THE POSITIVE APPROACH-Positive approach assumptions Flashcards
who was the positive approach in psychology officially introduced by?
Martin Seligman
when did Martin Seligman introduce the positive approach?
towards the end of the 20th century
what’s the primary focus of the positive approach?
the positive aspects of human nature- the good qualities people have and how they can be nurtured
what belief is positive psychology’s approach to understanding human behaviour based on?
people wish to enhance their lives to make them more meaningful and to increase levels of happiness to achieve greater fulfilment
What do many researchers believe psychology has been dominated by the focus of?
pathology- and that a ‘shift’ is needed in order to understand how people may flourish ad individuals.
what is pathology?
understanding mental illness
ASSUMPTION 1: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FREE WILL:
what does this positive approach believe?
humans are in charge of their emotions and have the free will to change how they direct their emotions
for acknowledgement of free will, what is the assumption ?
as humans we are self- directing and adaptive/ that a good life can be experienced if we use our strength and virtues to enhance our lives.
According so Seligman, what is happiness not a result of?
good genes or luck
According to Seligman, what is happiness a result of?
recognizing our own strengths / working on these to make our lives better minimize negativity
what does Martin Seligman’s assumption of acknowledgement of free will stand in contrast to?
other approaches in psychology which have been labelled as determinist
what does determinist mean?
believing that an individual’s behaviour is shaped and controlled by internal and external forces rather than free will.
DETERMINST APPROACH EXAMPLES-
what does the biological approach suggest?
thoughts/ feelings are determined by our physiological make- up ( bodily functions)
what does the psychodynamic approach propose?
childhood experiences determine adult behaviour
what does the behaviourist approach attribute our behaviour to?
influence of environmental stimuli (e.g. noise)
who is the free will assumption supported by the work of?
Ed Diener
what has Ed Diener carried out research into?
why people are happy / the factors that increase well- being / happiness
when did Diener and Seligman carry out research together?
2002
what did Diener and Seligman’s research look at ?
the ties that students had to friends/ family measured in terms of amount of time they invested in these relationships
what did Diener and Seligman’s research find out
students who has the strongest ties to friends/ family were happier / there was a negative correlation between level of happiness and depression
What do the results of Diener and Seligman’s research highlight?
we are in control of our happiness in that we can choose to engage in activities that are known to make us happy which alleviate feelings of low mood
ASSUMPTION 2 : AUTHENCICITY OF GOODNESS AND EXCELLENCE
What does this assumption state?
feelings of happiness and goodness are as natural as feelings of anxiety and stress/ therefore psychologists need to assign these positive states of mind equal attention
According to Seligman (2002), what belief has been an obstacle in psychological research?
that traits such as virtues/ happiness are less authentic (actual) than negative traits and states (e.g. anxiety and depression)
Seligman believes we have ‘signature strengths’. what are these?
inherent (built-in) traits such as kindness, generosity and humour.
what does Seligman believe we need to do with our ‘signature strengths’?
nurture these traits in order to transform our lives.
Traditionally, what has psychology as a discipline focused on ?
disorders (i.e. mental health problems) / negative states of mind.
Contrasting to what psychology has traditionally focused on, what is the primary goal of the positive approach?
change this philosophy (belief) and to practice.
how can the primary goal of the positive approach be achieved?
focusing on traits that produce goodness/ excellence in the individual
-e.g. altruistic (unselfish) behaviour
/ helping people understand that these natural valuable traits can be further developed
what does the positive approach believe such understanding ( focusing on the good traits of an individual) will do for the individual?
act as a buffer (barrier) to protect the individual from mental health problems
ASSUMPTION 3: FOCUS ON ‘THE GOOD LIFE’:
when did Seligman distinguish different desirable lives?
2003
what are the three desirable lives ?
1- the pleasant life
2- the good life
3- the meaningful life
what does the pleasant life believe happiness comes from?
pursuing positive emotions in relation to the past present and future
what does the good life believe happiness comes from?
pursuing activities that positively absorb/ engage up
what does the meaningful life believe happiness comes from?
deep sense of fulfilment by living for a purpose much greater than oneself
what desirable life is the first?
the peasant life
what desirable life is the next step after the pleasant life?
the good life
what is the good life a place of?
happiness, good relationships and work
what does Seligman encourage people to further into than ‘the good life’?
seek a meaningful life in their continuing quest of happiness
in order to achieve the good life, what do we need to do?
develop our strengths and virtues ( e.g. wisdom/ acknowledgement courage spirituality, love)
why do we need to develop our strengths and virtues in order to achieve the good life?
these are natural routes to gratification (pleasure) / help us function in the face of adversity (trauma)
Seligman suggests the good life is a combination of three elements. what are these elements?
1- positive connection to others
2- positive individual traits
3- life regulation qualities
1- positive connection to others:
what does this do?
encompasses our ability to love, trust, enjoy happiness, forgive/ develop spiritual connections with the self/ others
2- positive individual traits:
what does this include?
personal qualities such as sense of integrity (honesty), morality, creativity, bravery, courage and humility
3- life regulation qualities
what are these?
qualities we need to develop to regulate (manage) monitor/ control our behaviour in order to accomplish our goals
give examples of life regulation qualities
autonomy(self- determination), independence, faith in decision making/ wisdom to guide our behaviour.
