The article explores the relationship between social relationships and health behavior across the life course, emphasizing the role of social ties in shaping health outcomes. It argues that social integration, support, and control are critical factors that influence health behaviors at different life stages, with these effects accumulating and reverberating throughout the life course. The authors synthesize research from various disciplines to develop a conceptual model that integrates disparate literatures into a coherent framework, identifying psychosocial processes through which social ties affect health behaviors, both positively and negatively. They highlight the importance of understanding how social ties influence health behavior, as this knowledge is essential for informing public policy and improving health outcomes. Social support, stress, and control are key mechanisms through which social ties affect health behavior. Social support can promote healthy behaviors by enhancing mental health, reducing stress, and fostering symbolic meanings. However, social support can also contribute to unhealthy behaviors, especially when it is perceived as a threat to autonomy. Stress, on the other hand, can lead to poor health habits, as it challenges individuals' coping capacities and may exacerbate existing health issues. Social control, which refers to the ways in which social ties regulate behavior, can have both positive and negative effects, depending on the context and the nature of the control. The symbolic meaning of social ties and health behaviors also plays a significant role in shaping health outcomes. The meanings attached to behaviors, such as smoking or eating, can influence whether individuals engage in those behaviors. Additionally, mental health is a critical component of the relationship between social ties and health behavior, as psychological well-being and distress can mediate the effects of social ties on health. The authors conclude that future research should focus on cumulative life course processes, social conditions, and personal dispositions to better understand how social ties and health behaviors interact. They emphasize the need for more explicit studies of race, gender, and socioeconomic status in shaping health outcomes, as well as the role of personality in influencing health behaviors. The article also highlights the importance of considering gene-environment interactions in understanding the complex relationship between social ties and health behavior. Overall, the article underscores the significance of social relationships in shaping health outcomes across the life course and calls for further research to inform public policy and health interventions.The article explores the relationship between social relationships and health behavior across the life course, emphasizing the role of social ties in shaping health outcomes. It argues that social integration, support, and control are critical factors that influence health behaviors at different life stages, with these effects accumulating and reverberating throughout the life course. The authors synthesize research from various disciplines to develop a conceptual model that integrates disparate literatures into a coherent framework, identifying psychosocial processes through which social ties affect health behaviors, both positively and negatively. They highlight the importance of understanding how social ties influence health behavior, as this knowledge is essential for informing public policy and improving health outcomes. Social support, stress, and control are key mechanisms through which social ties affect health behavior. Social support can promote healthy behaviors by enhancing mental health, reducing stress, and fostering symbolic meanings. However, social support can also contribute to unhealthy behaviors, especially when it is perceived as a threat to autonomy. Stress, on the other hand, can lead to poor health habits, as it challenges individuals' coping capacities and may exacerbate existing health issues. Social control, which refers to the ways in which social ties regulate behavior, can have both positive and negative effects, depending on the context and the nature of the control. The symbolic meaning of social ties and health behaviors also plays a significant role in shaping health outcomes. The meanings attached to behaviors, such as smoking or eating, can influence whether individuals engage in those behaviors. Additionally, mental health is a critical component of the relationship between social ties and health behavior, as psychological well-being and distress can mediate the effects of social ties on health. The authors conclude that future research should focus on cumulative life course processes, social conditions, and personal dispositions to better understand how social ties and health behaviors interact. They emphasize the need for more explicit studies of race, gender, and socioeconomic status in shaping health outcomes, as well as the role of personality in influencing health behaviors. The article also highlights the importance of considering gene-environment interactions in understanding the complex relationship between social ties and health behavior. Overall, the article underscores the significance of social relationships in shaping health outcomes across the life course and calls for further research to inform public policy and health interventions.