Homeostasis Theory of Well-being.

The Homeostasis Theory of Well-being proposes a homeostatic modular system for the creation of human well-being. This article aims to: (i) provide a proof-of-concept demonstration of the feasibility of the theory in its biopsychosocial context; (ii) indicate prima facie empirical support for the homeostatic nature of the 16 proposed modules; (iii) discuss the similarities to and differences from other homeostasis theories of well-being. Following the Central Limit Theorem, any homeostatic system with multiple inputs produces outputs with a Gaussian distribution. The data-base of studies contains approximately 2000 publications reporting U- or inverse U-shaped curves for the 16 homeostatic domains specified in the theory. The Homeostasis Theory of Well-being remains speculative and requires controlled longitudinal study to determine the scientific validity of the causal network proposed by the theory. The theory has implications for our understanding of humans' drive for balance, equilibrium and stability in this increasingly uncertain world.

Defining and 'diagnosing' aphantasia: Condition or individual difference?

Research into the newly-coined 'condition' of 'aphantasia', an individual difference involving the self-reported absence of voluntary visual imagery, has taken off in recent years, and more and more people are 'self-diagnosing' as aphantasic. Yet, there is no consensus on whether aphantasia should really be described as a 'condition', and there is no battery of psychometric instruments to detect or 'diagnose' aphantasia. Instead, researchers currently rely on the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) to 'diagnose' aphantasia. We review here fundamental and methodological problems affecting aphantasia research stemming from an inadequate focus on how we should define aphantasia, whether aphantasia is a pathological condition, and the extensive use of VVIQ as a 'diagnostic test' for aphantasia. Firstly, we draw attention to 'literature blindness' for visual imagery research from the 1960s-1990s concerning individual differences in visual imagery vividness. Secondly, despite aphantasia being defined as a 'condition' where voluntary visual imagery is absent as indicated by the lowest score on the VVIQ, aphantasia studies inconsistently employ samples comprised of a mixture of participants with no visual imagery and low visual imagery, and we argue that this hinders the uncovering of the underlying cause of aphantasia. Thirdly, the scores used to designate the boundary between aphantasia and non-aphantasia are arbitrary and differ between studies, compromising the possibility for cross-study comparison of results. Fourthly, the problems of 'diagnosing' aphantasia are not limited to the academic sphere, as one can 'self-diagnose' online, for example by using the variant-VVIQ on the Aphantasia Network website. However, the variant-VVIQ departs from the original in ways likely to impact validity and accuracy, which could lead people to falsely believe they have been 'diagnosed' with aphantasia by a scientifically-validated measure. Fifthly, we discuss the hypothesis that people who believe they have been 'diagnosed' with aphantasia might be vulnerable to health anxiety, distress, and stigma. We conclude with a discussion about some fundamental aspects of how to classify a disorder, and suggest the need for a new psychometric measure of aphantasia.

Phenomenological Studies of Visual Mental Imagery: A Review and Synthesis of Historical Datasets.

This article reviews historically significant phenomenological studies of visual mental imagery (VMI), starting with Fechner in 1860 and continuing to the present. This synthesis of diverse VMI phenomenological studies in healthy adults serves as a unique resource for investigators of individual differences, cognitive development and clinical and neurological conditions. The review focuses on two kinds of VMI, "memory imagery" and "eidetic imagery". Ten primary studies are drawn from three periods of the scholarly literature: early (1860-1929), middle (1930-1999) and recent (2000-2023). It is concluded that memory and eidetic imagery are two forms of constructive imagery, varying along a continuum of intensity or vividness. Vividness is a combination of clarity, colourfulness and liveliness, where clarity is defined by brightness and sharpness, colourfulness by image saturation and liveliness by vivacity, animation, feeling, solidity, projection and metamorphosis. The findings are integrated in a template that specifies, as a tree-like structure, the 16 properties of VMI vividness in healthy adult humans. The template takes into account the weight of evidence drawn from the accounts and reveals an extraordinary degree of consistency in reported VMI characteristics, revealed by specialized studies of healthy adult humans across time, space and culture.

The Action Cycle Theory of Perception and Mental Imagery.

The Action Cycle Theory (ACT) is an enactive theory of the perception and a mental imagery system that is comprised of six modules: Schemata, Objects, Actions, Affect, Goals and Others' Behavior. The evidence supporting these six connected modules is reviewed in light of research on mental imagery vividness. The six modules and their interconnections receive empirical support from a wide range of studies. All six modules of perception and mental imagery are influenced by individual differences in vividness. Real-world applications of ACT show interesting potential to improve human wellbeing in both healthy people and patients. Mental imagery can be applied in creative ways to make new collective goals and actions for change that are necessary to maximize the future prospects of the planet.

Converging Evidence of Similar Symptomatology of ME/CFS and PASC Indicating Multisystemic Dyshomeostasis.

The purpose of this article is to review the evidence of similar symptomatology of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). Reanalysis of data from a study by Jason comparing symptom reports from two groups of ME/CFS and PASC patients shows a notably similar symptomatology. Symptom scores of the PASC group and the ME/CFS group correlated 0.902 (p < 0.0001) across items. The hypothesis is presented that ME/CFS and PASC are caused by a chronic state of multisystemic disequilibrium including endocrinological, immunological, and/or metabolic changes. The hypothesis holds that a changed set point persistently pushes the organism towards a pathological dysfunctional state which fails to reset. To use an analogy of a thermostat, if the 'off switch' of a thermostat intermittently stops working, for periods the house would become warmer and warmer without limit. The hypothesis draws on recent investigations of the Central Homeostasis Network showing multiple interconnections between the autonomic system, central nervous system, and brain stem. The hypothesis helps to explain the shared symptomatology of ME/CFS and PASC and the unpredictable, intermittent, and fluctuating pattern of symptoms of ME/CFS and PASC. The current theoretical approach remains speculative and requires in-depth investigation before any definite conclusions can be drawn.

Psychological homeostasis and protective behaviours in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the first case of human SARS-CoV-2 infection late in 2019 workers across multiple disciplines have been strenuously engaged in attempting to prevent the spread of the virus and to provide care to patients. Never in history has so much human effort been concentrated on a single health trauma. Much of the new research is empirical in nature with relatively few strands of theory. This article focuses on two recent theories relevant to COVID-19 protective behaviours, the COM-B and the General Theory of Behaviour. New empirical findings on the means, motives and opportunities for COVID-19 protective behaviours improve our knowledge and capacity to cope with pandemics using psychological homeostasis.

The 'medically unexplained symptoms' syndrome concept and the cognitive-behavioural treatment model.

The American Psychiatric Association's, 2013 DSM-5 abandoned the use of the term 'medically unexplained symptoms' for non-neurological disorders. In the UK, treatments for various medical illnesses with unexplained aetiology, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia, continue to fall under an MUS umbrella with cognitive behavioural therapy promoted as a primary therapeutic approach. In this editorial, we comment on whether the MUS concept is a viable diagnostic term, the credibility of the cognitive-behavioural MUS treatment model, the necessity of practitioner training and the validity of evidence of effectiveness in routine practice.

Human needs in COVID-19 isolation.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, the World Health Organization and the majority of governments have recommended that the entire human population should 'stay-at-home'. A significant proportion of the population live alone or are vulnerable to mental health problems yet, in the vast majority of cases, individuals in social isolation have no access to mental healthcare. The only resource is people themselves using self-help, self-medication and self-care. During prolonged COVID-19 isolation, an in-built system of homeostasis can help rebalance activity, thought and feeling. Increased physical activity enables a reset of physical and mental well-being. During periods of lockdown, it is recommended that exercise should be as vigorously promoted as social distancing itself.

Increasing the transparency, openness and replicability of psychological research: Mandatory data sharing for empirical studies in the Journal of Health Psychology.

This editorial announces this journal's policy on transparency, openness and replication. From 1 July 2020, authors of manuscripts submitted to Journal of Health Psychology (JHP) are required to make the raw data fully accessible to all readers. JHP will only consider manuscripts which follow an open publication model defined as follows: M = Mandatory, I = Inclusion (of), R = Raw, D = Data (MIRD). All data and analytical procedures must be sufficiently well described to enable a third party with the appropriate expertise to replicate the data analyses. It is expected that findings and analyses in the JHP will be fully capable of being accurately reproduced.

King's College London's enquiry into Hans J Eysenck's 'Unsafe' publications must be properly completed.

This journal recently drew attention to an extensive body of highly questionable research published by Hans J. Eysenck in collaboration with Ronald Grossarth-Maticek. The subsequent enquiry by King's College London concluded that 26 publications were unsafe and warranted retraction. However, the enquiry reviewed only a subset of the 61 questionable publications initially submitted to them, only those Eysenck co-authored with Grossarth-Maticek. The enquiry excluded publications where Eysenck was the sole author. The King's College London enquiry must be properly completed. They have a pressing responsibility to re-convene and broaden their review to include all Eysenck's publications based on the same body of research - including an additional 27 publications recently uncovered. The unsatisfactory nature of the KCL review process makes the case for a National Research Integrity Ombudsperson even stronger.

I Am Conscious, Therefore, I Am: Imagery, Affect, Action, and a General Theory of Behavior.

Organisms are adapted to each other and the environment because there is an inbuilt striving toward security, stability, and equilibrium. A General Theory of Behavior connects imagery, affect, and action with the central executive system we call consciousness, a direct emergent property of cerebral activity. The General Theory is founded on the assumption that the primary motivation of all of consciousness and intentional behavior is psychological homeostasis. Psychological homeostasis is as important to the organization of mind and behavior as physiological homeostasis is to the organization of bodily systems. Consciousness processes quasi-perceptual images independently of the input to the retina and sensorium. Consciousness is the "I am" control center for integration and regulation of (my) thoughts, (my) feelings, and (my) actions with (my) conscious mental imagery as foundation stones. The fundamental, universal conscious desire for psychological homeostasis benefits from the degree of vividness of inner imagery. Imagery vividness, a combination of clarity and liveliness, is beneficial to imagining, remembering, thinking, predicting, planning, and acting. Assessment of vividness using introspective report is validated by objective means such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A significant body of work shows that vividness of visual imagery is determined by the similarity of neural responses in imagery to those occurring in perception of actual objects and performance of activities. I am conscious; therefore, I am.

The Hans Eysenck affair: Time to correct the scientific record.

The Journal of Health Psychology publishes here Dr Anthony Pelosi's analysis of questionable science by one of the world's best-known psychologists, the late Professor Hans J Eysenck. The provenance of a huge body of data produced by Eysenck and Ronald Grossarth-Maticek is highly controversial. In Open letters to King's College London and the British Psychological Society, this editor is requesting a thorough investigation of the facts together with retraction or correction of 61 publications. Academic institutions have a conflict of interest concerning allegations of misconduct, which is why I believe that the only way forward is to have a National Research Integrity Ombudsperson to investigate allegations.

American psychologists, the Central Intelligence Agency, and enhanced interrogation.

In two commissioned articles, Health Psychology Open clarifies once and for all the role of two prominent American psychologists in the Central Intelligence Agency program of enhanced interrogation post 9/11. The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program and the Hoffman Report produced more questions than answers. In these historically significant articles, Martin Seligman and Joseph Matarazzo assert the truth about their actions and the lessons learned.

IAPT under the microscope.

England's flagship 'Improving Access to Psychological Therapies' (IAPT) service has cost around £1 billion yet Scott's (2018a) study suggests that only 9.2% of IAPT patients recover. This leaves an enormous gap of 40.8% between the observed recovery rate and IAPT's claimed recovery rate of 50.0%. The spotlight is on patients with 'medically unexplained symptoms' (MUS) and 'long-term conditions' (LTCs) such as 'diabetes, COPD and ME/CFS, yet there is no way of knowing whether IAPT is capable of yielding the promised rewards or English patients are being sold an expensive pup. An urgent independent expert review of IAPT recovery rates is necessary to answer this question.

Special issue on the PACE Trial.

We are proud that this issue marks a special contribution by the Journal of Health Psychology to the literature concerning interventions to manage adaptation to chronic health problems. The PACE Trial debate reveals deeply embedded differences between critics and investigators. It reveals an unwillingness of the co-principal investigators of the PACE trial to engage in authentic discussion and debate. It leads one to question the wisdom of such a large investment from the public purse (£5million) on what is a textbook example of a poorly done trial.

Dyshomeostasis, obesity, addiction and chronic stress.

When eating control is overridden by hedonic reward, a condition of obesity dyshomeostasis occurs. Appetitive hedonic reward is a natural response to an obesogenic environment containing endemic stress and easily accessible and palatable high-energy foods and beverages. Obesity dyshomeostasis is mediated by the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The ghrelin axis provides the perfect signalling system for feeding dyshomeostasis, affect control and hedonic reward. Dyshomeostasis plays a central role in obesity causation, the addictions and chronic conditions and in persons with diverse bodies. Prevention and treatment efforts that target sources of dyshomeostasis provide ways of reducing adiposity, ameliorating the health impacts of addiction and raising the quality of life in people suffering from chronic stress.

Homeostatic theory of obesity.

Health is regulated by homeostasis, a property of all living things. Homeostasis maintains equilibrium at set-points using feedback loops for optimum functioning of the organism. Imbalances in homeostasis causing overweight and obesity are evident in more than 1 billion people. In a new theory, homeostatic obesity imbalance is attributed to a hypothesized 'Circle of Discontent', a system of feedback loops linking weight gain, body dissatisfaction, negative affect and over-consumption. The Circle of Discontent theory is consistent with an extensive evidence base. A four-armed strategy to halt the obesity epidemic consists of (1) putting a stop to victim-blaming, stigma and discrimination; (2) devalorizing the thin-ideal; (3) reducing consumption of energy-dense, low-nutrient foods and drinks; and (4) improving access to plant-based diets. If fully implemented, interventions designed to restore homeostasis have the potential to halt the obesity epidemic.