Positive Psychology Flashcards
What is the three assumptions of positive psychology ?
Acknowledgment of free will
Authenticity of goodness and excellence
Focus on the good life
What are Seligmans 3 ‘desirable lives’ ?
The pleasant life
The good life
The meaningful life
What did Diener and Seligman (2002) discover ?
They studied the correlation between depression and time spent with friends and family, and found that people were generally happier when they spent more time with friends and family; this shows that people have authority over their actions and what makes them happy (Freewill V Determinism) (Acknowledgement of free will)
What does the assumption of authenticity of goodness and excellence prove ?
Seligman studied all emotions and found that feelings of goodness and happiness were just as natural as any other emotion and that the belief that they were less authentic was an obstacle in psychology
What are ‘signature strengths’ ?
Positive strengths that are believed to be passed on to offspring if properly nurtured and give them a better life
What is the pleasant life ?
Happiness comes from pursuing and cherishing, positive emotions in relation to past present and future
What is the good life ?
Happiness comes from pursuing activities that positively absorb us and engage us, e.g job or sport
What in the meaningful life ?
Happiness come from a deep sense of fulfilment by living for a purpose much greater than oneself
What is mindfulness therapy ?
Focusing on present thoughts and feelings, meditation and breathing, and deep relaxation to bring peace back into the mind and relieve/combat depression and anxiety
Explain MBCT
Mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT), Teasdale et al (2000) Discovered MBCT was very effective in preventing depression within patients with 3 past episodes, although less effective with patients with 2 or less episodes
What is quality of life therapy ?
The therapist and patient will first assess the patients 16 areas of life to determine which require the most attention and which have the most influence on our quality of life (Fisch). This fits in to the positive approach because of its promotion of authenticity.
What are the strengths of positive psychology ?
Shifts focus of psychology
Diverse implications
Free will approach
What are the weaknesses of positive psychology ?
Not a new philosophy
Happiness is difficult to measure
Ignores individual differences
