Evaluation Flashcards
Is this approach deterministic or free will?
Free will
The positive approach is firmly on the free will side of the free will versus determinism debate. It proposes that individuals are not determined or restricted. We have personal freedom to grow and develop.
Is the fact it’s free will a positive or negative?
Weekness Held (2002) have argued that by placing the responsibility on the individual and their own free will, people may feel as if they are to blame for any problems they have. Therefore, they may end up feeling worse and having a lower sense of well-being.
Positive-
On the one hand, by recognising the role of free will in behaviour, the approach empowers individuals to take control of their own destiny and improve their lives.
Is this approach reductionist or holism?
Holism
it takes the whole person into account. Researchers such as Lyubomirsky et al (2005) suggest that genetics are an important factor in our happiness. As well as acknowledging these low-level factors, in Myers and Diener’s (1997) research they found evidence for the role of relationships and faith.
Is the fact it’s holism a strength or weekness?
Both
+benefits it offers a more complete explanation. This is particularly true when it comes to complex concepts such as happiness and well-being.
-However, it does make identifying causes and treatments more difficult. It might also make designing research more difficult as it will be hard to know what to focus on if a number of elements are being taken into account. For example, it is harder to test and measure a concept like flow.
Applications in society?
• informal- Mindfulness through apps like Headspace.
•Formal mindfulness programmes such as MBCT are also used in healthcare.
•The Mental Health Foundation published a report in 2010 highlighting the benefits of mindfulness for those with depression but also for well-being in general.
•Positive psychology interventions are also becoming widely used in schools and the workplace.
•The coronavirus pandemic has brought into focus the importance of mental health and well-being for children. Many schools offer well-being interventions as part of their curriculum such as mindfulness training
Is this approach Ideographic vs nomothetic?
Both
Ideographic- It emphasis on the individual’s personal sense of health and well-being. e.g. in therapies such as mindfulness, the individual is encouraged to reflect on their own thoughts and use this to improve their well-being. It is recognised that different individuals will reach a state of flow by engaging in different activities. Individuals are encouraged to identify their own signature strengths and develop these in a way that is unique to them.
Nomothemic- As the approach uses the scientific method to carry out research, it is aiming to develop theories that can be applied as laws of human behaviour. Research such as Myers and Diener (1997) aimed to develop a theory of ‘Who is Happy?’ that could be applied to everyone (for example, identifying traits of happy people such as optimism and self-control).
Strength or weekness of ideographic vs nomothemic?
a strength recognises individual differences in behaviour but also develops ideas that can be applied to everyone. By being idiographic, the positive approach is recognising the role of individual differences in behaviour and therefore potentially provides a more accurate explanation. By also developing theories of human behaviour that can be applied to everyone (nomothetic), the approach benefits from being more scientific and potentially more useful in applying to more people.
Is it nature va nurture?
mainly nature some nurture
for example Lyubomirsky et al (2005) carried out a twin study on over 2000 twins and suggested that 50% of the variance in happiness is due to genetics.
The research also suggested that 10% was attributable to our circumstances (e.g. wealth, education) and 40% to intentional activity. Intentional activity can include a range of activities that people engage in as part of their everyday lives. For example, exercising or reframing events in a more positive light.
Is nature vs nurture a success or failure?
A success
As human behaviour is so complex, it makes sense to include a range of factors in explaining behaviour. This is particularly true when it comes to concepts such as happiness and well-being, as these are likely to be attributable to different causes. Therefore, with researchers like Lyubomirsky and Seligman considering different factors, they are offering us a more complete explanation of behaviour.
By taking into account the role of both innate and environmental factors in affecting happiness, the approach is offering a more complete explanation of behaviour. This can be considered a strength of the approach.
Is this approach scientific vs non scientific?
Scientific
key aspect of positive psychology is its aim to use the scientific method to investigate behaviour. Although concepts such as happiness and well-being are subjective and difficult to define, positive psychologists create hypotheses, use objective methods and collect data to investigate their ideas.
An example of this scientific approach can be seen in the work of Seligman et al (2005), who compared the impact of different positive psychology interventions. Participants were randomly allocated to one of five different exercises (e.g. writing down every night three things that had gone well that day). They also completed a placebo control version where they had to write about early memories. The impact was measured.
This study demonstrates the use of many features of a scientific approach (for example, the use of control groups to improve validity and the random allocation of the exercises to the different participants).
Is scientific a benefit or a failure?
This could be considered a strength of the approach as the use of the scientific method adds credibility and support to the key concepts of the approach.
Psychology as a subject is keen to be seen as scientific. Approaches that use the scientific method to investigate their ideas tend to be seen as more credible as the quality of their supporting evidence is higher. This also means they are likely to get more funding for research and that their findings will be adopted more widely in society.
