THE POSITIVE APPROACH-Positive approach assumptions

Question 1

who was the positive approach in psychology officially introduced by?

Answer 1

Martin Seligman

Question 2

when did Martin Seligman introduce the positive approach?

Answer 2

towards the end of the 20th century

Question 3

what’s the primary focus of the positive approach?

Answer 3

the positive aspects of human nature- the good qualities people have and how they can be nurtured

Question 4

what belief is positive psychology’s approach to understanding human behaviour based on?

Answer 4

people wish to enhance their lives to make them more meaningful and to increase levels of happiness to achieve greater fulfilment

Question 5

What do many researchers believe psychology has been dominated by the focus of?

Answer 5

pathology- and that a ‘shift’ is needed in order to understand how people may flourish ad individuals.

Question 6

what is pathology?

Answer 6

understanding mental illness

Question 7

ASSUMPTION 1: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FREE WILL:

what does this positive approach believe?

Answer 7

humans are in charge of their emotions and have the free will to change how they direct their emotions

Question 8

for acknowledgement of free will, what is the assumption ?

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

According so Seligman, what is happiness not a result of?

Answer 9

good genes or luck

Question 10

According to Seligman, what is happiness a result of?

Answer 10

recognizing our own strengths / working on these to make our lives better minimize negativity

Question 11

what does Martin Seligman’s assumption of acknowledgement of free will stand in contrast to?

Answer 11

other approaches in psychology which have been labelled as determinist

Question 12

what does determinist mean?

Answer 12

believing that an individual’s behaviour is shaped and controlled by internal and external forces rather than free will.

Question 13

DETERMINST APPROACH EXAMPLES-

what does the biological approach suggest?

Answer 13

thoughts/ feelings are determined by our physiological make- up ( bodily functions)

Question 14

what does the psychodynamic approach propose?

Answer 14

childhood experiences determine adult behaviour

Question 15

what does the behaviourist approach attribute our behaviour to?

Answer 15

influence of environmental stimuli (e.g. noise)

Question 16

who is the free will assumption supported by the work of?

Answer 16

Ed Diener

Question 17

what has Ed Diener carried out research into?

Answer 17

why people are happy / the factors that increase well- being / happiness

Question 18

when did Diener and Seligman carry out research together?

Answer 18

2002

Question 19

what did Diener and Seligman’s research look at ?

Answer 19

the ties that students had to friends/ family measured in terms of amount of time they invested in these relationships

Question 20

what did Diener and Seligman’s research find out

Answer 20

students who has the strongest ties to friends/ family were happier / there was a negative correlation between level of happiness and depression

Question 21

What do the results of Diener and Seligman’s research highlight?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

ASSUMPTION 2 : AUTHENCICITY OF GOODNESS AND EXCELLENCE

What does this assumption state?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

According to Seligman (2002), what belief has been an obstacle in psychological research?

Answer 23

that traits such as virtues/ happiness are less authentic (actual) than negative traits and states (e.g. anxiety and depression)

Question 24

Seligman believes we have ‘signature strengths’. what are these?

Answer 24

inherent (built-in) traits such as kindness, generosity and humour.

Question 25

what does Seligman believe we need to do with our ‘signature strengths’?

Answer 25

nurture these traits in order to transform our lives.

Question 26

Traditionally, what has psychology as a discipline focused on ?

Answer 26

disorders (i.e. mental health problems) / negative states of mind.

Question 27

Contrasting to what psychology has traditionally focused on, what is the primary goal of the positive approach?

Answer 27

change this philosophy (belief) and to practice.

Question 28

how can the primary goal of the positive approach be achieved?

Answer 28

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

Question 29

what does the positive approach believe such understanding ( focusing on the good traits of an individual) will do for the individual?

Answer 29

act as a buffer (barrier) to protect the individual from mental health problems

Question 30

ASSUMPTION 3: FOCUS ON ‘THE GOOD LIFE’:

when did Seligman distinguish different desirable lives?

Answer 30

2003

Question 31

what are the three desirable lives ?

Answer 31

1- the pleasant life
2- the good life
3- the meaningful life

Question 32

what does the pleasant life believe happiness comes from?

Answer 32

pursuing positive emotions in relation to the past present and future

Question 33

what does the good life believe happiness comes from?

Answer 33

pursuing activities that positively absorb/ engage up

Question 34

what does the meaningful life believe happiness comes from?

Answer 34

deep sense of fulfilment by living for a purpose much greater than oneself

Question 35

what desirable life is the first?

Answer 35

the peasant life

Question 36

what desirable life is the next step after the pleasant life?

Answer 36

the good life

Question 37

what is the good life a place of?

Answer 37

happiness, good relationships and work

Question 38

what does Seligman encourage people to further into than ‘the good life’?

Answer 38

seek a meaningful life in their continuing quest of happiness

Question 39

in order to achieve the good life, what do we need to do?

Answer 39

develop our strengths and virtues ( e.g. wisdom/ acknowledgement courage spirituality, love)

Question 40

why do we need to develop our strengths and virtues in order to achieve the good life?

Answer 40

these are natural routes to gratification (pleasure) / help us function in the face of adversity (trauma)

Question 41

Seligman suggests the good life is a combination of three elements. what are these elements?

Answer 41

1- positive connection to others
2- positive individual traits
3- life regulation qualities

Question 42

1- positive connection to others:

what does this do?

Answer 42

encompasses our ability to love, trust, enjoy happiness, forgive/ develop spiritual connections with the self/ others

Question 43

2- positive individual traits:

what does this include?

Answer 43

personal qualities such as sense of integrity (honesty), morality, creativity, bravery, courage and humility

Question 44

3- life regulation qualities

what are these?

Answer 44

qualities we need to develop to regulate (manage) monitor/ control our behaviour in order to accomplish our goals

Question 45

give examples of life regulation qualities

Answer 45

autonomy(self- determination), independence, faith in decision making/ wisdom to guide our behaviour.