Positive Psychology: A Definition

Psy249MA Seminar in Psychology: Introduction to

Positive Psychology

Prepared by Niel Steve M. Kintanar

The Scope of The Scope of The Scope of The Scope of Positive PsychologyPositive PsychologyPositive PsychologyPositive Psychology

Prepare by Niel Steve M. Kintanar, MA

2nd Semester 2012-2013

Department of Psychology

(3rd Floor, PE Building),

University of San Carlos

(Talamban Campus)

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Positive Psychology: Positive Psychology: Positive Psychology: Positive Psychology: A DefinitionA DefinitionA DefinitionA Definition

Positive psychology is the scientific study

of optimal human functioning, the goals of

which are to better understand and apply

those factors that help individuals and

communities to thrive and flourish.


Positive Psychology


Towards a Positive PsychologyTowards a Positive PsychologyTowards a Positive PsychologyTowards a Positive Psychology

Ψ This new framework for doing a science of positive

psychology aims to catalyze a change in the focus of

psychology from preoccupation only with repairing the worst

things in life to also building positive qualities.

(Martin Seligman & Mihaly Czikszentmihaly).

During the 1998 APA Convention..During the 1998 APA Convention..During the 1998 APA Convention..During the 1998 APA Convention..

• His mission as APA president.

• Can psychological science be about

identifying and nurturing strengths?

• The theme was about human strengths.

• Human strengths act as buffers against

mental illness.

Before WWII, PsychologyBefore WWII, PsychologyBefore WWII, PsychologyBefore WWII, Psychology’’’’s s s s 3333Distinct Missions:Distinct Missions:Distinct Missions:Distinct Missions:

1. Curing mental illness

2. Making the lives of all people

more productive and fulfilling

3. Identifying and nurturing high

talent.

A Paradigm shiftA Paradigm shiftA Paradigm shiftA Paradigm shift

Treatment

of illness

Prevention of

illness

Enhancement

of Health


Positive Psychology


Core of Positive Psychology Core of Positive Psychology Core of Positive Psychology Core of Positive Psychology Theories and ConceptsTheories and ConceptsTheories and ConceptsTheories and Concepts

1. Happiness � Mental health (vs. mental

illnesses) � Flourishing.

2. Strength Theory (vs. weaknesses)

3. Broaden and Build Theory of Positive

Emotions (vs. negative emotions)

1. The Authentic Happiness Theory 1. The Authentic Happiness Theory 1. The Authentic Happiness Theory 1. The Authentic Happiness Theory

1. The pleasant life (positive emotion)

2. The good life (engagement)

3. The meaningful life (meaning)

1. The Pleasant Life1. The Pleasant Life1. The Pleasant Life1. The Pleasant Life

• The first route to greater happiness is hedonic, increasing positive emotion.

• Within limits, we can increase our positive emotion about the past (e.g. by cultivating gratitude and forgiveness), our positive emotion about the present (e.g. by savouring and mindfulness) and our positive emotion about the future (e.g. by building hope and optimism).

• But, it is heritable, it fluctuates, and it has a limit point.

2. The Engaged Life2. The Engaged Life2. The Engaged Life2. The Engaged Life• A second route to happiness involves the pursuit of ‘gratification’.

• The key characteristic of a gratification is that it engages us fully. It absorbs us. Individuals may find gratification in participating in a great conversation, fixing a bike, reading a good book, teaching a child, playing the guitar or accomplishing a difficult task at work. (Gratification is when we use our strengths!)

• Pursuing gratification might not necessarily be accompanied by positive emotions but the overall experience in the end is intensely gratifying!

• Engagement in life overlaps with the concept of flow or optimal experience, as elucidated by Csikszentmihalyi(1990). Flow is defined as a psychological experience in which one is fully immersed in what he or she is doing.


Positive Psychology


3. The Meaningful Life3. The Meaningful Life3. The Meaningful Life3. The Meaningful Life

• The third route to happiness comes from using these strengths to belong to and in the service of something larger than ourselves; something such as knowledge, goodness, family, community, politics, justice or a higher spiritual power.

• The third route gives life meaning. It satisfies a longing for purpose in life and is the antidote to a ‘fidgeting until we die’ syndrome.

• “People who successfully pursue activities that connect them to such larger goals achieve what we call the meaningful life” (Rashid, 2008, p. 198).

The Full LifeThe Full LifeThe Full LifeThe Full Life• Full Life = pleasant life + good life + meaningful life.

• A person who uses all three routes to happiness leads the ‘full life’, and recent empirical evidence suggests that those who lead the full life have much the greater life satisfaction (Peterson et al. 2005).

• The empty life, which occurs when one or more of these elements of the full life are lacking, is hypothesized to be a partial cause of psychological problems (Rashid, 2008).

The GOAL of Positive Psychology: The GOAL of Positive Psychology: The GOAL of Positive Psychology: The GOAL of Positive Psychology: Happiness is NOT enoughHappiness is NOT enoughHappiness is NOT enoughHappiness is NOT enough!

Happiness

(measured by life satisfaction)

3 routes (Pleasant, Good, Meaningful)

Well-being

(measured by flourishing)

P.E.R.M.A.

The 5 Pillars of FLOURISHINGThe 5 Pillars of FLOURISHINGThe 5 Pillars of FLOURISHINGThe 5 Pillars of FLOURISHING!


Positive Psychology


Additional ComponentsAdditional ComponentsAdditional ComponentsAdditional Components4. The Achieving Life4. The Achieving Life4. The Achieving Life4. The Achieving Life

Fulfilling the need to achieve.

From drive reduction theory of motivation � to a

self-competence theory of motivation.

“Accomplishment for the sake of accomplishment.”

Making goals and achieving them. =)

2 Additional Components2 Additional Components2 Additional Components2 Additional Components5. The Connected Life5. The Connected Life5. The Connected Life5. The Connected Life

“What is positive psychology all about?”

“Other people.” – Christopher Peterson, one

of the founders of positive psychology.

Authentic

Happiness TheoryWell-Being Theory

Topic: Happiness Topic: Well-Being

Measure: Life satisfaction

Measures: Positive emotion,

engagement, positive

relationships, meaning, and

accomplishment

Goal: Increase life satisfaction

Goal: Increase flourishing by

increasing positive emotion,

engagement, positive

relationships, meaning, and

accomplishment

Flourishers…

• A flourishing person is someone who experiences

positive emotions, excels in daily life, and is a

contributing and productive member of society.

• In other words, they consistently feel good and do

good


Positive Psychology


From Happiness: The Science behind your smile by Danielle Nettle

2. Strength Theory2. Strength Theory2. Strength Theory2. Strength Theory

• Those who study and practice positive

psychology subscribe to strengths theory

or the idea that it is vital to understand and

build from one’s strengths while managing

(rather than focusing on or repairing)

weaknesses (Clifton and Nelson, 1996).

The Virtues and Character StrengthsThe Virtues and Character StrengthsThe Virtues and Character StrengthsThe Virtues and Character Strengths

“A Manual of Sanities” as opposed to DSM-IV.

Identified six core virtuesconsidered good by the vast majority of cultures and

throughout history and that these traits lead to increased happiness when practiced:

�wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and

transcendence.

The 24 Character StrengthsThe 24 Character StrengthsThe 24 Character StrengthsThe 24 Character StrengthsWisdom and Knowledge (strengths that

involve the acquisition and use of

knowledge)

Creativity, curiosity, open-

mindedness, love of learning,

perspective and wisdom

Courage (strengths that allow one to

accomplish goals in the face of

opposition)

Bravery, persistence, integrity,

vitality

Humanity (strengths of tending and

befriending others)

Love, kindness, and social

intelligence

Justice (strengths that build healthy

community)

Citizenship, fairness,

leadership

Temperance (strengths that protect

against excess)

Forgiveness & mercy, humilty,

prudence, self control

Transcendence (strengths that forge

connections to the larger universe and

provide meaning)

Appreciation of beauty,

gratitude, hope, humor &

playfulness, spirituality.


Positive Psychology


3. Broaden and Build Theory 3. Broaden and Build Theory 3. Broaden and Build Theory 3. Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotionsof Positive Emotionsof Positive Emotionsof Positive Emotions

• This theory provides an explanation of the utility

and importance of positive emotions in people’s

lives.

– The broaden hypothesis

– The build hypothesis

– The undoing hypothesis

– The resilience hypothesis

– The flourishing hypothesis

Documents

Positive Psychology: A Definition