The immune mind

You think your immune system is a collection of cells and chemicals that circulate within your body, don’t you? You’re right, but only partially. Long before your internal immune system is called into action you have another immune system, directed by your mind that is working to keep you disease free.

This prime immune system has been described in a paper done jointly by researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Bristol. What they explain is that you have a whole host of psychological qualities designed to detect and avoid potentially infectious things in your environment.

The researchers reviewed a number of studies to arrive at their conclusions. One study found for example, that when people felt vulnerable to infection they tended to be less extroverted.

Another study on global personality differences showed that people are generally less extroverted in countries where infectious disease has historically been highly prevalent. There are many other studies which show that the threat of disease may contribute to prejudices against people who look or behave unusually.

So your first line of immunity is your brain which will change your behaviour in order to avoid coming into contact with infectious individuals. It is a kind of behavioural immunity that eases the load on your internal immune system.

The problem is that many of these prejudicial responses are wrong. The cues that your brain uses to identify threatening individuals are imperfect so that you may end up avoiding people who pose no risk at all.

Many prejudices that separate us may have their roots in this behavioural, mind generated immunity. Those prejudices and perceptions might be helping you but they might also be locking you away from many delightful experiences.

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