85 Making Connections (IntroPSYC and SDG3): Good Health and Wellbeing

By Meghan E. Norris and Riley J.T. Bonar

This unit begins our transition into studying mental health and wellbeing. This content, and content related to clinical psychology more broadly, is often what folks think of when they think of “psychology.” As you now know, psychology absolutely studies and advocates for topics related to mental health and wellbeing, but it also explores much more. In the coming units, we expect you’ll notice how the “much more” in psychology that we have covered so far links to content related to clinical psychology. For example, our earlier units on neurons and neurobiology are foundational to understanding various conditions such as concussions and depression. You will also notice how the environment interacts with our genetics in contexts related to mental health.

Directly connecting our content in the coming units with the SDGs, SDG 3 relates to Good Health and Wellbeing. This SDG encompasses issues such as ensuring access to healthcare, and ending diseases such as tuberculosis, AIDS, malaria, and others by 2030.

As we move into this unit, we want to introduce you to the field of Positive Psychology. Positive Psychology explores the “positive” end of mental health—what brings us satisfaction, what contributes to quality of life, satisfaction and more. In this optional video, Dr. Elizabeth Dunn, a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia, provides an overview of some questions asked by scholars studying positive psychology (including whether smart phones can detract from enjoyment!). She also makes connections between positive psychology and climate change, highlighting opportunities to harness healthier habits that support both wellbeing and a healthier planet.

As we transition into this unit, you will learn more about the science of happiness, and living a good life. You will also have a refresher on content to support thriving as a student.

In the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University, we have many faculty who are engaged in research exploring topics related to mental health. For example, Dr. Nida Ali studies how diverse forms of stress (developmental, acute, chronic, or embedded in daily life) influence biological processes (endocrine, autonomic, immune, gene expression), psychological responses (cognitive, emotional), and mental and physical health outcomes. Her interdisciplinary research integrates methods from psychology, neuroscience, medicine, and biology to examine the multifaceted effects of stress on downstream health processes in healthy, at-risk, and clinical populations. In other work, Dr. Dean Tripp examines models of self-regulation regarding appraisals and coping in patients suffering from visceral pain.

References:

Dunn, E. (n.d.). Positive psychology: Society for Personality and Social Psychology [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBYd1oAD-hg

United Nations. (n.d.). Goal 3: Good health and well-being. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/

How to cite this using APA Style:

Norris, M. E., & Bonar, R. J. T. (2026). Making connections (IntroPSYC and SDG 3): Good health and well-being. In PSYC 100: Principles of psychology. eCampusOntario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/testbookje/chapter/making-connections-intropsyc-and-sdg3-good-health-and-wellbeing/