Week 9

Question 1

What is curiosity relatively independent from?

Answer 1

personality (extraversion/intraversion)

Question 2

What are the 2 main responses to novelty?

Answer 2

Curiosity & Anxiety

Question 3

What are the different desires of curiosity vs anxiety?

Answer 3

curiosity gives the desire to explore whereas anxiety brings the desire to escape

Question 4

What does becoming a curious person also mean?

Answer 4

managing anxiety

Question 5

Can we learn to become curious?

Answer 5

positive psyc says yes

Question 6

How can we begin to learn to become curious?

Answer 6

starts with remaining where we are despite anxiety

Question 7

What are 6 reasons why to improve curiosity?

Answer 7

1) helps build healthy social relationships
2) curiosity and anxiety walk together (increasing curiosity decreases anxiety - nudges anxiety out of the way - great strategy)
3) related to optimal well-being
4) related to flow (intrinsic interest in task)
5) related to wisdom
6)seems to be a protective factor against aggression

Question 8

What is courage?

Answer 8

perseverance amidst, or in the face of, fear/stress

Question 9

What are the 3 main types of courage (including what are the two subsets of the 2nd type)?

Answer 9

1) physical - act amidst/despite physical danger - trying to prevent an injury or help an injured person
2) Psychological
a - stepping out of comfort zone to help another (this is not an accident)
b - strength to face one’s own destructive actions/habits (my thought: think about people going to counselling)
3)Morally standing up to others for what is right/taking responsibility for a situation or standing against opposition

Question 10

What is vital courage?

Answer 10

pushing beyond an illness or other personal limiting factors to do something good ot great

Question 11

What are the 3 basic features of courage?

Answer 11

1) Willing & intentional (work towards causing it to happen)
2) Nobel & Worthy
3) Risk (internal or external) or Difficulty

Question 12

What do our heroes do?

Answer 12

they inspire us to be our best selves (provide a roadmap)

Question 13

Are forgiveness & reconciliation the same?

Answer 13

No. They are 2 different entities which sometimes overlap.

Question 14

What is forgiveness NOT?

Answer 14

-it doesn’t mean condoning/justifying/minimizing/tolerating
-it doesn’t mean forgive and forget
-it doesn’t necessarily mean reconciliation (this is controversial)
-it isn’t sentimental or quick (it can take a long time to process - it is a deep process of the heart)

Question 15

What do you ideally see in forgiveness?

Answer 15

A shift in thinking: reduction in the desire to harm and an increase in the desire to help

Question 16

What are 3 potential negative issues of forgiveness in some circumstances?

Answer 16

1) domestic violence (IPV - those who forgive their partners are more likely to return to violent partner)
2)maladaptive behaviors (these can sometimes be maintained through self-forgiveness)
3)cultural shame (when forgiveness reduces shame, may isolate from some cultures)

Question 17

What are 2 truths regarding revenge and forgiveness?

Answer 17

1) desire for revenge is a built in feature of human nature
2)the capacity for forgiveness is also a built in feature of human nature (widespread in humanity & animals like chimps as well)

Question 18

Is there a “silver bullet” for forgiveness?

Answer 18

No - but all people can learn to forgive

Question 19

What makes forgiveness easier?

Answer 19

if presume that people have forgiveness in their nature

Question 20

What did Everett Worthington study & what did he find?

Answer 20

The dilemma of unforgiveness
-found that may compromise immune system

Question 21

What are 3 benefits of forgiveness?

Answer 21

1) Physical (seem to increase with age - older people seem to forgive more and feel forgiven by God)
2) increased satisfaction with life, more positive emotions, less negative emotions and fewer symptoms of physical illness
3) regulation of negative emotions

Question 22

What are 3 conditions that make up the first of three variables in forgiveness? (think of my thought process)

Answer 22

1) Care worthiness (do we believe that the person who harmed us is worth caring + concern
2) Expected value (do we believe that we will/need to continue to interact with this person)
3)Safety (what’s the likelihood of further hurt)

Question 23

What is the second variable in forgiveness?

Answer 23

FFM (5 Factor Model) of Personality
a) Agreeableness & neuroticism
1. Correlated with 3 conditions of love.
2. Predicts less resentment + more forgiveness
· Neuroticism is the opposite

b) Extraversion
a) Related to revengefulness
1. Extroverts need excitement and revenge provides the excitement
B) related to forgiveness

c) Conscientiousness
1. Related to vengefulness.
2. Consciences individuals are concerned with justice and duty

3) Forgiveness and Faith

Question 24

What are the 2 types of forgiveness?

Answer 24

1) Self-forgiveness (challenging because it is 1 person playing 2 roles & because of the tendency to confuse self-compassion with self-forgiveness)
2) Forgiving God (“resolving anger towards God” – theological & ethical issue because ‘how can you forgive someone who does no wrong?’)

Question 25

What are Lyubomirsky’s 2 tips to aid in forgiveness & (a 3rd from Worthington & Wade)?

Answer 25

1) appreciate being forgiven (brings gratitude & humility - it is a heroic & courageous choice to forgive)
2)learn about others who have successfully forgiven
3) Amount of time spent trying to forgive makes a difference

Question 26

What does 1 hour of trying to forgive do?

Answer 26

Bring you 1 S.D. closer to forgiveness

Question 27

Why is deciding to try to forgive a good thing?

Answer 27

because it shows effort and intention

Question 28

What does pos psych add to religion regarding forgiveness?

Answer 28

pos psych gives us mechanisms for forgiveness - the Bible is not a cookbook and is not meant to be one

Question 29

What does forgiveness easily veer to?

Answer 29

self-interest

Question 30

What is SO important in forgiveness?

Answer 30

focus on others

Question 31

What kind of act is forgiveness?

Answer 31

it is a spiritual act, an act of worship, a community act (not an individual act), and an act that fosters healing & growth

Question 32

What does the Church do regarding forgiveness?

Answer 32

reminds us why it matters - that we were 1st forgiven so it is a social responsibility
(all cultures say to give back when we are given something)