Positive Psychology Flashcards
Positive psychology
scientific study of what makes individuals and communities thrive, what contributes to successful functioning and flourishing in different contexts, countries and societies.
Three distinct mission before WW2
curing mental illness
more productive and fulfilling
identifying and nurturing talent
William James
interested in why some thrive while others have mental problems
optimal human functioning
Organismic theory
self-actualisation main motivation for organisms
empathise of unity, integration and consistency and coherence of normal personality
Jahoda
challenge that health is opposite of disease
define mental health with positive connotation
mental health involves- self-realisation, sense of mastery and autonomy
Rogers
client-centred therapy
fully functioning person - stretching and growing towards ones potentials
personality characterises which emerge- openness to experience, live fully in the moment and trust in one’s organism
Actualising tendency
universal motivation leading to growth development and autonomy
automatic in optimal social environment
optimal environment- unconditional, positively regarding, empathetic and genuine
Maslow
Hierarchy of needs
Positive psychology around the world
South America - focus on resilience
Sub-Saharan Africa- wellbeing and resilience. self-efficacy and self-esteem of those impacted by HIV
MENA- happiness, virtue and spirituality
three main pillars of positive psychology
positive subjective experiences
positive individual traits
positive institutions
Positive subjective experiences
Hedonic (pleasure) and eudaimonic (flourishing) wellbeing
Hedonic wellbeing
life satisfaction
presence of positive mood and absence of negative
Measured with life satisfaction scale get a PANAS score
Eudaimonic wellbeing
more then just happiness instead focus on actualisation of human potentials
six factor model- personal growth, self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental mastery, positive relations and purpose in life.
measured with PWB on those six factors
Positive traits
Self-efficacy
Gratitude
Self-efficacy
belief about ability to perform or achieve behaviour
measured with GSE scale
Self-efficacy theory
people beliefs determines the behaviours they choose to engage with and how much they persevere
Self-efficacy beliefs come from
Development of capacity for symbolic thought- understand cause-effect and capacity for self-reflection and self-regulation
Responsiveness of environment- facilitate self-efficacy beliefs and encouragement from parents
later development through performance experiences , vicarious, imagined , verbal persuasion and physiological and emotional states
why self-efficacy important
associated with mental heath outcome (Chen et al Chinese boxers)
associated with academic resilience and test anxiety (medical students)
can predict later academic performance
Gratitude
feeling- recognise and respond with grateful emotion when receive aid due to another’s benevolence leading to a positive experience
trait- wider life orientation towards noticing and appreciating positive in the world
measured with GQ-6
Facets of gratitude
benefit triggered- emotion resulting from interpersonal transfer of a benefit
generalised gratitude- emotion/state from an awareness and appreciation of what is valuable an meaningful to oneself
Positive institutions
positive relationships- happier relationships lead to higher wellbeing, life satisfaction, lower depression and better health
stronger associations in collectivist cultures
Self-determination theory
three main psychological needs
competence, autonomy and belonginess
Relationship quality
individual differences and relationship-specific constructs
stronger relationships have more investment from both parties
Wong
need for happiness are culturally dependant (individualism vs collectivism)
Neural basis of cultural influence on self-representation
FMRI signals in MPFC higher in self the mother for westerners but didn’t differ for Chinese.
likely differences in optimal functioning
Implication of cross cultural wellbeing for hedonic well-being
positive emotions considered short lived in collectivist cultures
happiness less valued in eastern cultures
Cross cultural differences in gratitude
some cultures general norm is to acknowledge without explicitly saying thank you
feelings of indebtedness in collectivistic cultures vs connection in western
Criticism of positive psychology
Lacks proper theorising and conceptual thinking
measurement and methodological issues
lack evidence and poor replication
decontextualised neoliberalist ideology and capitalistic venture
