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Positive Psychology Warwick Summer School 2019

Positive Psychology Warwick Summer School 2019. Luke Hodson (l.a.hodson@warwick.ac.uk). First things first …. Please write down three things about yourself: personality traits, attributes. First things first ….

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Positive Psychology Warwick Summer School 2019

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  1. Positive PsychologyWarwick Summer School 2019 Luke Hodson (l.a.hodson@warwick.ac.uk)

  2. First things first… Please write down three things about yourself: personality traits, attributes

  3. First things first… Please write down three things about someone you admire, that you consider ‘strengths’, or positive attributes…

  4. First things first… Please write down three things about you, that you consider ‘strengths’, or positive attributes… Which was easier?

  5. Learning Objectives for this session… By the end of this lecture, you will be able to… Describe the background to the Positive Psychology movement, its aims & links to other areas of psychology Explain & evaluate the differences between Subjective (Hedonic) & Eudaimonic Well-being Understand the measurement of well-being, its constructs & application to global populations/individuals Explain & evaluate models of Hedonic/Eudaimonic Well-Being Outline the role of specific personality strengths (3 examples)

  6. Definitions of Positive Psychology “…Scientific understanding & effective interventions to build thriving individuals, families & communities.” (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)

  7. Definitions of Positive Psychology “…study of the conditions & processes that contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning of people, groups & institutions….” (Gabel & Haidt, 2005, p104)

  8. Historical Roots… • Schools of Philosophy: • Aristotle’s Eudaimonia • Epicurean “simple pleasures” • Stoic reason & objectivity • Socrates….Self knowledge • World Faiths: • e.g., Judaic & Christian divine command of happiness • Virtues: protection from sin & promotion of happiness

  9. More Recently… • New Thought & Positive Thinking • Hobbsian Reality • Work Ethic • Promotion of Agency • - improving life & health  positive thought • Humanistic/Neo-Freudian Psychology • (e.g., Maslow, Rogers, Jung, Adler & Horney) • Focus on positive human nature • Self-actualizing tendency • Strive towards fulfilment, meaning, inner peace & happiness

  10. Overarching Themes in Positive Psychology(Seligman, 2002) • The Pleasant Life (Life of Enjoyment) • Optimal experience of normal aspects • Transient, least important...? • Broaden & Build Theory? (Compton, 2005; Frederickson et al., 2000) • The Good Life (Life of Engagement) • Related to Aristotelian Eudaimonia • Personality strengths (self-efficacy?) • Talents & skills (flow) • The Meaningful Life (Life of Affiliation) • Positive sense of well-being through belonging…. • Values & Virtues

  11. Subjective Happiness • “Hedonic” component of Well-Being • Cognitive component (life satisfaction) • Rating of current state of being • Discrepancy between current & ideal state (Veenhoven, 1991) • Affect (moods & emotional responses) • Balance of experiencing positive & negative • Difference in frequency vs. intensity (Diener et al., 1991a) • Positive effects…? • Less illness, hostility & self-centredness • More creativity, perseverance, sociability, trust, optimism…etc. • SWB= Life Satisfaction + High positive affect + Low negative affect

  12. Measurement & Global Evaluation • Several established scales for SWB • PANAS (Watson et al., 1988) • SWLS (Diener et al, 1985) • Subjective Happiness Scale (e.g., Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999) • Interview studies • Physiological Markers • Large Scale Studies • Gallup Poll (96% of world population) • World Values Survey (97 countries) • European Social Survey (30 countries)

  13. Measurement & Global Evaluation (World Happiness Report, 2013)

  14. Any thoughts…?

  15. What makes us happy? Why? • Income • Positive association with SWB (e.g., Deaton 2008) • Satisfaction of basic, biological needs? • Gender and Marital Status • Relationships • Social interaction • Regardless of personality traits • Higher SWB for married couples • Work/Employment • Job, Career or Calling orientation (e.g. Diener & Biswas-Diener, 2008)

  16. What makes us happy? Why? • Health -Three factor evaluation(e.g. Diener & Biswas-Diener, 2008) • i) Likelihood of serious illness, ii) Life after onset & iii) Lifespan • Happiness = Longer Life (Rasmussman & Pressman, 2009) • Positive emotions • Balance with optimism • Religion • Support, comfort & connection • Upbringing & ritual (Diener & Biswas-Diener, 2008)

  17. Evolutionary & Genetic Models • Strong link with Personality (Magnus et al., 1993) • Dynamic Equilibrium Theory (Headey & Wearing, 1989) • Baseline emotional responses • Short term events  genetic “set-point” • Adaption Theories (e.g., Lykken & Tellegen, 1996) • Evolutionary tendency • Strong reaction  fades over time

  18. Evolutionary & Genetic Models • Variety & Affective Forecasting • Changes in approach/ intervention • Hedonic Adaptive Prevention Model (Lyubormirsky, 2011) Positive events  Positive emotions Well-being  Surprise & Variety  Desire for change • Impact Bias (e.g., Gilbert, 2007; Wasko & Pury, 2009)

  19. Discrepancy Theories Q: Why are we not more happy? (The American Paradox; Myers, 2000) • Relative Standards Model • Social comparison • Links with personality • Affluenza(James, 2007) • Materialistic values spreading virally • Dissatisfaction & worthlessness • Paradox of Choice • Tyranny of Freedom (e.g., Schwartz, 2000) • SatisficersvsMaximizers

  20. Goal Theories • Pursuit of Goals… • Structure, meaning & agency (Diener et al., 1999) • AIM Approach for a “Happy Mindset” Three components: • Attention: An ugly world… • Interpretation • Memory

  21. Your definition of happiness

  22. Eudaimonic Happiness • “Well-being” encapsulates actualization of human potential • Pleasure & satisfaction - too simplistic • Inclusion of meaning & purpose? • Relation to Subjective happiness? • Independence? Interrelated? Identical? • Process or Outcome? • Most popular view  EH as a state (e.g. Kashdan et al., 2008) • Association with personality variables? • Links with Character Strengths & Virtues • Trait per se…?

  23. Flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975, 1990, 2002, 2009) Experienced when “performing at best” Attention fully invested Psychic Negentropy Link to consciousness & “psychic energy” Prevalence 10-15% never; 10-15% every day When? Most likely during: sports, dance, artistic pursuits, sex, socializing, study, listening to music… working! Phenomenological construct: “Intense experiential involvement in moment-to-moment activity”

  24. Flow Components of the flow experience… Structured activity (clear goals/immediate feedback) Balance of challenge/skills Complete concentration Sense of control Transformation of time Activity for own sake Personality (autotelic characteristics) High Anxiety FLOW CHANNEL Challenges Boredom Skills Low High (Adapted from: Csikszentmihalyi, 1990)

  25. Self-Determination Theory • Order & Predictability • Evolutionary function • Basic Need? Similar to Security Needs? (Sheldon et al., 2001) • Three Components • Autonomy • Personal volition, not coercion etc. • Competence • Ability to affect the environment • Consistent with desired outcomes • Relatedness • Connection with /caring for group peers • Conflict with autonomy need?

  26. Life Meaning & Purpose • Meaning of and within Life • Essential for fulfilment(Steger, 2009; Wong, 2009) • More relevant than “search for happiness”? • Frankl’s work (e.g., 1967;1988 1997; 2006) • Creative, experiential & attitudinal benefits • Post Frankl; 7 major sources of meaning… • Achievement/acceptance/relationships/intimacy/ religion/self-transcendence/fairness

  27. Life Meaning & Purpose • Measurement and structure • How are meaning systems structured? Differentiation, elaboration & coherence… • Enhance mental & physical well-being • Predicts life satisfaction and liking ratings (Pöhlman et al., 2006) • Combination of Meaning & SWB? (King & Napa,1998; McGregor & Little, 1998) • MHP Protective factor?

  28. What are Personality Strengths? Sense of ownership, authenticity & motivation  personality strength (Peterson et al., 2004) • Usually between 2-5 PSs; 6 categories (or virtues) • Wisdom & knowledge (e.g. creativity) • Courage (e.g., perseverance) • Humanity (e.g., kindness) • Justice (e.g., fairness) • Temperance (e.g., self-control) • Transcendence (e.g., spirituality)

  29. Personality Strengths…Optimism The tendency to view current & future states as optimal • Combination of genetic & environmental influences (Vaughan, 2000) • Explanatory Style: 3 dimensions • - Internal vs External • - Stablevs Unstable • - Globalvs Specific • Evaluation- questionnaire assessed • Life Orientation Test - Dispositional aspects (Carver & Scheier, 1985) • Attributional Style Questionnaire - Explanatory Style (Peterson et al, 1982) • Linked with other positive outcomes, e.g. Health • Possible pitfalls?

  30. Personality Strengths…Gratitude Attitude/feeling of thankfulness for benefit (to be) received • Contrast with indebtedness • State or Trait…? • Universal Religious Concept • Evaluation- questionnaire assessed • GRAT(Watkins et al., 2003) • GQ6(McCollough et al., 2002) • The Appreciation Scale (Adler & Fagley, 2005) • Different aspects? (Wood et al., 2008) • Links to well-being: Unique role? • Links with prosocial behaviour(Carey et al. 1976; Rind & Bordia,1995)

  31. Personality Strengths… Altruism Principle of concern for the welfare of others • Distinguished from duty & loyalty • Motivation to provide/sacrifice something of value, without expectation of any benefit • True altruism possible? • Evolutionary explanations: • Kinship/ Ingroupvsoutgroup • Reciprocity & signalling • Neurobiological views • Hard-wired pleasure? Outlook on the world? • Benefits to mental & physical health

  32. Back to the start of the lecture…

  33. Your challenge! • For the next week… Pick one of these options to do each day: • Write down 3 positive things that have happened… • Write down 1) something that has made you smile, 2) something unexpected that is positive and 3) something that you like about yourself • Write down 3 things you are grateful for…

  34. http://www.tedxsingapore.sg/topted.php You might like to listen to Martin Seligman in this TEDx talk on positive psychology… (Many thanks to Sam French for suggesting this resource!)

  35. Further Reading… • Carr, A. (2004). Positive psychology: The science of happiness & human strengths. Routledge. • Lopez, S. J., & Snyder, C. R. (2009). Oxford handbook of positive psychology. Oxford University Press, USA. • Seligman, M. (2002). Authentic happiness: Using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. Free Press • Hefferson, K. & Boniwell, I. (2011). Positive Psychology: Theory, Research & Applications. Maindenhead, UK: Open University Press

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