SFH #203: The Counterclockwise Study

The power of mindset 🕰️

Could you roll back the clock 20 years and rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit?

We may be capable of tapping into pathways to better health via our mindset. Is that not news to you? You may be well aware of the positive psychology movement, growth mindset, or the idea of optimism being a mental edge, but did you know that Counterclockwise Study was an early landmark opening the door to such possible notions of the placebo being greater than physical science?

Photo Credit to The New York Times

In the Counterclockwise Study, psychologist Ellen Langer (often dubbed the mother of positive psychology) explored the impact of mental attitude on physical health and aging. In 1979, participants were placed in an environment that recreated the world 20 years earlier and encouraged to act as if they were living in that period. The study's results suggested that by changing their mindset and behaving as if they were younger, participants experienced improvements in physical health, cognitive function, and overall well-being. Hearing, vision, grip strength, and memory recall were vital areas that Langer and her team saw improvements. The study also found that participants looked younger to outside observers who saw photos of them before and after the experiment.

There is some fair criticism of the study, including small sample size, self-selection bias, and replication issues. That said, it's hard to deny, over the last 45 years since the study was initially conducted and subsequent studies on mindset have stated strong cases, that the psychology of possibility is a powerful tool. I personally love the idea that we can all start with the assumption that we don't know what we can or who we can become!