Positive Psychology question A

Previous studies have found that combining the 3 good things with other PPI's results in an overall increase in happiness levels

Fleming 2006; Boiler et al 2013

using your signature strengths: study on 622 adults. Increased happiness and decreased symptoms of depression. follow ups of 1, 3, & 6 months

Gander et al 2013

3 main factors contribute to well-being:- 1. their happiness set point - 50% 2. their life circumstances - 10% 3. positive cognitive, behavioral and goal-based activities - 40%

Lyubomirsky, Sheldon and Schkade 2005

Happiness is most commonly defined in terms of frequent positive affect, high life satisfaction and infrequent negative affect.

Lyubomirsky, Sheldon and Schkade 2005

chronic happiness= happiness throughout life- much more difficult to change

Lyubomirsky, Sheldon and Schkade 2005

happiness is beneficial to the individual and can result in better relationship, academic and occupational success as well as being healthier and living longer

Lyubomirsky, Sheldon and Schkade 2005

happiness throughout the lifetime

chronic happiness

The variance of life circumstances in well-being?

10%

The variance of positive cognitive, behavioral and goal-based activities in well-being?

40%

The variance of happiness set point in well-being?

50%

Life domains include: money, work and education

Argyle 2001

Strengths are the attributes that lend themselves to our success and are often identified and admired by others

Biswas-Diener 2010

Expressing optimism and gratitude: 6 week intervention of 2 PP activities- optimistically thinking about the future and writing letters of gratitude. Results= regularly practicing gratitude and optimism for 6 weeks enhances life satisfaction. Found that it works better for western cultures.

Boehm, Lyubomirsky and Sheldon 2011

previous research has employed only western participants

Boehm, Lyubomirsky and Sheldon 2011

described the hedonic treadmill, which is a widely accepted model of subjective well-being

Brickman and Campbell 1971

22 lottery winners. no happier than a control group and took significantly less pleasure from a series of everyday events.

Brickman, Coates and Janoff-Bulman 1978

Life domains include: health, safety, community

Cummins 1996

people believe they are happier than they are

Diener and Diener 1998

the theory of the hedonic treadmill implies that societal efforts to increase happiness are doomed to failure

Diener, Lucas and Scollon 2006

Expressing gratitude: Asked participants to reflect (once a week or every day for 2-3 weeks) on what they have to be grateful for. Found= focusing on ones blessings is beneficial.

Emmons and McCullough 2003

research on gratitude must address whether gratitude is the cause of well-being or a result of it

Emmons and McCullough 2003

in their study, participants kept returning to their happiness baselines/ set point of happiness over time.

Headley and Wearing 1989

according to the B&B model, gratitude not only makes people feel good in the present, but increases the likelihood that they will feel good in the future.

Lyubomirsky et al 2011

Best possible self: participants were randomly assigned to write about their best possible self, a traumatic life event or a non-emotional control topic for 20 mins each day for 4 days. Mood measured before and after. Associated with feeling less upset, more happy and getting sick less often.

King 2001

Best possible self: this intervention increases life satisfaction

King 2001

PPI's teach individuals ways to increase their positive thinking, affect and behaviours. They may serve as vital tools to prevent relapse.

Layous et al 2011

PPI;s are similar in that they are all relatively brief, self-administered and non-stigmatizing exercises that promote positive feelings, thoughts and behaviours

Layous et al 2011

Positive emotions have been found to foster successful outcomes in many life domains

Layous et al 2011

individual/ collectivist cultures are likely to define happiness differently

Lu and Gilmour 2004

Happiness is important to well-being. Satisfied people are more likely to get married, have children and less likely to divorce or lose their ob

Luhmann, Lucas and Diener 2013

twin and adoption studies: heritability of well-being may be as much as 80%

Lykken and Tellegen 1996

if PPI's are practiced often enough then they may serve as a natural antidote to the process of the hedonic treadmill

Lyubomirsky 2011

although genes and personality traits may operate to hold happiness levels relatively constant over time, engaging in happiness- increasing activities has the potential to improve it for a significant amount of time

Lyubomirsky et al 2005

members of individualist cultures may benefit more from PPI's

Lyubomirsky et al 2008

Happiness interventions are more than just placebos

Lyubomirsky et al 2011

long term stability of the big 5- people seem to maintain the same rank ordering of these traits, and the traits are closely linked to well-being

McCrae and Costa 1990

3 Good things: this short term intervention has long lasting effects on happiness levels

Mongrain and Anselmo-Matthews 2012

using your signature strengths: 1447 participants- intervention for 1 week only. Replicated Seligman and found similar results.

Mongrain and Anselmo-Matthews 2012

Best possible self: this intervention can cause immediate happiness and an increase in feelings of optimism

Peters and colleagues 2013

Asked participants to use their strengths in novel ways. Took a character strength survey to identify their strengths and were then asked to use them in their daily lives every day for 7 days

Peterson and Park 2009

Support Diener and Diener, people rate themselves as happier than they are

Peterson and Park 2009

according to the hedonic treadmill, a persons level of happiness should be relentlessly constant across the lifespan, showing only momentary ups and downs

Peterson and Park 2009

The relationship between life satisfaction and life domains is complex, and some are more important. This is dependent on the individual. One can substitute satisfaction in one domain for another, and this keeps life satisfaction constant.

Rojas 2006

There is a relationship between life satisfaction and satisfaction in different domains of life

Rojas 2006

3 good things: relative to a comparison group, happiness increased. Results were mediated through 6 months of follow-up

Seligman et al 2005

The three Good things intervention: individuals write down three good tings that have happened during the day and reflect on why the occurred

Seligman et al 2005

Best possible self: this exercise promoted the highest levels of self-concordant motivation for continuing the exercise

Sheldon and colleagues 2006

Best possible self: exercises of this nature have many benefits e.g well-being, health and emotional adjustment

Smyth 1998