Unit 1: Happiness, Positive Emotions, SWB, and Flow Flashcards
What are 3 criteria that we can use to assess something as ‘positive’?
- Choice - people prefer to choose tings that are more positive
- Subjective Experience - aka pleasure
- Values - Based on religion, law, logic, morals, etc.
What are 4 ways we can apply the label ‘positive’ in positive psychology?
- Positive as good intentions
- Positive as an ideological perspective
- Positive as an appreciative stance
- Positive as a set of topics
How is positive psychology similar/different from self-help advice?
Positive psychology is based in empirical evidence. However, they both focus on what makes an individual happy
How is positive psychology similar/different from humanistic psychology?
Both sub-disciplines are focused on helping people thrive and go beyond alleviating suffering.
However, humanism is more focused on individual experience rather than generalizable truths. The research is typically qualitiative (cf. quantitative)
Why is it that correlations do not imply causation?
When two things are correlated, the causal direction could go in either direction. Even if one direction can be ruled out, there is the possibility that a third variable is the cause of the association
What is the key difference between correlational studies and experimental studies?
Correlational studies merely observes the association’s between things, whereas experimental studies manipulates something and compares groups that have been treated differently
Name an advantage and disadvantage for each of the correlational approach and the experimental approach
Correlational - Convenient, good starting point, and measured in a natural environment but cannot infer causality
Experimental - Control of variables allows for conclusions on causality but is often artificial and can still have the third variable problem
What makes positive psychology a science?
Rigorous testing and it follows the scientific method
Describe the independent and dependent variable
An independent variable is the part of the study that is manipulated
A dependent variable is the behaviour that is measured
What is the difference between an exact replication and a conceptual replication?
An exact replication is when the study repeats the same design/method and keeps the study as similar as possible
A conceptual replication is when the study assess the same topic/concept but changes the methods
What are at least 3 reasons studies fail to replicate?
- P-hacking: Having multiple unrecorded variables and cherry picking the variables that confirm the hypothesis
- The original studies findings were due to chance or were fraudulent
- Mistake or bias in replication study
- Adding statistical controls after analysis to modify the p-value
- Change in participants (cohort effects, differing social values, morals, etc.)
What are some ways we can/are improving replicability in psychology?
- Test potential moderators in new studies
- More open science practices –> Make materials, procedures, and data more available
- Reward replication efforts –> increased funding, offering replication issues, and/or rewards
What is the Reproducibility Project and what were the results?
The Reproducibility Project selected 100 studies published in 2008 and conducted an exact/direct replication.
They found that only ~1/3-1/2 found the same results and effect sizes were ~50% of original reports
Compare the ideas of growth mindsets and fixed mindsets. Which mindset is better for goal setting?
Individuals with growth mindsets (aka incremental theories) believe human characteristics are malleable
Individuals with fixed mindsets (aka entity theories) believe human characteristics are inborn and do not change
Growth mindsets encourage persistence and effort and therefore are better for goal setting.
According to goal setting theory, what kinds of goals are most effective?
A good goal is concrete with clear guidelines and timeframes. It also has to be appropriately challenging
What is the credibility revolution?
It describes dramatic changes in how psychologists conduct, report, and evaluate research. It is aimed at increasing confidence of findings.
Describe publication bias and why it is a concern
Publication bias is when journals refuse to publish replication studies or studies have null results, This causes replication failures to go unnoticed, leaving a distorted record of findings
Sometimes questionable practices are justified.
True or False
True - Studies with large samples use questionable practices. However, it only becomes a concern when researchers justify the practices only when they lead to a supportive p value
According to the goal setting theory what are 4 reasons goals are useful?
- They direct attention towards goal activities
- They energize behaviour
- They induce persistence while unmet
- They prompt people to engage in strategies and their knowledge to meet goals
Describe implementation intentions and how they are beneficial.
Implementation intentions are if-then rules created to elicit a specific behaviour under specific circumstances.
They remove the need for thought and assist with removing distractions or other obstacles.
What is the main difference between implementation intentions and habits?
Implementation intentions have clear intentions, whereas habits lack intention
Provide 2 examples of commitment devices
- Turning off the internet before reading to avoid distraction
- Deleting instagram off your phone during exam week
Describe temptation bundling and provide an example
Pairing an undesirable task (i.e. going to the gym) with a desirable task (i.e. listening to a trashy audiobook).
It works best when these activities are done simultaneously and the desirable task should only be available when completing the undesirable task.
What is a ‘basic emotion’ ?
A basic emotion is a momentary triggered response to a stimulus
How does the dimensional approach differ from the basic emotions approach?
The basic emotion approach views emotion as distinct categories that are momentary and have various appraisals (triggers) (think of inside out movie)
The dimensional approach organizes many different states and emotions by their similarities and differences (Circumplex - unpleasant -> pleasant; Activation/arousal –> deactivation)
What are the components of emotions?
Appraisal - cognitive assessment that determines when and which emotion occurs
Physiological change - Changes that prepare the body to meet the needs of the situaiton
Expressions - Behavioural component that helps communicate internal states (face, posture, sounds, and touch)
Subjective experience
Action tendency - the motivational aspect of emotion that prepares the body - fight or flight (negative) vs broaden and build (positive)
According to the broaden and build theory, what is build and what is broaden?
Broaden - Positive emotions allow you to broaden your focus/attention in the moment
Build - You build on your broadened focus by gaining new skill sets over time
What positive emotion seems to contradict the B&B theory?
Desire
High approach motivations narrow attention
Under what conditions is flow likely to occur?
Occurs when the challenge is matched to a persons ability/skill
Contrast the term emotion with sensations, moods, dispositions, and affect
Sensations - Lack appraisal because it is based on physical stimuli
Moods - moods are states that last for long period
Dispositions - These are long term characteristics people are born with
Affect - A general umbrella term for emotions, moods, etc.
Emotions have distinct physiological signatures.
True or False
False
Loving kindness mediation has been found to increase positive emotions.
True or False
True
What is a positivity offset?
People feel good even without pleasant events. We are not ‘neutral’ in the absence of positive stimuli
Negative emotions are stronger than positive emotions.
True or False
True.
Negative emotions are stronger/more potent but positive emotions are more prevalent
Emotion appraisals are the same for everyone.
True or False
False.
Appraisals are personal, which explains why two people may respond differently to the same situation
How are appraisals measured?
- Asking a participant to recall an experience and make ratings on appraisal dimensions/have coders make the ratings based on the descriptions
- Manipulate a situation to see if it matches self-reported appraisals
Compare the left and right sides of the brain during emotions.
Left side is more associated with activation states whereas right side is more associated with withdrawal
People can recognize facial expressions/vocalizations for people of different cultures.
True or False.
True.
However, people from the same culture can recognize the expressions better.
What is a Duechenee smile?
A genuine smile characterized by the contraction of a muscle around the eye (crows’ eyes) in addition to the zygomatic muscle int he cheek
Compare the experiencing self to the remembering self. Which is better for making future decisions?
The experiencing self if the feeling in the moment
The remembering self is a self-report on past experiences
The remembering self is used to make future decisions. However, both negative and positive affect have been found to be higher.
What is duration neglect?
The idea that the remembering self is susceptible to distortion even for recent memories because it pays little attention to time.
What is the difference between wanting and liking? Which is more pleasurable?
Liking is more pleasurable (i.e. opioids)
How was the emotional experience of the experiencing and remembering self measured by Wirtz et al?
- The experiencing self was measured by pagers that would randomly cue someone to fill out their short survey
- The remembering self was a self-report survey that was given a few days after and a couple weeks after the vacation was over
What does SWB stand far?
Subjective Well Being
What are the 3 components to SWB?
Life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect
How is eudaemonia different from SWB?
Eudaemonia refers to activities/behaviours that influence human flourishing and developing
SWB refers to activities/behaviours that result in pleasure - Though of as the hedonic approach - engaging in enjoyable activities that are not necessarily short-term
What is included in Ryff’s measure of psychological well-being?
Self-acceptance Life purpose Environmental mastery Positive relationships with others Autonomy Personal growth
(SLEPAP - Sydney licks elephant poop after party)
How is the ‘hedonist stereotype’ different than the hedonic approach to well-being?
The hedonist stereotype (drugs, sex, rock and roll) is the idea that the things that are pleasurable in the moment is all that is needed
The hedonic approach is the idea that people can seek activities that are fun and pleasurable but are not only short term (completing work now so you can go out later)
Is the term ‘flourishing’ more similar to the hedonic or eudaemonic view of well-being?
Eudaemonic
Pleasure (hedonia) is inconsistent with eudaemonia.
True or False
False.
Activities can be hedonic and eudaemonic.
What was Aristotles perspective on eudaimona?
Aristotle argued that eudamonic behaviours were not subjective and that they were objectively apparent and could be seen by others of even by oneself at the end of life assessment
According to Seligman, what are the 5 characteristics to well-being?
PERMA: Positive emotion Engagement Relationships Meaning Accomplishments
What are the Big 5?
The big 5 refers to personality differences summarized with 5 dimensions (CANOE):
1) Conscientiousness
2) Agreeableness
3) Neuroticism
4) Openness
5) Extraversion
Which Big 5 traits are the best predictors of happiness?
Extraversion and neuroticism/emotional stability
Personality traits are hereditable.
True or False
True.
They account for 40-50% of the variation in a groups happiness
Females tend to be happier than males.
True or False
False.
Gender is not consistently linked to SWB
Younger people tend to be happier than older people.
True or False
False.
Age is not consistently linked to SWB
Subjective health has a stronger link to SWB than objective health.
True or False
True.
Health is positively associated with happiness
Married people tend to be happier than unmarried people.
True or False
True.
What is the hedonic treadmill?
The idea that people adapt to major life events. When something good or bad happens, peoples SWB eventually balances around where it was before the event.
What component of SWB is associated highly with money?
Life satisfaction
Wealth is more strongly associated with life satisfaction than with emotions
Which countries have the most meaning in their lives?
Poor and religious countries tend to have higher meaning in life
Is it possible to be too happy?
High-intensity positive emotions may tax physiological systems. It makes people careless and prone to stereotyping
What is the link between marriage and SWB?
- Happy people are more likely to get married, happy people more likely to have lasting relationships. Marriage can also increase happiness (Unsure of the casual relationship)
What is the link between intelligence and SWB?
There is an inconsistent link
Very happy people do not experience negative emotions.
True or False
False
In the study of very happy people, what factors were necessary or sufficient to be very happy?
Strong positive relationships, high peer ratings, and spending a lot of time with other people
It was necessary but not sufficient
What are arguments (or data) against a strong view of the hedonic treadmill?
Although happiness is stable it can change.
Widowhood for example is a negative effect that causes a decrease in happiness, even after 5 years
What are arguments (or data) supporting the notion of adaptation?
We do see some stability in happiness and even after very extremely depressing events, happiness increases.
All components of SWB ratings are the same at all times.
True or False
False.
If you measured LS, PA, and NA you would find that these components all change over time, and most likely change at different times
Describe the essential features of positive psychology interventions
Long lasting measurable effect that is measured through empirical methods and should be positive in its content
What factors are likely to influence how well a happiness intervention will work?
If there is a good person-activity fit
Describe the idea of person-activity fit in PPIs
The person-activity fit is when the PPI’s features (dosage, support, etc.) fits with a persons characteristics, interests, or abilities
How might publication bias and the special characteristics of the people included intervention studies distort conclusions?
We can only study the people who volunteer or make it through the study and they typically are interested in the study. The people who drop out are ignored and it could be that the PPI wasn’t working for them
It is hard to publish null results so sometimes results that have positive effects are published but may have some issues with methods
To change or develop a habit, you must identify the _____.
Cue
What can happen when you strive to be happy?
When you are too focused and worried about being happy it has a negative impact on you SWB. Worrying is worrying
What were Fordyce’s Fundamentals?
He had 14 fundaments that he has his college classes follow. He found that people who learned about and implemented the fundamentals increased their SWB
What is hope-based therapy?
It is geared towards people who are suffering and it teaches hope, which is defined as setting and achieving goals
What is acceptance commitment therapy (ACT)?
It teaches mindfulness techniques to take the sting out of unpleasant reactions
What is mindfulness?
An engaged mindset where attention is focused on the immediate moment/thought/sensation
What is the positive youth development approach?
Focuses on building broader strengths in children, often in schools via extra-curricular activities
Because positive psychology is a science, it cannot study values.
True or False
False
Living a virtuous life was important to Aristotle’s notion of eudiamonia
True or False
True
Which of the following areas overlaps with positive psychology :
a. Social psychology
b. Personality psychology
c. Developmental psychology
d. Health psychology
e. All of the above
E. All of the above
Positive emotions may lead to behavioural changes that foster additional positive emotions in the future; this…
a. …refers to the ‘hedonic treadmill’.
b. …refers to ‘upward spirals’.
c. …is known as the ‘positivity bias’.
d. …is known as the ‘impact bias’.
B. …refers to ‘upward spirals’.
Currently it is understood that ____ region of the brain is dedicated to happiness exclusively.
a. the temporal gyrus
b. the rostral anterior cingulate cortex
c. the left hemisphere
d. the right hemisphere
e. none of the above
E. None of the above
Assessing overall life satisfaction allows people to ______.
a. arrive at a judgment using their own criteria
b. rate their well-being using objective statements
c. provide domain-specific examples of well-being
d. list more positive than negative emotions
A. arrive at a judgment using their own criteria
Diener et al.’s (1999) review concluded that people’s circumstances (i.e., education, employment, marriage, etc.) roughly accounted for _____ of variation in happiness.
a. 0%
b. 10-15%
c. 50-60%
d. 80%
B. 10-15%
The link between income and happiness is stronger when we define happiness as _____, while the relationship is weaker if we consider _____.
a. well-being; life satisfaction
b. positive emotions; negative emotions
c. emotional experience; Life satisfaction
d. life satisfaction; emotional experience
e. none of the above
D. life satisfaction; emotional experience
Is the correlation between money and happiness larger within or between nations?
Between
What is the Gallup World Poll?
An annual poll that include a variety of measurements that is representative of 95% of the world
What is the association between materialism and SWB?
Negative correlation
If you are a poor materialist there is a bigger negative correlation
What is prosocial spending? When does it seem to facilitate SWB most?
Prosocial spending is when you spend money to benefit others.
It facilitates SWB through self-determination theory:
Relatedness - When you know the person
Competence - When you know you’re helping
Autonomy - When you make the decision on your own
What is the religion paradox?
Religion increases SWB but people have begun to abandon religion
When (where) is religion most important for SWB?
During periods/placed faced with difficult circumstances
Why (how) does religion contribute to SWB?
Religion -> mediators (social support, purpose/meaning, respect) -> increased SWB
Which religion produces the most SWB?
There isn’t any differences between different religions
How can we resolve the religion paradox?
People who are abandoning religion are from wealthy developed countries where religion isn’t needed to increase SWB
What is the difference between self-guided positive interventions and therapy focused positive interventions?
The more intensive the interventions the more benefits are found
Describe the two categories of activity features
‘Between’ activity features describe the important ways in which various exercises differ from one another (dosage, support, variety, trigger)
‘Across’ activity features are elements that can be varied within a particular positive intervention (present/future/past, other/self-oriented, social/reflective)
What are mediators?
Positive emotions, thoughts, behaviours that make you feel good which broadens your focus and builds on social resources which increases SWB
Respect, support, meaning/purpose
What are the two theories for goal pursuit?
Self-determination theory - More about well-being and intrinsic motivations (want to)
Goal setting theory - more applicable to extrinsic motivations (have to)
How can you develop a new habit?
Use rewards
If you are religious you will get more benefit by surrounding yourself with other people who are religious
True or False
True
What is the association between life satisfaction and meaning?
Negative correlation
