Positive Psychology

Question 1

Positive psychology

Answer 1

scientific study of what makes individuals and communities thrive, what contributes to successful functioning and flourishing in different contexts, countries and societies.

Question 2

Three distinct mission before WW2

Answer 2

curing mental illness
more productive and fulfilling
identifying and nurturing talent

Question 3

William James

Answer 3

interested in why some thrive while others have mental problems
optimal human functioning

Question 4

Organismic theory

Answer 4

self-actualisation main motivation for organisms
empathise of unity, integration and consistency and coherence of normal personality

Question 5

Jahoda

Answer 5

challenge that health is opposite of disease
define mental health with positive connotation
mental health involves- self-realisation, sense of mastery and autonomy

Question 6

Rogers

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Actualising tendency

Answer 7

universal motivation leading to growth development and autonomy
automatic in optimal social environment
optimal environment- unconditional, positively regarding, empathetic and genuine

Question 8

Maslow

Answer 8

Hierarchy of needs

Question 9

Positive psychology around the world

Answer 9

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

Question 10

three main pillars of positive psychology

Answer 10

positive subjective experiences
positive individual traits
positive institutions

Question 11

Positive subjective experiences

Answer 11

Hedonic (pleasure) and eudaimonic (flourishing) wellbeing

Question 12

Hedonic wellbeing

Answer 12

life satisfaction
presence of positive mood and absence of negative
Measured with life satisfaction scale get a PANAS score

Question 13

Eudaimonic wellbeing

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Positive traits

Answer 14

Self-efficacy
Gratitude

Question 15

Self-efficacy

Answer 15

belief about ability to perform or achieve behaviour
measured with GSE scale

Question 16

Self-efficacy theory

Answer 16

people beliefs determines the behaviours they choose to engage with and how much they persevere

Question 17

Self-efficacy beliefs come from

Answer 17

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

Question 18

why self-efficacy important

Answer 18

associated with mental heath outcome (Chen et al Chinese boxers)
associated with academic resilience and test anxiety (medical students)
can predict later academic performance

Question 19

Gratitude

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Facets of gratitude

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Positive institutions

Answer 21

positive relationships- happier relationships lead to higher wellbeing, life satisfaction, lower depression and better health
stronger associations in collectivist cultures

Question 22

Self-determination theory

Answer 22

three main psychological needs
competence, autonomy and belonginess

Question 23

Relationship quality

Answer 23

individual differences and relationship-specific constructs
stronger relationships have more investment from both parties

Question 24

Wong

Answer 24

need for happiness are culturally dependant (individualism vs collectivism)

Question 25

Neural basis of cultural influence on self-representation

Answer 25

FMRI signals in MPFC higher in self the mother for westerners but didn’t differ for Chinese.
likely differences in optimal functioning

Question 26

Implication of cross cultural wellbeing for hedonic well-being

Answer 26

positive emotions considered short lived in collectivist cultures
happiness less valued in eastern cultures

Question 27

Cross cultural differences in gratitude

Answer 27

some cultures general norm is to acknowledge without explicitly saying thank you
feelings of indebtedness in collectivistic cultures vs connection in western

Question 28

Criticism of positive psychology

Answer 28

Lacks proper theorising and conceptual thinking
measurement and methodological issues
lack evidence and poor replication
decontextualised neoliberalist ideology and capitalistic venture