Positive psychology Flashcards
How did positive psychology begin?
Two men met on a beach by chance in hawaii and were upset how psychologists focus on the negative aspects of psychology , the other side of psychology had been neglected
What is positive psychology?
The scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive.
→ founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives - be their best selves.
→ becoming the best person you can be
What is the overall goal of positive psychology?
Overall goal is to improve the lives and nurture the talents of all people - why wait for them to be mentally ill?
What were Lyubomirsky’s findings of what makes us happy?
Overall happiness is
50% your set point of happiness
10% circumstances
40% intentional activity
How much of your set point for happiness is thought to be derived from genetics?
40%
What is wrong with GDP?
It does not measure things such as the health of ourselves and children, the quality of education , the joy gained from socialising with friends and families etc
What is hedonic adaptation?
people rapidly desensitise to stimuli whether that’s a smell or a wage increase - novelty wears off hedonic treadmill
What does positive psychology suggest as an additional measure, to compliment GDP?
DEC better life index - the BLI rates each economically developed country based on 11 different indices of a better life
What is the world happiness report?
A detailed report on different drivers of happiness
What can intentional activity be summarised as?
Someone’s resilience
What is reframing (intentional activity) ?
looking at things in a positive but realistic light - central part of CBT
What is showing gratitude (intentional activity) ?
Greater life satisfaction than groups that journalled negative or neutral events , those in positive group experience significbtly fewer symptoms of illness , positive group spent more time exercising
What is optimism (intentional activity)?
Affects wellbeing . learned optimism is the opposite of learned helplessness - we don’t learn to be helpless it’s our default reaction we need to learn to be optimistic and resilient.
What is self compassion (intentional activity) ?
We should care for ourselves like we do for others , conscious effort to not be too harsh on ourselves
What is self efficacy (intentional activity) ?
The belief that you are up to the task that you’re good enough and skilled enough to handle the job you’ve been given to do , subject levels of self-efficacy significantly positively predicted subjective levels of wellbeing
What does improving our resilience also improve?
- performance outcomes through reducing stress, depression, anxiety and burn out
- emotional intelligence
- wellbeing
- public health and prevention of illness
What are some things that can improve mental and physical wellbeing?
Exercise, being kind, flow state, having strong and meaningful relationships
What did researchers who asked participants to complete wellbeing questionnaires discover about who is happier ?
People are paid more
Middle class are happier than working class
Married happier than single , divorced or widowers
Religious people happier than non religious
Healthy people happier than sick people
What is hedonic adaptation ?
People rapidly desensitise to stimuli. ‘hedonic treadmill’
What did Seligman show in his neurological research (raphe nucleus) ?
Prolonged negative events cause the raphe nucleus to create learned helplessness - this is the default reaction - we then learn not to be helpless through the prefrontal cortex intervening and inhibiting the raphe nucleus.
What is self compassion?
The idea that we should care for ourselves like we do for other people - (not selfishness)
What did Singh et al (2018) find concerning set efficacy?
They examined levels of efficacy on executive level public servants and businesspeople in India. They found that subjective levels of self efficacy significantly positively predicted subjected levels of well being.
What has improving resilience been shown to improve ?
- performance outcomes through reduced stress, depression, anxiety and burnout
- emotional intelligence and emotional decision making
- employee wellbeing
- public health and prevention of illness less
What does exercise been shown to improve?
Cognitive functioning, wellbeing, and biological markers of health. Reduces occupational hazards of desk work and improves productivity across office, health care, and construction workers.
What does kindness improve/ reduce?
prosocial behaviours
reported happiness and self esteem
reduces the risk of disease
our own emotional regulation
improves patient outcomes
