reason

[the] elderly…have [the] elderly…have difficulty performing tasks difficulty performing tasks

of daily living and of daily living and ultimately lose their ultimately lose their

independence… independence… p. vii

Peterson, T. (2008). SrFit: The personal trainer’s resource for senior fitness. American Academy of Healthy & Fitness.

Sarcopenia—or “vanishing flesh”

This phenomena is called This phenomena is called sarcopeniasarcopenia (derived from (derived from

Greek words for “vanishing Greek words for “vanishing flesh”) and is flesh”) and is NOTNOT an an

inevitable consequence of inevitable consequence of aging. Instead, aging. Instead, it is an it is an inevitable consequence of inevitable consequence of

disuse. disuse. p. vii

Ashwell, K. (2012). In Taylor, J. (Ed.), The Student’s Anatomy of Exercise Manual [Foreword, p. 9]. Global Publishing:

Waterloo, Australia

There is a revolution in thinking about

exercise. Exercise is no longer the sole

domain of the sportsperson or body

builder.

Health professionals now know that

physical activity is central to

maintaining health & coordination for

everyone… —Professor Ken Ashwell

Ashwell, K. (2012). In Taylor, J. (Ed.), The Student’s Anatomy of Exercise Manual [Foreword, p. 9]. Global Publishing:

Waterloo, Australia

“A slight increase in muscle strength at any age can improve quality of life and stave off the frailty that used to be considered a normal

part of getting old” (p. 155)

“Sometimes, strength training & flexibility are the only types of exercise in which the elderly can

engage until they gain enough muscle strength to allow them to work on their balance” (p. 155)

Physical Benefits to Exercise:

Peterson, T. (2008). SrFit: The personal trainer’s resource for senior fitness. American Academy of Healthy & Fitness.

*diminish muscle loss*avoid a reduction in metabolic rate

*increase muscle mass*increase metabolic rate

*increase gastrointestinal transit*reduce resting blood pressure

*improve blood lipid levels*reduce low back pain*reduce arthritic pain

Strength Training Helps:

Citation from text for Adult Fitness Class textbook, page 155; Westcott, 1995.

Body compositionPhysical discomfort

DiabetesCardiovascular health

Musculoskeletal healthMental health

Activities of daily living

Research-supported health benefits of

resistance training:

Westcott, W. L. & La Rosa Loud, R. (2013). Enhancing resistance training results with protein/carbohydrate supplementation. American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal, 17(2), 10-15.

Metabolic capacity & nutrient blood supply

—increases stamina—ameliorates effects of age & chronic

disease

Functional Improvements

Achievable Via Exercise:

Fentem, P. H. (1994). Benefits of exercise in health and disease. British Journal of Medicine, 308, 1291-1295 (pp. 1291-1292).

Skeletal muscle functions

Strength & contractility—increases capacity for work &

exercise—reduces risk of injury

—ameliorate effects of muscle disease

Supportive function

Functional Improvements

Achievable Via Exercise:

Fentem, P. H. (1994). Benefits of exercise in health and disease. British Journal of Medicine, 308, 1291-1295 (pp. 1291-1292).

Tendon & connective tissue functions enhanced by exercise

Strength

Joint stability—reduces risk of injury especially

with age & muscle disease

Range of movement—limits effects of degenerative

arthritis

Functional Improvements

Achievable Via Exercise:

Fentem, P. H. (1994). Benefits of exercise in health and disease. British Journal of Medicine, 308, 1291-1295 (pp. 1291-1292).

Joint functions enhanced by exerciseLubrication

—avoids limitation of movement

Maintenance of flexibility

Example of teaching exercises to benefit

health

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/multimedia/squat/vid-

20084663

Mayo Clinic Strength training: How-to video

collectionNotice the facial placidity here: I am

suggesting instead that one exert to the point of physically feeling the discomfort

of doing the exercises!!

How does our

facial musculatu

re enhance

empathy & human

wellness?

http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/

muscles.html#a_Face_Muscles

Face Muscles—An Overview• You may not think of it as a

muscular body part, but your face has plenty of muscles.

• You can check them out next time you look in the mirror.

• Facial muscles don't all attach directly to bone like they do in the rest of the body.

• Instead, many of them attach under the skin: allows contracting of facial muscles just a tiny bit to make many kinds of faces.

http://library.med.utah.edu/kw/hyperbrain/

anim/facial_muscles.html

Voluntary control of facial muscles

(video)

“The very act of being

compassionate & empathic extracts a cost under

most circumstances

”

Figley, C. R. (2002). Compassion fatigue: Psychotherapists’

chronic lack of self care. JCLP/In Session:

Psychotherapy In Practice, 58(11), 1433-1441.

Compassion

Goetz, J., Keltner, D., & Simon-Thomas, E. (2010). Compassion: An evolutionary analysis and empirical review. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 351-374.

Compassion To the extent that…

suffering isincongruent with the individual’s goals &

with increasing relatedness

between the self & other, compassion will

be experiencedwith increasing

intensity.

Compassion–Empathy “Assumption that empathy & emotional energy are the driving force in

effective working with the suffering (which is all of humanity—and the ‘aging’ in particular)…”Figley, C. R. (2002). Compassion fatigue:

Psychotherapists’ chronic lack of self care. JCLP/In Session: Psychotherapy In Practice, 58(11), 1433-

1441.

Compassion’s RootsEmpathic Ability:

aptitude for noticing the pain of others/selfEmpathic Concern:

motivation to help others/selfExposure to Sufferer:

experiencing the emotional energy of the suffering through direct exposure

Figley, C. R. (2002). Compassion fatigue: Psychotherapists’ chronic lack of self care. JCLP/In Session: Psychotherapy In Practice, 58(11), 1433-

1441.

Increased Compassion

Empathic Response: effort made to reduce suffering through

empathic understandingCompassion Stress:

on-going demand for action to end sufferingSense of Achievement:

extent satisfied with efforts to help sufferersFigley, C. R. (2002). Compassion fatigue:

Psychotherapists’ chronic lack of self care. JCLP/In Session: Psychotherapy In Practice, 58(11), 1433-

1441.

“You are only as old as you feel…?"

• Facial muscles may have spindle fibers–part of a neuromuscular feedback system as to what state the muscle is in, for example, how stretched the muscle tissue is.

• If muscles of facial expression have muscles spindles, then they would be a mechanism for the nervous system to detect what happens to facial muscles when activated by emotions.

• Some theories of emotion—see William James & C. G. Lange—posit that such sensations could underlie emotional feelings: (feedback from muscle spindles is not essential to that theory)

http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/expression/muscle_facts.jsp

active facial exercise

—facial muscle toning as a paradigm to ameliorate “aging” via increased empathy for self &

others?http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnnr5d_exercises-for-face-neck-muscles_school

Gray’s 1918

AnatomyHenry Gray 

(1825-1861).  

Anatomy of the Human Body.  1918.

FIG. 378

http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/expression/muscle_facts.jsp

Traits Common to Most Facial MusclesAppearance:

Striated—like other muscles Action:

Often no oppositional muscles

—unlike other muscles Innervation:

Innervated by facial nerve (VII)

Blood flow:Blood supply from facial

artery

Caninus muscle (also known as levator

anguli oris)Location/description:•originates in the upper jaw bone area near the canine •inserts near the corner of the mouth in tissues of other muscles there (e.g., o. oris)Purpose/action:•It pulls the corner of the lip up in an almost vertical direction, sharply angling the lip corners up in a kind of "smile."

http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/expression/caninus.html

Gray’s 1918

AnatomyHenry Gray 

(1825-1861).  

Anatomy of the Human Body.  1918.

FIG. 378

Risorius muscle Location/description:•Originates in the fascia of the masseter below the zygomatic arch & inserts in skin near the corner of mouth. Purpose/action:•Stretches mouth laterally, retracting corners of mouth•Has been thought (erroneously) to produce "grinning" or "smiling." •Has a connection with the platysma in that it often contracts with it.http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/

expression/risorius.html

Gray’s 1918

AnatomyHenry Gray 

(1825-1861).  

Anatomy of the Human Body.  1918.

FIG. 378

risorius

Zygomatic major musclesLocation/description:• Originates in cheek bone (zygomatic arch) • Inserts in muscles (e.g., o. oris, depressor) near corner of mouth.

Purpose/action:• Lifts corner of mouth obliquely upwards & laterally

• Produces a characteristic "smiling expression" (Other muscles produce different "smiles.") Some research suggests that the difference between a genuine smile and a perfunctory (or lying) smile is that when a person really feels happy, Zygomatic major contracts together with orbicularis oculi.

http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/

expression/z__major.html

Gray’s 1918

AnatomyHenry Gray 

(1825-1861).  

Anatomy of the Human Body.  1918.

FIG. 378

Zygomatic major

Orbicularis oris muscle

(sphincter muscle around mouth)

Location/description:• Sphincter muscle around mouth; forms most lip tissue

• Extensive connections to muscles that converge on mouth

Purpose/action:•Shapes & controls size of mouth opening

•Key to lip positions/movements during speech

http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/expression/orbicularis_oris.html

Gray’s 1918

AnatomyHenry Gray 

(1825-1861).  

Anatomy of the Human Body.  1918.

FIG. 378

orbicularis oris

Incisivi labii muscles (incisive muscles of lips [upper & lower])

Location/description:•Originate in the medial parts of upper & lower jaw, respectively

•Run through the upper and lower lips & insert near the corners of lips.

Purpose/action:•Pull corners of lips towards center of lips, puckering them.http://face-and-emotion.com/

dataface/expression/incisivii.html

Gray’s 1918

AnatomyHenry Gray 

(1825-1861).  

Anatomy of the Human Body.  1918.

FIG. 378

incisivi labii

Masseter muscles

Location/description:•Originates in lateral part of cheek bone (zygomatic arch)

•Inserts in the angle of the mandible. Purpose/action:•Raises the jaw & clenches the teeth•Functions to chew food •Associated with angry and aggressive states. Innervation/Blood flow:•Masseteric nerve of mandibular division of trigeminal nerve (V)

•Blood by superficial temporal, maxillary, & facial arteries

http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/expression/

incisivii.html

Gray’s 1918

AnatomyHenry Gray 

(1825-1861).  

Anatomy of the Human Body.  1918.

FIG. 378

masseter

 Procerus muscle (depressor glabellae or pyramidalis nasi)

Location/description:• Originates in fascia of nasal bone & upper nasal cartilage

• Runs through the area of root of nose• Fans upward to insert in skin in forehead between brows

Purpose/action:• Pulls skin at center of forehead down—forms wrinkles in glabella area & bridge of nose• Horizontal wrinkle at root of nose may be

called “champion pucker”–often contracts in effortful actions

http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/expression/

procerus.html

Gray’s 1918

AnatomyHenry Gray 

(1825-1861).  

Anatomy of the Human Body.  1918.

FIG. 378

procerus

Can we enhance human

empathy by way of

natural grimaces during

strenuous

physical training

?

Facial Muscles’ Role In Facial Expression

http://www.blakeketchum.co

m/index.php/facial_muscles

(young boy in photos)

 Overview of proposed ‘intervention’

•Mirror neurons activated towards oneself

•Practice noticing & feeling empathy towards others in the world

•Eye gaze is KEY

“eyes as the window to the soul (psyche)

Gestalt (interactive whole) of person witnessed in mirror while doing strength/flexibility training

 Societally common ‘cognitive script’ regards

body & ‘aging’• I am old. My body is

flabby & wrinkled—it hurts a lot many/most days. Many parts do not work well (if at all).

• Everyone’s body will just get old like mine—why even bother to exercise or take care of myself now?

• Nothing can be done—and I will eventually die; everyone knows that.

 Sample new ‘cognitive script’

• Most people think that a body so old as mine can't be restored—& I certainly cannot undo the past.

• Still, new medical & psychological research shows that exercise can restore many aspects of how my body works.

• I can change my body for the better—& exercising daily will help me do that.

It is too bad that I have not cared for myself as well as I could have. After so many years my body sure does need a tune-up!

 Psychodynamic paradigm

A balance among:•Sufficient “ego” to maintain emotional regulation

•Sufficient “id” to have joy for life (vs. desire for death)

•Sufficient “super-ego” for social equilibrium & “other-focus” (versus selfishness or self-focus)

Theorized psychological goals achieved via empathy-enhanced

strength/agility training

(a) intentionally (b) through gradual efforts

(c) by practicing empathic grimaces during exercise(d) by identifying & counteracting contrary desires (e) by altering one's cognitions in line with life

and (f) by becoming the kind of person who habitually engages in life-based cognitions, [emotions], & actions

Modus Operandi

(p. 586)One acquires facial muscle tone—with

empathy for self/others—towards increased vitality:

A virtue ethics paradigm appliedFowers & Davidov,

2006

Goal for healthy living

one small action at a time

…health becomes the norm…and death is no more.

 Questions for Discussion

• Sport psychology has great wealth in body-mind congruenceHow could this knowledge be aptly applied to ‘aging’—in particular, encouragement to feel empathy for oneself?

• Sports psychology generally holds a competitive paradigm How might belief in a ‘win-lose’ paradigm impact intentional use of exercise to ameliorate ‘aging’?

• This transactional theory of (non)‘aging’ is yet nascent:What concrete & practical research could be conducted to bolster the theory’s merits?

 Questions for Discussion

• A preponderance of persons do not exercise regularly:Could it be because they do not have sufficient empathy for their physical bodies & what is needed to make them work?

• Obesity has been shown to be transmitted via social links:How might increased empathy during exercise build stronger links to others in one’s social network—the larger world?

• Strength training naturally contracts varied facial muscles:How might self-directed empathy for such exercise-induced facial discomfort increase persons’ neurological flexibility?

 Questions for Discussion

• Poor health has been linked to perceived rejection (Rohner, 2013); video at http://canal.uned.es/mmobj/index/id/15728Could empathy for one’s own physical pain during exercise decrease vulnerability to real or perceived rejection?

• The aged are a very vulnerable population:Are there any dangers to exploring the merits of empathy-linked exercise to ameliorate ‘aging’ (i.e., is this “false hope”)?

• Facial muscles are involved with mirror neurons & empathy:What “whole person” benefits might result from work on facial muscle tone jointly with other types of exercise?

Sports Psychology to

the Fore:Can Empathy-

Based Exercise Help

Ameliorate ‘Aging’?

Robin Lynn Treptow, PhD—Wisdom for the Body & for

the Soul—

Conversation Hour at the Northeast Atlantic Sport

Psychology Conference28 March 2014