PSYC 3800: To Infinity Beyond - A Survey of Theory Research on Optimal Psychological Functioning

1. PSYC 3800: �To Infinity & Beyond�- A Survey of Theory & Research on Optimal Psychological Functioning

2. PSYC 3800: Positive Psychology -An Introduction

3. The Positive Psychology Perspective: A Brief History Ancient Greeks

4. Humanistic Perspectives Humanism � is �a theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their free will and their potential for personal growth�. This perspective is based on the following ideas: We have an innate drive toward personal growth. We exercise free will to control our actions. We are rational beings driven by conscious, not unconscious, needs.

5. Carl Rogers�s (1961) Person-Centered Theory. Personality contains only one construct, the self, or self-concept � �a collection of beliefs about one�s own nature, unique qualities, and typical behavior�. If our ideas about ourselves match our actual experiences, our self-concept is congruent with reality. However, if our ideas about ourselves do not match reality, this disparity is called incongruence. Humanistic Perspectives

6. Self-Concept and Development: All humans have a need for affection, and experiences early in life are key. If parents make affection conditional (given only if the child�s behavior meets their expectations) children do not feel worthy of love and develop an incongruent self-concept. If parents give affection unconditionally, children feel worthy of love and develop congruent self-concepts. (see Figure 2.15). Humanistic Perspectives

7. Figure 2.15 Roger�s view of personality development and dynamics. Roger�s theory of development posits that conditional love leads to a need to distort experiences, which fosters an incongruent self-concept. Incongruence makes one prone to recurrent anxiety, which triggers defensive behavior, which fuels more incongruence. Figure 2.15 Roger�s view of personality development and dynamics. Roger�s theory of development posits that conditional love leads to a need to distort experiences, which fosters an incongruent self-concept. Incongruence makes one prone to recurrent anxiety, which triggers defensive behavior, which fuels more incongruence.

8. Abraham Maslow- first used the phrase positive psychology (1954) Theory of Self-Actualization Human motives are organized into a hierarchy of needs � �a systematic arrangement of needs, according to priority, in which basic needs must be met before less basic needs are aroused� Humans have an innate drive toward personal growth and the greatest need is the need for self-actualization � the fulfillment of one�s potential. Humanistic Perspectives

9. Figure 2.16 Maslow�s hierarchy of needs. According to Maslow, human needs are arranged in a hierarchy, and individuals must satisfy their basic needs first, before they progress to higher needs. In the diagram, higher levels in the pyramid represent progressively less basic needs. People progress upward in the hierarchy when lower needs are satisfied reasonably well, but they may regress back to lower levels if basic needs cease to be satisfied.Figure 2.16 Maslow�s hierarchy of needs. According to Maslow, human needs are arranged in a hierarchy, and individuals must satisfy their basic needs first, before they progress to higher needs. In the diagram, higher levels in the pyramid represent progressively less basic needs. People progress upward in the hierarchy when lower needs are satisfied reasonably well, but they may regress back to lower levels if basic needs cease to be satisfied.

10. Maslow called people with extremely healthy personalities �self-actualizing persons�. They have demonstrated significant personal growth and tend to share certain ideal characteristics Humanistic Perspectives

11. Evaluating Humanistic Perspectives Humanistic theory is credited with: Identifying the self-concept as a key element of personality. Placing an emphasis on a more positive outlook on human behavior and personality. However, this perspective has also been criticized for: Poor testability, An unrealistic view of human nature, and Relatively little empirical evidence.

12. Martin Seligman�s Contributions Often credited as the �father� of the Positive Psychology Movement APA President (1998) As of January 2010 credited with 246 works in PsycINFO Character Strengths & Virtues Handbook- a complement to the DSM (Peterson & Seligman, 2004) Identifies 6 classes of �core virtues� comprised of 24 measurable �character strengths� Website http://www.positivepsychology.org/

13. Seligman on Humanistic Psychology ��the �third way� heralded by Maslow, Rogers, and other humanistic psychologists promised to add a new perspective to the entrenched clinical and behaviorist approaches. The generous humanistic vision had a strong effect on the culture at large and held enormous promise. Unfortunately, humanistic psychology did not attract much of a cumulative empirical base, and it spawned myriad therapeutic self-help movements. In some of its incarnations, it emphasized the self and encouraged self-centeredness that played down concerns for collective well-being. Future debate will determine whether Maslow and Rogers were ahead of their times, because these flaws were inherent in their original vision, or because of overly enthusiastic followers. However, one legacy of the humanism of the 1960�s is prominently displayed in any large bookstore: The �psychology� section contains at least 10 shelves on crystal healing, aromatherapy, and reaching the inner child for every shelf of books that tries to uphold some scholarly standard.� - American Psychologist (2000)

14. The Emergence of The Science of Positive Psychology (2000 � 2005)

15. �Aims & Scope� of the Journal of Positive Psychology Positive psychology is about scientifically informed perspectives on what makes life worth living. It focuses on aspects of the human condition that lead to happiness, fulfillment, and flourishing. The Journal of Positive Psychology provides an interdisciplinary and international forum for the science and application of positive psychology. The Journal is devoted to basic research and professional application on states of optimal human functioning and fulfillment, and the facilitation and promotion of well-being. The Journal brings together leading work in positive psychology undertaken by researchers across different subdisciplines within psychology (e.g., social, personality, clinical, developmental, health, organizational), as well as across other social and behavioral disciplines (e.g., sociology, family studies, anthropology, neuroscience, philosophy, economics, medicine, organizational sciences). Topics appropriate for the Journal include original research on human strengths and virtues, personal and social well-being, as well as applications to psychotherapy and counseling. Articles that evaluate the teaching and coaching of positive psychology are also invited. Special emphasis is placed on new theoretical and methodological approaches that advance both the science and practice of positive psychology. The Journal publishes peer-reviewed original research reports, theoretical and review articles, and book review.

16. The Roots of Happiness: An Empirical Analysis What makes people happy? What is not very important: Money � the correlation between income and happiness is very weak (.13) in U.S. Age � age accounts for less than 1% of variation in reported happiness. Gender � gender also accounts for less than 1% of variation in reported happiness.

17. The Roots of Happiness (cont.) What is not very important: (cont.) Parenthood � good and bad aspects of parenthood offset each other. Intelligence � there is no association between IQ and happiness. Physical attractiveness � attractive people enjoy many advantages in society, but the relationship with happiness is very weak.

18. The Roots of Happiness (cont.) What is somewhat important: Health � health and happiness have a positive correlation of .32. Social activity � people who are satisfied with their friendships report above-average levels of happiness. Religion � people with sincere religious convictions are more likely to be happy.

19. The Roots of Happiness (cont.) What is very important: Love and marriage � across cultures, for men and women, married people are happier than people who are single or divorced. Work � job satisfaction is strongly related to happiness. Personality � extraversion (or positive emotionality) is a strong predictor of happiness.

20. The Roots of Happiness (cont.) Conclusions regarding roots of happiness: Subjective feelings of happiness are more important than objective measures. 2. Happiness is relative. We evaluate our happiness relative to what others around us have, and We evaluate our happiness relative to our own expectations.

21. The Roots of Happiness (cont.) Happiness is affected by hedonic adaptation. -This occurs when �the mental scale that people use to judge the pleasantness-unpleasantness of their experiences shifts so that their neutral point, or baseline for comparison, is changed�. (e.g. when circumstances improve, such as income, our baseline for happiness increases as well, so we don�t feel happier.)

22. The Sustainable Happiness Model(Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2004; Lyubomirsky, Sheldon & Schkade, 2005) The Set Point- The point or range at which one�s happiness level is generally �set� or fixed. Research suggests it is genetically determined (Lykken & Tellegen, 1996) Intentional Activity- Actions or exercises that a person chooses to engage in. Can be cognitive experiences (e.g., counting one�s blessings) or behaviors (e.g., random acts of kindness) that alter one�s perspective about one�s self, one�s life, or the world in general. Circumstances- Factors constituting �the background of one�s life� Demographics (e.g., gender, ethnicity) Personal Experiences (e.g., traumas and triumphs) Life Status Variables (e.g., marital status, education level, health, and income) Physical Attractiveness

23. What Determines Happiness?

24. Does Happiness = Well-Being?

25. Subjective vs. Eudaimonic/Psychological Forms of Well-Being Subjective Well-Being (e.g., Diener, 1984) Hedonic (Affective) qualities Life-Satisfaction Positive/Negative Affectivity Eudaimonic/Psychological Well-Being Self-Realization Ryff (1989): A Multicomponent view

26. Eudaimonic/Psychological Well-Being Ryff (1989) proposed that psychological well-being is comprised of 6 components Autonomy Environmental Mastery Personal Growth Positive Relationships with Others Purpose in Life Self-Acceptance

28. Psychological Well-Being

29. Age Differences in Psychological Well-Being

30. Educational Attainment & Psychological Well-Being

31. Relationships Between Eudaimonic & Subjective Well-Being Life Satisfaction Autonomy (r = .38**) Environmental Mastery (r = .48**) Personal Growth (r = .43**) Positive Relationships (r = .36**) Purpose in Life (r = .39**) Self-Acceptance (r = .65**) Note: Findings based on (Goldman, Brunnell, Kernis, Heppner, & Davis, 2005) reported in Kernis and Goldman (2006).

32. Performing Acts of Kindness Exercise In our daily lives, we all perform acts of kindness for others. These acts may be large or small and the person for whom the act is performed may or may not be aware of the act. Examples include feeding a stranger�s parking meter, donating blood, helping a friend with homework, visiting an elderly relative, or writing a thank-you letter. For this exercise, perform 5 acts of kindness each week and vary them as you want. Choose one day during the week in which to do all 5 kind acts. The acts do not need to be for the same person, and the act may or may not be similar to those listed above. Do not perform any acts that may place yourself or others in danger. Keep a �kindness� journal in which you write down the details of performing your kind acts at the end of the day in which you did them. You may want to describe exactly what you did, who benefited from it, and if applicable- their reaction. Also, describe how you felt before, during, and after each act.