PSYO 349 midterm 2
What exactly IS gratitude?
- A cognitive-affective state - Knowledge of receiving a valuable benefit - Word derived from latin roots → Gratia & Gratus = "pleasing favour"
What is materialism?
- Comprises a set of values and goals focused on wealth, possessions, image, and status - The balance of how much emphasis you put on those compared to other values
What is green exercise and what are some findings with regard to this? (readings)
- Doing exercise in nature Findings: Measured the same kind (intensity, duration) of exercise in a gym, urban setting, and in a park. - exercising outside has greater physical benefits - people exercising outside tend to want to exercise more - exercising outside helps with depression
Potential causal mechanisms of why nature impacts our well-being (readings)
- Emotion of awe → nature is a key elicitor of this response - Meaning in life → nature provides a salient reminder of one's place in the world and a means by which individuals can connect to something larger than their self - Positive social experiences → nature is one context where social relations are facilitated and strengthened
Attention Restoration Theory
- Exposure to nature restores our limited ability for directed attention (nature has subtle movements) - From evolutionary perspective - only recently that split between the important and the interesting has become extreme - Thus, nature even more important in our lives today
Flaws in set point theory
- Happiness tends to rises after "middle" age - Major life events are associated with relatively long-lasting changes in life satisfaction (ex: marriage, divorce, etc.) - Lasting changes in SWB more common for those high in extraversion and/or neuroticism → Considerable individual differences in the extent to which people adapt thus, happiness levels do change - adaptation and return to a set-point is not guaranteed
Characteristics of nations which value extrinsic goals more than intrinsic
- Higher levels of child ill-being - Lower levels of parental leave benefits - Higher number of ads per hour - Higher CO2 emissions - Greater ecological footprint
Benefits of having proximity to nature (readings)
- Higher levels of well-being - Higher levels of perceived health, decreased psychiatric symptoms - Higher levels of life satisfaction
Eco-Existential Positive Psychology Framework
- Holly-Anne did this!! - Cultivating our biophilic (innate) tendencies through nature experiences can help us address our existential anxieties (something that we struggle with, just by virtue of being human)
Relate the reasons/motives (from the in-class activity) to choice of positive psychology intervention
- If motives for PPI are for extrinsic reasons (ex: because somebody else wants me to, because I would feel ashamed, guilty, or anxious if I don't do it) is not as likely to be as effective - If your motives for PPI are intrinsic (ex: because I value and identify with doing it, because I will really enjoy doing it) it is likely to be more effective and boost your well being more
Relationship between instances of gratitude (state gratitude) and dispositional (trait) gratitude
- Instances of gratitude: moment where you feel gratitude, repeated instances can turn into habits - Dispositional gratitude: Those long-term habits are dispositional gratitude, changes how you react to life
Compensatory benefits of fulfilling needs through leisure - list one example (readings)
- Leisure activities are important for protecting well-being when those interests or values are not congruent with one's job. Example: Within counselling psychology, leisure-based interventions have been suggested for increasing the life satisfaction of individuals who are situationally constrained from leaving dissatisfying jobs and also for increasing the well-being of other special populations (such as unemployed adults, college students, older adults, and individuals coping with mental health issues)
Importance of leisure in societies with different types of primary values- Schwartz (readings)
- Leisure is LESS important in societies where mastery values and hierarchy values are important - Leisure is MORE important in societies in which affective autonomy values, egalitarian values, harmony values, and conservatism values are important
Specific benefits of gratitude
- Lower blood pressure - Improved immune functioning - Higher happiness and well-being - Increase helpfulness, generosity, cooperation - Reduces lifetime risk for depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorders
Data with regard to genetics of well-being and happiness (differing estimates of heritability of happiness)
- Meta-analysis of twin-family studies suggested that heritability of overall happiness = between 29-38% - After advances in technology of molecular genetics, suggested heritability of happiness = between 12% to 18%
Examples of what provides us with awe
- Nature (common among cultures) - Amazing works of art - Great thinkers - Great musicians - Vastness of the universe and how tiny we are
What is the see-saw effect of the circumplex model of values/goals?
- Opposite axis work like a see-saw (when one goes up the other goes down) - Values 30° apart can both be obtained at the same time but values 360° apart cannot - Ex: the more emphasis on image/popularity the less self-acceptance
How do people actually use leisure time? (readings)
- People often don't use their leisure to engage in the types of activities that are most conductive to promote well-being - People spend 50% of free time watching television and very little time pursuing activities that will fulfill a wider range of social needs (social activities)
Reasonable Person Model
- People prefer environments that facilitate our information processing needs - Supportive evidence that we process information more easily and efficiently in nature
How to do gratitude well?
- Recall moments from the past - Being mindful in the present - Anticipating opportunities in the future
What is nature connectedness and what is it correlated with? (readings)
- Reflects the degree to which one feels a subjective connection to the natural world - Relatively stable across time and situations - Correlated with higher levels of subjective well-being (higher levels of life-satisfaction, positive affect, subjective happiness, and vitality)
What are some values that fall within each quadrant of the circumplex model of values?
- Self-transcendence (beyond your physical self): spirituality - Physical self: hedonism (functioning well) - Extrinsic: popularity, image, financial success - Intrinsic: affiliation, self-acceptance, relationships, physical health
Importance of small, everyday pleasures to happiness (readings)
- Small everyday pleasures (such as drinking a cold beer on a hot day) may be better predictors of happiness than major life events (such as winning the lottery, or getting a promotion) - Those activities that do not require a lot of money but provide small frequent boosts in mood
What is the effect of priming people (even children) with images of materialism?
- Social dominance increases - People are less likely to share and help - More negative affect (NA) - Has a big impact on how we view other people
What is time famine? what is its impact happiness? how/by what mechanism? (readings)
- The feeling of being pressed for time in one's day-to-day lives - It produces feelings of stress and elicits behaviours that undermine subjective well-being - They become less helpful, less active, and less physically healthy
What is the importance of early childhood experiences in nature? (readings)
- Those who report spending more time as children tend to show higher levels of nature connectedness as adults - Childhood = a sensitive period for development of connection to the natural world so it is important to encourage outdoor activities
What was the bigger point Robert Diener was making in his talk by his somewhat odd way to start his talk (not speaking)?
- Uncomfortable silences (how he started his talk) → often marked by confusion, ambiguity (illustration of the hues of discomfort) - Discomfort and comfort are both very important in the context of the pursuit of happiness → however, we often try to approach comfort and run from discomfort - His story: Too cold, too hungry, had to eat gross food, felt embarrassed (all aspects of discomfort). However, one of the best days he's ever had (rewarding, novel, challenging). - Fundamentally we can withstand these negative emotions of discomfort, they help us face the ambiguous situations (ex: awkward silences) - The western world has become too reliant on comfort
Perceptual Fluency Account
- Visual systems more fluently process aspects of the natural environment - Requires fewer cognitive resources - Ex: fractals ("fingerprints of nature") induce wakefully relaxed state
Biophilia Hypothesis
- We have an innate tendency to affiliate with the greater-than-human natural world and to respond with emotional intensity to it (it is inbred in us) - Big problem = we are becoming more and more disconnected from the natural world! Prisoners spend more time outside than children do!!
When can gratitude backfire?
- When you overdose on gratitude - When you feel grateful for someone or something not worthy ( ex: abusive relationship, focusing on gratitude can become a way to avoid dealing with the problem) - When you mistake indebtedness for gratitude ("should" feel grateful)
Describe & list an example of RELATIONSHIPS (TLC)
- central to individual, social and environmental well-being - we are hardwired for empathy and relationships - often overlooked Example: - increasing social isolation and loneliness has both individual costs (ex: doesn't feel good to be lonely) and social costs (ex: more crime and drug addiction, which affects society)
Describe & list an example of RELAXATION AND STRESS MGMT (TLC)
- chronic stress takes a toll (both psychological and genomic) - we now have novel stressors for which there is no historical precedent - before = you have a stress, you fight it or you flee, you get over it - now = increased levels of cortisol all the time - student stress/anxiety levels are at an all time high Examples: ways to cope - sleep - diet - exercise - nature - play - mindfulness - relaxation response
Describe & list an example of RELIGION AND SPIRITUAL INVOLVEMENT (TLC)
- doesn't have to be going to church, just any kind of transcended emotion that you have that deals with more than just yourself - huge positive correlations between spirituality and mental well-being - particularly helpful when focused on these of love and forgiveness - also helps with situational meaning and coping with stressors (ex: "god's plan") Example: - 90% of the world engages in religious or spiritual practices - 63% agree it provides meaning and purpose to their lives
Sources of gratitude
- family and friends - health - having housing - life - music
Describe & list an example of NUTRITION AND DIET (TLC)
- how you eat makes a difference to how you feel!! - the mental health of nations may be linked to nutrition and diet - epigenetics!! your diet and lifestyle today WILL affect your kids and your kids kids Examples: - both moderate and psychological distress = related to lower intake in healthy foods and higher intake in non-healthy foods - less vitamin D intake = related to higher risk of depression
Describe & list an example of RECREATION AND ENJOYABLE ACTIVITIES (TLC)
- idea of "re-creating" yourself when you are enjoying leisure activities - importance of unstructured play (for children AND adults) - active (NOT passive) leisure gives way to curiosity, imagination, social skills and problem solving Example: - knitting = proven to be quite stress reducing in a meditative way
Why are simple lifestyle factors so important for mental health and well-being?
- important in contributing to and treating multiple psychopathologies - AND for fostering psychological and social well-being
Describe & list an example of CONTRIBUTION AND SERVICE (TLC)
- part of something bigger than yourself - providing social support may be more beneficial than receiving it (only when freely done and not overwhelmed) - helps with generativity Example: volunteering
Describe & list an example of EXERCISE (TLC)
- prevention of depression - therapeutic benefits for mild to moderate depressions - better sleep (more endorphins which interrupts rumination) - only 10% of mental health professionals recommend that clients need more exercise!!
What is the best way to optimize leisure to promote well-being with regard to needs? (readings)
- prioritize activities that fulfill multiple needs (particularity those that are not fulfilled through other domains)
Four ways to address the problem of valuing materialism (& explanation of each)
1. Activating and encouraging intrinsic values and goals - Ex: Prime people with extrinsic/intrinsic goals, then ask them about climate change, child poverty, etc. - Those primed with extrinsic images, wrote things like "well it's just a part of life", "I switch lights off if it saves me money" - Those primed with intrinsic images responded with "we need to do something about that" 2. Reduce exposure to messages in social surroundings - # of ads - Ex: reduced diet of social media positively affects well being 3. Self-improvement for yourself and others - Important to work on your own goals and well-being - When you are happier, you have lower levels of extrinsic values - When you have greater meaning in life, you have higher levels of intrinsic values - When people feel insecure, threatened, excluded, etc. they tend to become more materialistic - Ex: had a bad day, choose to go to the mall 4. Alternative indicators of growth - Instead of GDP, use things like gross national happiness
What is gratitude anchored in?
1. Affirming goodness in one's life 2. Recognizing that sources of goodness lie (at least partially) outside the self
List & provide an example of 4/8 diverse conceptions of dispositional (trait) gratitude
1. Appreciation of other people (gratitude towards other people) - ex: I'm really thankful for friends and family 2. Awe (frequency of feelings of awe) - ex: when I see natural beauty (like Niagra Falls), I feel like a child who is awestruck 3. Behaviour (habitual expression of gratitude) - ex: I say "please" and "thank you" regularly to indicate my appreciation 4. Present moment (recognizing positive in the now) - ex: I stop and enjoy my life as it is. I think it is important to "stop and smell the roses"
What characterizes people high in trait (dispositional) gratitude?
1. Approach to life: tend to experience life in ways that call forth an openness to engage with the world, to share, and to increase the goodness one has received 2. Are rated by others as being more helpful, outgoing, optimistic, trustworthy, and pleasant to be around
Where do we get the feeling of awe from? (3 characteristics)
1. Big powerful things 2. A sense of vastness 3. Things beyond our conceptual understanding
What are the 5 theoretical frameworks? (of nature)
1. Biophilia Hypothesis 2. Perceptual Fluency Account 3. Attention Restoration Theory 4. Reasonable Person Model 5. Eco-Existential Positive Psychology Framework
In what ways is religion unique in providing meaning to life?
1. Comprehensive - every aspect of life 2. Sacredness - significance 3. Particular beliefs - plan beyond our understanding long time frames 4. Social components - in present and culturally Religious and spiritual involvement can be much broader than a lot of people think it has to be, and it is often overlooked
What are the aspects of the DRAMMA model? (readings)
1. Detachment-recovery - Both detachment and recovery are necessary for protecting well-being on a daily basis 2. Autonomy - The sense that one's actions are freely chosen and reflect what one wants to do 3. Meaning - Also referred to as purpose in life 4. Mastery - Fulfilled when individuals have opportunities to utilize or increase their skills or learn something new 5. Affiliation - The need for social connection (often called affiliation or relatedness)
What are the 8 TLCs discussed?
1. Exercise 2. Nutrition and diet 3. Nature 4. Relationships 5. Recreation and enjoyable activities 6. Relaxation and stress management 7. Religious and spiritual involvement 8. Contribution and service
What four reasons/motives are measured by the Person-Activity Fit measure (from the in-class activity)?
1. External motivations (because somebody else wants me to) 2. Introjected motivation (because I would feel ashamed, guilty, or anxious if I don't do it) 3. Identified motivations (because I value and identify with doing it) 4. Intrinsic motivations (because I will really enjoy doing it)
What are the two universal expressions of awe?
1. Goosebumps: - Very specific to the feeling of awe in terms of other positive emotions - can also be connected to fear 2. Vocal bursts: - Across countries! (even in remote villages not exposed to Westernization) - Examples: puppy → "awwwwe" grand canyon → "wowww"
6 existential anxieties (of the eco-existential framework) & how nature can address them
1. Identify - Nature plays essential role in our self-concept and personality formation → It helps define boundaries of our uniqueness - The degree in which you incorporate nature into identity is strongly linked to well-being 2. Death - Can embed ourselves into a larger circle and cycle of life and existence (ex: be cremated and planted with a tree seed) 3. Isolation - Connecting with nature connects us to a larger functioning system - Also reduces loneliness via effects on prosocial behaviour which improves our social relationships 4. Freedom - Nature linked to spontaneity, authenticity, and freedom (free to be ourselves away from expectations of society) 5. Happiness - Nature makes us happier 6. Meaning - Nature intertwined with spirituality = an important contributor to meaning for many people - Key elements of meaning can be found in nature (transcendence, order, connection)
List 4 factors/reasons that are contributing to university stress
1. Increase in materialism - # of adds, people valuing materialistic items (especially $$$), and jobs - Pressure for materialistic goals (from parents, etc.) 2. Social media usage - Spikes of depression and anxiety graph looks almost identical to social media spike!! - 2009 → facebook launched the "like" button, known as the "year of social media" - 2012 → business started using facebook (add usage) 3. Student loans 4. Skills to cope with stress are not learned or taught
For each of the 3 domains of well-being, list examples of materialism high cost
1. Individual well-being Higher levels of: - Health risk behaviours - Negative self-appraisal - Depression - Anxiety - Negative affect (NA) Lower levels of: - Positive affect (PA) - Life satisfaction - Positive self-appraisal - Physical health 2. Social well-being - Lower-quality relationships - Shorter relationships - More loneliness - Greater anxious attachment style - Lower empathy - Higher narcissism & interpersonal aspects of psychopathy - More antisocial behaviours 3. Environmental well-being - Lower concern for environment - Greater ecological footprint - Lower love of nature - Less concern with impact of environmental damage on other people (including future generations) - Fewer sustainable practices
Revisions of set point theory (readings)
1. People can have multiple set-points for different components of SWB (meaning, life satisfaction, basic need satisfaction) 2. SWB can be changed long term 3. People differ in the degrees to which they adapt (individual differences can be explained through coping strategies)
Three majors ways to spend money that increase more frequent feelings of happiness and why (or the mechanism by which) each type of spending increases happiness (readings)
1. Spend on others - Perceiving prosocial impact (ex: feeling like you are making a difference in the lives of others) heightens happiness 2. Buy experiences - People are slower to hedonically adapt to experiences than possessions - Experiences tend to be more emotionally acute and socially connecting than material goods - While material purchases are more likely to be consumed alone, experiential purchases are more likely to be enjoyed with others - Experiential purchases are more tightly tied to people's sense of identity 3. Buy time - Studies suggest buying time is correlated with well-being and greater happiness - More research is needed to further understand when and why buying time produces greater levels of well-being
Three primary theories of nature and well-being (readings)
1. The biophilia hypothesis - states that we have an innate (evolutionary) tendency to engage with the natural environment 2. Psychoevolutionary stress reduction theory - states that humans evolved to respond positively to nature - contact with these types of environments elicits a physiological and psychological response characteristic of stress reduction 3. Attention retention theory - focuses primarily on cognition - proposes that natural environments contain a high concentration of elements that are inherently fascinating, draw on directed attentional systems only modestly, reducing cognitive load and thus allowing for both cognitive and affective restoration - modern urban environments leads to cognitive fatigue and higher levels of stress and irritability
What are some common gratitude interventions, what do they entail? (3)
1. Three good things - write 3 good things that happened to you at the end of the day 2. Gratitude journal - Writing in a journal a few days a week about what you're grateful for (be specific and use details) 3. Gratitude letter and visit - Writing a letter to someone about why you're grateful for them becomes more effective if you hand deliver it (sense of connection)
3 aspects of how people high in dispositional gratitude view life events and/or helping behaviours of others
1. costly 2. valuable 3. altruistic
After advances in technology and molecular genetics, heritability of happiness was determined to be _____
12% to 18%
Some outcomes of the nature intervention studies (& size of the impact relative to other positive psychology interventions)
After being exposed to nature: - Higher levels of net positive affect (PA) - Higher levels of elevation - Higher levels of meaning These studies have average affect sizes that are higher than other positive psychology interventions
How can anxiety and sadness can be superpowers for well-being? (Todd Kashdan)
Anxiety girl: - In dangerous/anxious situations → our perceptual abilities become enhanced Sad boy: - When you're sad → it conserves energy, you outsource some of your self-regulation
Why is leisure worthwhile? - with reference to Aristotle & Pieper (readings)
Aristotle (ancient greece) → leisure activities are central for a satisfying life - they are particularly worthwhile because, unlike work, they are done for their own sake Pieper (1952) → celebrated leisure as an essential element of a happy life and necessary escape from the busyness of the working world
What is the small self? (define the two aspects of this)
Awe brings about this sense of small self: - I feel the presence of something greater than myself, a greater entity - I feel like I am part of a greater whole - I feel like my own day-to-day concerns are relatively trivial - In the grand scheme of things, my own issues and concerns do not matter as much 2 aspects: you feel... (1) less significant AND at the SAME TIME (2) more integrated
How does awe transform you?
Awe transforms your mind: - Awe is a personally transcendent experience - Changes us from individual self to integrated, collective self - Folds us into a social collective - Shifts us from self-interest to interest in the world AND other people - Triggers increased connections outwards (may be counterpoint to narcissism)
Time in nature aspects - do you need a lot of time to see the effects?
Beneficial effects emerged NOT from spending more time in nature BUT merely from noticing and attending to nature encountered in everyday routines
What have these experiments of awe shown - what changes to behaviour occur after people experience awe? (broadly and specifically)
Broadly (over all studies): - people are more prosocial - significantly lower feelings of entitlement - felt lower amount should be paid to them as a participant (suggests awe attenuates materialistic/extrinsic desires) - more ethical decision making (more likely to return extra change given to them by mistake) Specifically: - Autobiographical recall or video exposure → greater generosity (# of lottery tickets shared) - Redwood tree study results → greater helping behaviour after 60 seconds (more pencils picked up)
Difference between explanations of variance of differences on a trait (e.g., happiness) within a population and attributing that to % due to genetics
Chris Peterson said: - Unreasonable to conclude that we can parse (analyze) the happiness of an individual in the moment (or in general) in the same way we can parse (analyze) the happiness of a samples of individuals - Reasonable to say that happiness results from combination of genetics, circumstances, and voluntary activities... BUT exact % of each of these are ALWAYS a function of the samples from which they were derived Example: a) 80% of the reason you are the height you are is due to genetics b) 80% of the variation within the population on the trait of height is due to variation of the genes - CORRECT b)
What's the bottom line with regard to difference between explanations of variance of differences on happiness within a population and attributing that to % due to genetics?
Circumstances may influence our happiness less than we think & intentional activities are often overlooked sources of happiness
Why is the switch from calling people consumers rather than citizens disturbing?
Consumer = means taking ("consume") not giving anything back, it is just about individual rights - Disturbing because that is the opposite of meaning in life Citizen = have responsibilities, implies a larger group, giving back to others
How does awe affect physical health?
Cytokine response - inflammation to fight pathogens (stress response) - small bursts of awe regulate our cytokine response to healthy levels - awe is the ONLY positive emotion that does this!!
What are some deleterious effects of focusing on money or being primed with money or material goods? (readings)
Deleterious effect on ethicality
What is the DRAMMA model? What is it attempting to explain? (readings)
Describes how leisure facilitates SWB through the fulfillment of specific fundamental psychological needs
How is Lyubomirsky's pie-chart misinterpreted?
Ed Diener said: - The variance % does not apply directly to individuals - You cannot just take that number and apply it to every individual (especially for heritable) Example: you might get a HUGE boost of happiness from being religious - even though the amount of individual differences in happiness due to religion may be quite modest
Effectiveness of SWB Interventions (readings)
Empirical evidence suggest SWB can be improved with intentional changes - Requires effort but is changeable (not stable)
What ultimately is the museum of awe?
Everything → the world, the universe & life itself
Practical implications (of nature) for practitioners
George W. Burns book "Nature Guided Therapy" - Clients likely to stay motivated & committed to therapeutic nature assignments How to incorporate nature into therapy sessions: 1. "nature-based assignments" - Therapeutically crafted tasks that use natural objects or interactive processes with nature to assist the client in achieving the therapeutic goal 2. sensual awareness inventory - List items that bring the client pleasure, enjoyment or comfort under the categories of each sense
Relationship between gratitude, optimism, hope, trust
Gratitude is distinct from other emotions such as optimism, hope and trust.
Emotional themes evoked by nature
Happiness, calmness, relaxation, gratefulness, peacefulness, upbeat, rejuvenations, hope, freedom, awe, etc.
This whole aspect of heritability of happiness and what you can actually conclude generally and for individuals
Higher heritability does not limit the chances for increasing happiness, nor can heritability estimates be directly applied to individuals
Contrast time famine and its effects on happiness with an awareness that one's overall time in life is limited and its effects on happiness and why (readings)
In contrast to time famine, being aware than one's overall time in life is limited can improve subjective well-being by encouraging people to find greater enjoyment in life's ordinary pleasures and close relationships
What three levels of domains of well-being is PP concerned with?
Individual, social and environmental
Link Self Determination Theory to the circumplex model of values (in particular the horizontal axis)
Intrinsic values/goals meet these basic psychological needs more effectively than extrinsic!! Intrinsic values: - Have an ungrounded grounder (they have inherent value) - Worthwhile for the sake of themselves, do not need to be justified Extrinsic values: - Secondary goals, don't fulfill our SDT needs - Decrease our well-being
How does socio-economic status relate to the importance of studying awe?
It is more significant for those at top of SES (socio-economic status) - "better off than" being morphed into "better than" - economic inequality breeds social distance - people who are wealthier tend to be less compassionate and generous than those with less money
Why should adaptation be studied longitudinally? (readings)
More varied and wide range of results when measured longitudinally (some were happier, some went back to normal, some got worse) - Ex: looked at people who won the lottery
What is Self Determination Theory?
Our 3 basic needs: - autonomy, competence and relatedness
By what pathways can awe lead to becoming better at scientific learning?
Pathway 1: - awe leads to this sense of small self - which leads to a sense of curiosity - which leads to a greater sense of intellectual purpose Pathway 2: - awe induces this sense of small self - which leads to generosity, helping, lower aggression - generosity leads to community integration Pathway 3: - awe has a huge impact on our physical health
Describe & list an example of NATURE (TLC)
Related to increase well-being (nature lecture)
Specific benefits of nature and supportive findings examples from research → relating to EUDAIMONIC well-being
Relating to eudaimonic well-being (functioning well): - More autonomy after immersed in nature (vs. buildings) photos - More vitality after outdoor (vs. indoors) walk - More vitality after imagining outdoors (vs. indoors)
Specific benefits of nature and supportive findings examples from research → relating to HEDONIC well-being
Relating to hedonic/emotional well-being (feeling good): - Increase in positive affect - Decrease in negative affect - Happier and more satisfied with life - Exposed to nature yesterday = better impact on happiness of good health & living with partner today
Specific benefits of nature and supportive findings examples from research → relating to SOCIAL well-being
Relating to social well-being: - More greenery quantity and quality = more perceived social cohesion - More greenspace around buildings = more social contact with neighbours and less aggressive behaviours (crime) - Nature photos/videos = more valuing intrinsic goals, more share resources - After (vs. before) walk in park = more likely to help stranger
What are some indications that awe is evolutionarily advantageous?
Researchers have found certain genes that help experience the emotion of awe BUT not more than other positive emotions
Heritability and Stability of SWB (readings)
SWB is stable across people (like personality) BUT when you look at major life events or longitudinally, there is changes in SWB
Sisyphus: relationship between the legend of Sisyphus and pursuit of happiness (readings)
Sisyphus was condemned to rolling an immense stone up a hill only to watch it roll down again and again for eternity - No matter how hard we try, we will always go back to our previous level of happiness - The pursuit of happiness was a worthless task
Why is studying awe so important now?
The past several decades: - culture of self-focus, materialism, anomie, purposelessness - Increased stress which narrows thought - poor physical health - narcissism epidemic (over the last 40-50 years) - we are more entitled
What is set point theory?
The theory that happiness rises and falls but always returns to a "set point"
What are some reasons therapeutic lifestyle factors don't get "prescribed" more?
There is this huge push for: - more stylized interventions - briefer interventions - less psychotherapy - more drugs - 15-minute "med checks"
Relationship between trait gratitude and sleep
Those high in trait gratitude sleep better because they think about more positive things as they are falling asleep rather than ruminating or worrying about stuff as they are falling asleep
Impact of valuing money vs valuing time on happiness levels (readings)
Those who value time over money report higher happiness levels
Compare trends for desire for materialistic items, ad expenditures and ill-being
Trends of desire for expensive material items had huge increase around 1980 This correlates almost identically to: - The trajectory for increasing depression, anxiety, and stress - The trajectory for the "agreement that work is just for making a living" - The trajectory for ad spending in the U.S
What are the axis of the circumplex model of values?
Vertical axis = self-transcendence vs. physical self Horizontal axis = extrinsic vs. intrinsic
Hedonic treadmill (readings)
We are always chasing after things that make us feel good: - This has to do with adaptation (ex: if you have one piece of cake that tastes good, then you have 5 and feel sick) - 1st burst of happiness makes you feel good but once you start to adapt it slowly goes away → Permanent happiness can only be achieved through a constant stream of stimuli
Lyubomirsky's pie-chart (what is this & what is it describing?
What determines happiness? - Genetics/heritable 50% - External circumstances 10% - Actions and thoughts 40%
What can we consider "nature"?
anything that we (humans) didn't make
With regard to experiencing the 8 conceptions of gratitude, when are people considered to be high on trait/dispositional/life orientation to gratitude?
if they experience these 8 aspects FREQUENTLY, INTENSELY, and MANY DIFFERENT
When/for whom are gratitude practices NOT recommended and why?
not recommended and caution against using for people who are moderately or clinically depressed why? - Decreases well-being - Feel like a burden/guilty for not expressing gratitude before - Feel even more isolated if can't think of anyone or anything to express gratitude to/for - Can make person feel indebted, socially inferior, resentful or ashamed for needing help
Dispositional/trait gratitude is part of a wider life orientation towards ________
noticing and appreciating the positives in the world
How do people high in dispositional gratitude react to life?
they react to life differently
"I brought a child's toy (Chester, the Jack-in-the-box) to demonstrate something about negative emotions. What was I demonstrating, what was my point?"
→ Chester represents negative emotions: - took so much effort/energy to put him back in the box - Even when he was in the box, he didn't disappear, he was still being held inside - The lever was using force to hold him in the box - Life (turning the crank) still went on - Chester did come out, but he came out stronger and at an unexpected time - Using all the force and effort to put him in the box and keep him there, really hadn't done any good in the end - Just like trying to suppress negative emotions!!
What are some ways that experimenters induce awe in people?
→ called these "little bursts of awe" (momentarily induced experiences of awe) 1. Standing by huge exhibits of T-Rex 2. Standing on top of high tower with grand vista view 3. Autobiographical recall 4. Show people videos of earth, nature (even destructive like hurricanes) 5. Compared people standing looking up at giant redwood trees to standing looking up at giant building
