Positive Flashcards
Acknowledging Free will
Unlike the other deterministic perspectives of the assumptions like behaviourist and biological, the positive approach offers a free will approach. It suggests that we are in control with our thoughts and feelings and it is important to get back in touch with them to understand them. Happiness is accessible to all, and we have free will to work on our signature strengths.
Example
Free will is seen in the use of mindfulness and quality of life therapy, were individual are encourages to become more aware of their feelings. Individuals can exercise free will to become more conscious of the present and use this to increase levels of happiness.
Authenticity of goodness and excellence
Psychology had become too focused on how to fix the negative aspects of peoples life rather than celebrating their strengths, as positive aspects of a person commonly exceed the negative. It is just important to focus to focus on people who seem just ‘ok’ as its important for all to develop their personal wellbeing
Example
Theory of signature strengths by Seligaman. He created 24 innate strengths found in everyone but in different degrees. Three of these signature strengths are kindness, curiosity and honesty. This approach encourages us to nurture them. TSS is collated in the VIA class of signature strength and virtues. Seligman further developed this into an online self report and gives character profiles of strengths.
Focus on the good life
Seligman suggested that there are 3 dimensions to happiness: the good life, the pleasant life and a meaningful life.
Pleasant life: Activities that are focused on positive emotions which makes us feel good. We should savour thees experience.
Good life: Engage in actives which help absorb us and help us to reach as state of flow. Focus on strengths goals and relationships.
Meaningful life: Sate of fulfilment we get from using strengths for a deeper purpose.
Example
Seen in the concept developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly. Different activities lead to a flow state for different people. In this state there is a balance of challenge and the skills we have to deal with them. They should be challenging enough to make us think, but no so we are stressed.
Focus on good life and relationships
Christopher Peterson summarised positive psychology as ‘other people matter’ e.g building relationships make people people happy and element of the good life is having a connection to others. Forming a positive relationship with others can improve our subjective well being and helps us achieve the good life. Another is engaging in activates that absorb us, helping us reach a state of slow. This could include social activities with friends e.g. sports.
Diener and Seligman
Surveyed 222 undergraduates, those categorised as very happy had strong social and romantic relationships, and were more sociable.
Olsson
Found in a longitudinal study looking at relationships academic success and wellbeing from child to adult. Children with wider social networks and engaged in more social activities were happier as an adult. Sociality is a bigger predictor of happiness than academic success.
FOR: authenticity of goodness and excellence
on elf our signature strengths in delevlpping and painting relationships one of the VIA character strengths is humanity this includes kindness love and social intelligence, we can improve our relationships with others by focusing on what is going right than what is going wrong. This means individuals should focus on their partners strengths and celebrating them.m Kashden Et al found a greater appreciation of their partners characters was associated with positive relationship outcomes.
FOR: Free will
According to Sonja Lyumbirsky 40% of variance happiness is due to intentional activity. This is activities we choose to take part in, one of these is nurturing social relationships e.g. choosing to get back in touch with someone.
