Positive Psychology

The Game Plan

What is Positive Psychology? What is Happiness?

Psychological Abstracts (1967-2000)

Anger: 5,584 Anxiety: 41,416 Depression: 54,040 Joy: 415 Happiness: 1,710 Life satisfaction: 2,582

Ratio: 21/1

What is Positive Psychology?

The scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

What is Happiness?
What You Think Happiness is:
Feeling good, Lack of negative emotions Optimizing likes and minimizing dislikes Self satisfaction Fortunate events Reaching Goals/Expectations Being content with what you have, not always striving

What is Happiness?
The Pleasant Life The Engaged Life The Meaningful Life

Blend all 3 into The Full Life

What is Happiness?
Positive Emotions AND Positive Activities

Positive Emotions
Function of Negative Emotions
Narrow attention and prep for action

Function of Positive Emotions

Broaden and Build Theory

Positive Emotions

Negative Emotion

Positive Emotion

Positive Emotions
Are Positive emotions the ultimate good?
Positive Illusions

Signature Strengths
24 Character Strengths Individual Differences

Signature Strengths
Examples:
Creativity Love of Learning Bravery Gratitude Humor Spirituality

Positive Activities
The Good Life
Using signature strengths to obtain abundant gratification in, for example, enjoying work and creative activities.

Positive Activities
Flow
Mental state in which the person is fully immersed in what he/she is doing,

Positive Activities
Authenticity

How to Measure Happiness?

Overall Ratings

Event Sampling

What Makes You Happy?

Love Pos events Achievement Small pleasures Humor Hobbies Friends/Family Lack of uncertainty Money Freedom Free time Sleep Parties people Food

 Colbert Report clip

http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/player.jhtml?ml_video=89235&ml_collecti on=&ml_gateway=&ml_gateway_id=&ml_comedian=&ml_runtime=&ml_context=show &ml_origin_url=/shows/the_colbert_report/videos/most_recent/index.jhtml%3Fstart% 3D31&ml_playlist=&lnk=&is_large=true

Money and Happiness

Does Money = Happiness?

GNP vs GNH
The case of Butan:
Gross National Happiness to measure countrys well being instead of an economic indicator

Money and Happiness

Does Money = Happiness?
Not past a certain point

Why do we think it does?

Money and Happiness

Lottery Winners
Millionaires and Celebrities Media/Advertising

Positive Psychology

Where Happiness Comes From

Set Point
Genetically Predetermined

Where Happiness Comes From

The Hedonic Treadmill

What Can Impact Happiness?

Negative Impact
Unemployment

Negative Impact

Lack of (political) freedom

Negative Impact
Too much choice

Negative Impact
Commuting

Negative Impact
Loss

What Can Impact Happiness?

Positive Impact
Self Determination Theory
Autonomy Competence Relatedness

Positive Impact
Meaningful Relationships

Positive Impact
What one thing in your life brought you the most happiness?

Positive Impact
Social Support

Positive Impact
Less time at work, more in play

Thought Piece # 7 Class Activity

Sally is 18 yr old UT Freshman. She likes being outdoors and animals. Her parents want her to become an Engineer and she wants to make them proud, so she is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Her class load is huge and she studies for multiple hours every night to make good grades. She spends most weekends in her dorm room studying. She talks to her family on the phone sometimes, usually about school; but does not keep in touch with high school friends and has not made many new friends at UT. She choose to come to UT because her parents wanted her to be close to home (she is from Dallas), but she knows that she is smart and could have gotten into any college in the country. She would have really loved to gone someplace near the mountains so she could hike and ski. But it is important to her to make her family happy and proud. What are 3-5 threats to Sallys happiness and WHY? What are 5-10 ways Sally could increase her happiness?

What Can You Do?

Know Signature Strengths and utilize them in daily life. Be Grateful Join a group Keep a journal Pick goals that are in line with your wants

Summary