CAN A POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

INTERVENTION IMPROVE COGNITIVE

PERFORMANCE?

Ella DuvallAugust, 2011

Positive psychology…

• Wellbeing, happiness and flourishing

• Emerging field, in the last 10 years

• Is there a point to researching happiness? …yes, the causal effect works both ways! (Lyubomirski et al, 2005)

• How can we achieve more positive states? (Seligman et al, 2005) - using signature strengths in new ways - three good things

The present research study…• Positive psychology in education

– To improve wellbeing– To prevent against depression

• Can a positive psychology intervention also improve our cognitive performance?

• Hypothesis: participants cognitive performance will improve with practice and familiarity but the improvement will be greater for participants of a positive psychology intervention

Using signature strengths in new ways (USSNW)..

Your signature strengths are particular strengths of character that you will bring you abundant gratification and authentic

happiness when exercised.

• E.g. love of learning, bravery and valor, gratitude

Using signature strengths in new ways (USSNW)..

• Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (Peterson & Seligman, 2004)

• Exercise your strengths in new ways or new areas of your life for one week

E.g. writing a letter of forgiveness

• Found to decrease depressive

symptoms and increase

happiness for up to six months (Seligman et al, 2005)

Letter transformation task

• 4 letters in a sequence• Transform all letters by 4

a b c d e f g h I j…

L J A S

‘transformed by 4’ equals

P N E W

(Rajman, Hamilton & Hockey ,1977)

Letter transformation task

• Access of long term memory to locate the appropriate starting place in the alphabetical sequence

• Transformation of each letter

• Rehearsal and storage of the accumulating answer

Method

Preliminary Findings

N20Participants who took part in the USSNW intervention show a greater mean improvement in correct responses in the task compared to participants in the control.

What do these findings mean?

• Descriptive statistics with this small sample support our hypothesis

• However, this has not been supported statistically and the power to test this needs to be improved by the larger sample

• Are other positive interventions similarly effective?

• For how long for?

• Longitudinal placebo controlled design

• Cognitive performance in school

What’s next?

• To conclude:- positive psychology is making an impact in psychology showing that wellbeing is a valuable human endeavor; happiness plays a causal role in many so kinds of desirable life outcomes. Governments are starting to recognise the importance of wellbeing and improved performance would certainly appeal to their current economy-driven objectives. However research findings showing that cognitive function is affected by a positive mind has not yet been bought to fruition.

References• Seligman et al, (2005). Positive Psychology

Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions, American Psychologist, 60, 5, 410-421

• Lyubomirski et al, (2005). The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success? American Psychological Association, 313, 6

• Peterson & Seligman, (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A classification and handbook.NewYork: Oxford University Press/Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Acknowledgements

Professor Chris Barker