Sound mind, sound body, or vice versa? Mind–body beliefs shape health behaviors

The present research examines whether and how lay intuitive theory regarding the interconnectedness of the mind and body, which we term mind-body correspondence (MBC), predicts engagement in health behaviors. Specifically, we hypothesised that MBC would strengthen mind influences the body (MIB) and body influences the mind (BIM) beliefs, which would in turn increase mental and physical health behaviors, respectively. We tested associations among MBC (independent variable), MIB and BIM beliefs (proposed mediators), and mental and physical health behaviors (dependent variables) using correlational designs in Studies 1a to 1c. Results revealed positive associations between MBC and (1) MIB and BIM and (2) mental and physical health behaviors, as well as between MIB and mental health behaviors and between BIM and physical health behaviors. We then tested the full model in Study 2 with an experimental manipulation of MBC and in Study 3 with a two-wave longitudinal design. Both studies revealed significant indirect effects of MBC on mental health behaviors via MIB and on physical health behaviors via BIM. Together, our findings suggest that one can encourage mental health behaviors by emphasizing the mind-to-body connection and physical health behaviors by highlighting the body-to-mind connection.