Building Resistance to Stress and Aging ― The Toughness Model

By becoming tough we preserve those physical and mental capacities that are degenerated by stress and by aging. The toughness model proposed in this book incorporates psychological research and neuroscience to explain how a variety of toughening activities - ranging from confronting mental and physical challenges to meditation and even giving and receiving nurturance - sustain our brains and bodies. These activities affect genetic processes that build neurochemical capacities and rebuild degraded brain structures. The physiological toughness leads, in turn, to improved mental/psychological faculties ranging from emotional stability to fluid intelligence and the preservation of our capacity to form memories.

Richard A Dienstbier is Professor Emeritus and past Chair of the Psychology Department of the University of Nebraska, USA. For 24 years he was the Series Editor of the annual Nebraska Symposium on Motivation. His earlier papers and lectures defined toughness, but by emphasizing toughening impacts on the brain, this book updates and extends the concept.