Positive Psychology In a Nutshell Flashcards
Basics of positive psychology
Name the 3 levels of positive psychology and what are their specific aim?
-The subjective level:
includes the study of positive experiences such as
joy, well-being, satisfaction, contentment, happiness, optimism, and flow. “This level is about feeling good, rather than doing good or being a good person.”
-The individual level:
“The aim is to identify the constituents of the
‘good life’ and the personal qualities that are necessary for being a ‘good person’,” through studying human strengths and virtues, future mindedness,
capacity for love, courage, perseverance, forgiveness, originality, wisdom, interpersonal skills, and giftedness
-The group/community level
the emphasis is on civic virtues, social responsibilities, nurturance, altruism, civility, tolerance, work ethics, positive institutions and other factors that contribute to the development of citizenship and communities and reaching beyond oneself. “This level is much more about taking actions or positive behaviors aimed at something larger than ourselves.”
What is positive psychology?
“the scientific study of optimal human functioning [that] aims to discover and promote the factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive’”
What was Aristotle’s beliefs that related to happines and the roots of positive psychology?
Aristotle believed that there was a unique “daimon”, or spirit, within each individual that guides us to pursue things that are right for us. Acting in accordance with this daimon leads one to happiness.
Who were the very first psychologist to use the term “Positive Psychology?
Maslow who was the very first psychologist to use the term ‘positive psychology’.
The ‘broaden-and-build’ theory of positive emotions, developed by
Barbara Fredrickson, shows that positive affective experiences contribute to and have a long-lasting effect on our personal growth and development
(Fredrickson, 2001). - How?
(a) Positive emotions broaden our thought–action repertoires
(b) Positive emotions undo negative emotions
(c) Positive emotions enhance resilience
(d) Positive emotions build psychological repertoire
(e) Positive emotions can trigger an upward developmental spiral
(Page: 10-11 PP)
How can we increase positive emotions? (Fredrickson, 2001).
The emotion of contentment can be enhanced by engaging in relaxation
practices, such as progressive muscle relaxation, yoga and imagery
exercises. Meditation exercises help achieve a state of mindfulness,
which brings many other benefits (Fredrickson, 2001).
What are some benefits of negative emotions?
• Negative emotions can help initiate fundamental personality changes. A leading expert on emotions, Richard Lazarus, writes: ‘For the stable adult, major personality change may require a
trauma, a personal crisis, or a religious conversion’ (2003a: 105).
• Negative emotions can bring us to our depth and put us in touch with our deeper selves.
• They can facilitate learning, understanding of ourselves and knowledge of the world. Wisdom is often gained from experiencing suffering
and loss that are the necessary parts of life (Young-Eisendrath, 2003).
• Finally, experiencing and coping with negative affect can have
positive social consequences, such as modesty, moral considerations,
care and empathy.
Can smiling and laughing be considered positive emotions when directed at someone (Campos, 2003)?
What is important to understand about what make emotions positive or negative?
the context within which they occur
What does emotional intelligence (EQ) refer to?
Emotional intelligence refers to:
-the capacity to recognize and manage our own emotions and the emotions of others close to us.
It is often claimed to be more important than IQ for career success and
for achievement of one’s life goals.
What are the four branches of EQ?
- Perceiving emotions -People who are skilled at perceiving
emotions in themselves and others have an advantage in social situations,
as they are more likely to understand things from another person’s
perspective and are more empathic. - Using emotions to facilitate thinking - how emotions affect our thinking and how we can utilize our emotions for more effective problem-solving, reasoning, decision-making and
creative endeavours. - Understanding emotions -It’s not enough to notice emotions – we need to fi gure out the message
they are carrying. - Managing emotions - Emotional management or regulation is not about eliminating troubling
emotions (life would be limited if this was the case), but about learning
how to gain control over them.
Flow has several important characteristics?
PP s.30-31
- Clarity of goals and immediate feedback on progress.
- Complete concentration on what one is doing at the present moment
- Actions and awareness are merged
- Losing awareness of oneself or self-consciousness is also a common experience
- Sense of control over what one is doing
- Transformation of time
- Activities are intrinsically rewarding
- What is also interesting in flow is the almost total absence of emotions
during the actual process
Another name for FLOW?
optimal experience.
What are the experiences that lead to FLOW called?
Activities that lead to a flow experience are called autotelic (from the
Greek: auto = self, telos = goal), because they are intrinsically motivated
and enjoyable and have an end in themselves, rather than in some other end product.
What is grit?
The capacity to sustain effort and keep working even in the face of obstacles,
Cross-cultural research on the value of strengths suggests that knowing
and following your strengths help with ?
encourages insight and perspective in your life
makes one less sensitive to stress
generates optimism and resilience
provides a sense of direction
helps to develop confi dence and self-esteem
generates a sense of vitality and energy
engenders a sense of happiness and fulfi lment
helps achieve one’s goals
enables one to be more engaged at work and perform better (Clifton
& Anderson, 2001–02).
