Relevance of positive psychology debate Flashcards
What are the key points of positive psychology?
Goal of positive psychology is to create a field focused on human well-being, and the strengths and virtues that allow people to thrive.
Although some researchers had already studied happiness and optimism, psychology was disproportionately focused on treating mental illness rather than promoting mental health.
In just a few years, positive psychology has changed that.
Positive psychology is not intended to replace therapy or pharmacology.
It is simply another strand that can support the human experience and aims to increase well-being in everyone not just those with psychological need.
What do critics of positive psychology argue?
The research findings are strong enough to move swiftly towards applications, arguing that positive psychology is not yet relevant in today’s society.
Some say that positive psychology has produced exaggerated conclusions about the power of the positive, including the perception that people can reduce illness with more optimism.
What does Seligman claim in relation to using positive psychology in the classroom?
Proposes that a positive psychology curriculum (PPC) is relevant in today’s society as it can:
Promote skills and strengths valued by most Produce measurable improvements in student’s well-being and behaviour
Help students to engage in learning and achievement
In 2009, he randomly assigned 347 ninth grade students (14-15 year olds) to a PPC class or non-PPC class. The study found that the PPC students were more cooperative and had better social skills compared to the non-PPC students.
What are the goals of The Penn Resiliency Program (PRP)?
Increase students’ ability to handle day-to-day problems that are common during adolescence.
PRP promotes optimism by teaching students to think more realistically about the problems they encounter.
PRP also teaches:
Assertiveness
Decision making
Relaxation
And several other coping skills.
What did Gillham et al (1995) find?
Found that for the PRP group, symptoms of depression were present in only 22% of the sample, compared to 44% of those in a control group.
What’s the key point suggesting that positive psychology is not relevant in education?
There is a lack of empirical evidence to support the success of positive psychology curricula.
What did Spence and Shortt (2007) suggest?
Suggest that where research does exist, it is based on small-scale, short-term interventions.
What did Seligman admit in regard to implementing positive psychology to the classroom?
Further research needs to be done in order to ensure that positive education programs are also effective with students from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
What did The Financial Times (2007) suggest?
Adding positive psychology to a curriculum is likely to mean that another subject / course has to be dropped.
Limited budgets mean that most schools would be unable to add positive psychology without subtracting something else.
Students may end up leaving school with fewer academic achievements as a cost of introducing positive psychology to the curriculum.
What are the key points suggesting positive psychology is relevant in regard to health?
With depression being the most common mental disorder in the UK, it could be argued that positive psychology is relevant in today’s society as it can be applied in various projects to increase happiness and positivity in people.
What did Kubzansky and Thurston (2007) find?
Found that people with enthusiasm, hopefulness and engagement in life had a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
This shows how positive psychology is relevant in today’s society as it can improve physical health as well as mental health.
Action For Happiness (AFH) claim?
Positive psychology is evident in many projects such as Action For Happiness (AFH).
They claim that they are a movement for social change.
AFH provide support for those struggling with problems such as depression, as well as promoting positivity such as the “10 keys to happier living.”
What are the key points suggesting positive psychology is not relevant in regard to health?
One of the main problems with applying positive psychology to improve mental health through lifestyle changes, is that it is inherently dependent upon both the amount of leisure time one has available and the resources on which they can draw.
Positive psychology initiatives are not available to everyone.
Therefore, people with less disposable income and time (due to longer working hours and lower pay) may not be able to access the benefits that positive psychology prescribes.
Why does Action For Happiness suggest that positive psychology is not relevant in regard to health?
Has Action for Happiness made a difference to people’s lives in the UK?
There is little scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of such movements, making the application of positive psychology irrelevant in today’s society.
What are the key implications?
Applying principles of positive psychology to improve mental health makes the discipline extremely relevant in today’s society.
The wider potential social implications should therefore, be sought with some urgency.
However, projects that embed positive psychology into their principles (e.g., action for happiness) tend to target wealthier people, as some actions require money / resources.
This raises ethical issues as it implies that achieving happiness may not be accessible to everyone.
This is not only ethically challenging, but shows wider social issues that need to be overcome before positive psychology can become entirely relevant to today’s society.
