Positive PsychologyCicilia Evi GradDiplSc., M. Psi

“Psychology is not just the study of weakness and damage; it is also the

study of strength and virtue. Treatment is not just fixing what is broken; it is

nurturing what is best within us” (Martin E. P. Seligman)

Positive Psychology

• The scientific study of ordinary human strengths and virtues – revisits the ‘average person’ with an interest in finding out what works, what’s right, and what’s improving (Sheldon & King, 2001)

Positive Psychology (2)

• The focus is at positive human functioning and flourishing at biological, personal, relational, institutional, cultural and global level (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)

• This movement builds on people’s capacities, creativity, strengths, resilience, and coping skills (Seligman, 2002) against the pursuing of pathology

Discussion

• After watching Precious last week, what do you think is her strength and virtue?

• What about Morrie?• And Liz?

Dimensions of Positive Psych

• At subjective level looks at positive subjective states or positive emotions:– Happiness, joy, satisfaction with life,

relaxation, love, intimacy, and contentment – Including constructive thoughts about life

and the future optimism and hope– Feeling of energy, vitality and

confidence, or laughter (effect of positive emotions)

Dimensions (2)

• At the individual level focuses on a study of positive individual traits – the more enduring and persistent behavior patterns in people over time– Courage, persistent, honesty, wisdom– Ability to develop aesthetic sensibility

or creative potentials and drive to pursue excellence

Dimensions (3)

• At group or societal level focuses on development, creation and maintenance of positive institutions – Issues on the development of civic virtues, the

creation of healthy families, the study of healthy work environments and positive communities

– How communities can work better to support and nurture all the citizens

Why is it needed today?

• Prior to World War II there were only 3 major missions in Psychology: to cure mental illness, to find and nurture genius and talent, and to make normal life more fulfilling (Seligman, 2000)

• The importance of positive emotions and adaptive behaviors to living a satisfying and productive life eliminate soc & psych problems

Why (2)

• To enable people have positive outcomes in life – Satisfied with their life and have more

rewarding interpersonal relationships – Physically healthier, more resistant to illness,

and may live longer • Conclusion: helping people reach

their potentials & eliminate negative emotions and problematic behaviors

Negative Emotions

• Still important and needed for survival fear, anxiety or skepticism

• Positive psych believes that tragic elements in life can enrich our experience of human being (Woolfolk, 2002)

• Can’t deny every effort to help eliminate problems associated with social injustices and inequalities

What is A Good Life?

The Good Life

• Refers to the factors that contribute most to a well-lived and fulfilling life

• Three elements:– Positive connections to others– Positive individual traits– Life regulation qualities

Emotional Intelligence

• Ability to give meaning, to think and to understand the emotions and use the information to make a decision (Mayer & Salovey, 1995, 1997)

• Able to recognize someone else’s feeling and act upon that

• Knowing someone else’s feeling then decide to express or withhold the emotions

Goals in Life

• Happy people are more likely to have goals in life, compare to unhappy people

• The only one not correlated with happiness is making money – because most of them do not succeed!

Other Factors

• Health and happiness go together health improves happiness and happiness improves the chances of long-term health

• Religious people tend to be happier than nonreligious people (Myers, 2000)

• Happy people are more likely to trust others, to be emotionally stable, to be conscientious workers and to enjoy being in control of a situation

Change your activities!

• First, once a week list 5 things which you feel grateful for … feeling grateful improve life satisfaction, optimism, health and exercise habits (Emmons & McCullough, 2003)

• Second, perform a random act of kindness to a stranger every week (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2004)