Positive Psychology Final Exam

What are the key criteria for creating meaning in life?

- Greater harmony, coherence, and congruence - Serving others or dedicating oneself to a worthy cause - Creativity - Living life fully and deeply - Suffering - Religious experience

Why is wisdom often considered the "master" virtue?

-Aristotle's theories of wisdom as "master" virtue- wisdom allows a person to decide which virtues Are most important and how the fellow virtues should be regarded in life. -Practical wisdom- allows a person to navigate inevitable conflicts and translate character Strength into real life scenarios and action

Please be familiar with the definitions and research findings presented for the remaining sacred emotions discussed in this chapter including compassion, empathy, self-compassion and humility

-Compassion- grounded in an ability to connect deeply with others, especially in regards to Their suffering.Being able to be empathetic towards others and understand their experience is A crucial part of compassion -Compassion, empathy and altruism go hand in hand.-In the Buddhist tradition, compassion is essential for well being and wisdom. (loving kindness meditation -Self compassion- - harder to do than compassion towards others -Adults who are self compassionate are less anxious and depressed -Women who are self compassionate keep up with their diets better -People who are more accepting of failure more motivated for self improvement -Humility- strength to forget self and learn to appreciate the world and connect with others. -Humility is buffer against stress -HEXACO -People who are more humble have better physical and mental health -Better self esteem, gratitude, and forgiveness

What is employee engagement? What components does it include? How is it different from the components of burnout?

-Employee engagement is the positive,fulfilling, work-related state of mind where people are Vigorous, dedicated, and absorbed in their work. Engagement is characterized by energy, Involvement, and efficiency- opposite of the components of engaging exhausting, cynicism, and inefficiency.

How has the understanding of leadership shifted historically?

-First belief was the "Great man" perspective, leaders are born and not made reference to people Like Abraham Lincoln -1900's Freudian theory-seeing figures as flawed and that their achievements were accidental. No such thing as leadership just possess certain characteristics. -1980's-1990's saw personality traits or competencies were indicators of successful leadership. -Then came the transformational leadership theory

What are the ways that are recommended for focusing on one's strengths, recognizing one's strengths, and developing one's strengths within the work environment?

-Focusing on strengths- Examine what we do well and actively work to do more of this. Our weaknesses should be managed. Also focus on one strength and then more strengths Will fall into place. -Recognizing strengths- five characteristics of strengths: 1. Yearnings- strong pulls we feel towards certain directions 2. Intrinsic satisfaction and feeling good 3. Learning comes easier 4. Activation of a strength leads to strong performance 5. When we activate a strength it usually takes less effort to do something -Developing Strengths- Strengths develop the best when they have a relation to other strengths- Interpersonal support, understanding, and empathy help foster the growth of strengths. -Strengths develop when we give ourselves positive expectations. -Finding a mission- like a commitment to the future or a passion.

Why have researchers prioritized studying forgiveness in relation to health and well-being?

-Forgiveness is a way to move past wanting revenge and to grow socially. -Women and older people more likely to forgive others -We study and practice forgiveness because long term rumination and anger doesn't hurt The other person but it hurts us. Forgiveness can help increase compassion and form Deeper connections with other people.

What are some of the key findings linking gratitude and appreciation to health and well-being?

-Gratitude is a human disposition cherished by many religions. -In positive psychology it is regarded as the quintessential trait in regarding the positive aspects Of the world -Gratitude promotes increased social support and lowers stress and depression -Greater life satisfaction and optimism.

What does research say about the relationship between religiousness and well-being?

-Greater religiousness associated with higher well being, people who are religious are less Likely to have criminal activity, addiction, or other social problems. -Religiousness can increase positive emotional states and self virtues. -Biggest predictor in relationship of religiousness and well-being is participation in Religious activities like praying or going to church.

What is the difference between viewing work as a job, a career or a calling? What components does a calling include? Is there a downside to viewing your career as a calling?

-Job- focusing on financial aspects of work and earning money to make a living. -Career- facilitates achievement and motivation and satisfaction -Calling- source of fulfillment and meaning -When referring to a calling people rarely include income or status as a reason they are Motivated at work. -people who refer to their work as a calling experience lots of benefits such as higher motivation, Lower dress, and better organization -Features of a calling- 1)Action orientation- doing rather than being , course of action 2) clarity or purpose 3) Prosocial intention- Desire to make the world a better place Downsides of viewing job as calling- Viewing your job as a calling can make it feel all consuming And they may need help balancing their job with other aspects of their life like family and social

What does the research say about the relationship between religiousness and physical health?

-People who are more religious are less likely to have illnesses, lower rates of cancer and heart Attacks and have a greater tolerance for pain. -One study found religious people live an average of seven more years than non religious people. -Physiological factors that account for better health are lower blood pressure, better Functioning of the immune system, less stress and worry.

What does the research say about the relationship between positive emotions in the workplace?

-People who have more positive emotionality are seen to be more enthusiastic, energized, have Greater job satisfaction, and more excited about their job. -Enhances problem solving skills and decision making. -Workers who experience more positive emotions are more sociable leading to better Workplace organization

What do the terms religion and spirituality have in common? How do they differ?

-Religion is the search for the sacred within a traditional context usually done through A formal religious institution. -Spirituality is a personal or group search for what is sacred in life. -Spirituality is more inclusive when searching for the sacred while religion is grounded In specific practices of an institutional form. -Both spirituality and religion require one to relate to something greater and also To have a degree of self-transcendence

What are some of the key reasons why religion is related to well-being?

-Social support- fosters a sense of community where there is a symbiosis between support Given and received -Golden rule: do unto others as you would wish to be treated. -Better to give than to receive -Express gratitude -Forgiveness -Acceptance -Healthy lifestyles, religious people do less risky behaviors -Personality- focuses on the significant things in life -Promotes positive emotions -Coping strategies- fosters forgiveness and hope -Provide sense of meaning

What are some of the historical perspectives on wisdom and its importance?

-The ancient Greeks saw wisdom as the ultimate goal in life. -The ancient Hebrews saw wisdom as leading a highly ethereal life.

How is prayer related to well-being and to physical health? What are the different types of prayer and forms of praying? How are these different approaches to prayer linked to different aspects of Well-being?

-The six types of prayer: 1. Adoration- worship of God 2. Thanksgiving- thanking God 3. Petitionary- Divine intervention 4. Confession- Admitting sins to God 5. Obligatory- Ritualistic, fixed times 6. Reception- Openness to guidance

How is wisdom related to aspects of well-being?

-Wisdom is correlated with life satisfaction, sense of mastery, purpose in life, physical well being -Reflective wisdom helps buffer adverse life experiences.

What are some of the key approaches for defining wisdom?

-Wisdom is the knowledge of social, interpersonal, and psychosocial experiences. It combines Two forms of knowledge: logos and mythos.

What are the components of making life meaningful?

A model of meaning-making (Park, 2011) - Feeling connected to something outside or larger than oneself - Searching for greater depth and significance in one's experience - Adapting to life events that challenge one's current sense of meaning

What are some of the key suggestions for cultivating wisdom?

-Wisdom requires postformal thinking, openness to experience, and acting ethically to Seek higher good. -This seeks out a greater understanding of human nature. -Emotional regulation, empathy, and understanding emotions makes a person more wise.

What are the demographic findings with regard to this relationship (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, age, etc.)?

-Women show higher relationships between well-being and religiousness -African Americans show stronger relationships with well being and religiousness -Older adults show stronger relationships with well-being and religiousness

What are the key traits of leaders that have been studied in this line of research?

1)Possessing a broad vision- thinking big picture rather than small details. 2) Optimism and excitement about the future 3)Valuing individuals for unique talents and strengths 4) Dedication and hard work 5) Integrity 6) Providing clear directions and specific feedback -And sometimes charisma

What are the key myths of career satisfaction and success according to Dr. Donald Clifton?

1. Fixing weaknesses is better to do than fixing our strengths 2. People can do anything they set their minds to. Better strategy to know weaknesses and Work with them.

Webster measures 5 components of wisdom

1. Openness to experience 2. Emotional regulation 3. Healthy coping 4. Reflection 5. Sense of humor

What are the key qualities of a positive work environment?

1. Opportunity for personal control- people like having some freedom and autonomy in The workplace. Creates a sense of competence. 2. Opportunity to use skills 3. Reasonable external goals 4. Variety- interesting work and the chance to learn new skills 5. Environmental clarity- how well people communicate tasks to one another 6. Availability of money 7. Physical security 8. Supportive management/supervision 9. Opportunity for interpersonal contact- supportive social environment at work 10. Work is valued by society

Wink and Helson 2 Wisdoms

1. Practical wisdom- good interpersonal skills, clarity of thinking, greater tolerance 2. Transcendental wisdom- Limits of knowledge, complexity of human experience.

What is the four-phase model of forgiveness?

1. Uncovering phase- people explore how anger and hate are destructive 2. Decision phase- Making a choice to forgive 3. Work phase- Tries to find an empathetic viewpoint as to why offended did what they did 4. Deepening phase- Person tries to see a deeper meaning

What is the happy planet index? Why was it developed?

All cultures have a concept for the emotion of happiness and the Happy Planet Index assess positive and negative emotions and explores basic human values (19 values confined to 4 factors)

How is wisdom understood as a form of excellence?

Baltes and Staudinger- conceptionalizes wisdom as a multifaceted phenomenon. Wisdom is the product of an individual and their environment. A relationship exists between wisdom and ethics.

What is cosmic or global meaning?

Cosmic/Global meaning is wondering whether life in general fits into a coherent pattern. It is searching for the design of the universe.

How is wisdom understood within Erikson's developmental stage model?

Erickson sees wisdom as a virtue resulting from successfully aging. It is resolution of the integrity vs despair psychosocial stage. For Erickson is accepting what life has been and The reality of approaching death

What are the main elements of the job characteristics model (JCM)?

Five core elements of worker's behaviour and attitude- 1. Skill variety- what types of activities and skills are needed 2. Task identity- how does the job require you to finish tasks 3. Task significance- how does the job positively affect others 4. Autonomy- How does the worker have independence in scheduling or work process 5. Feedback- how much information is given about performance

Prayer and health

Higher frequency of prayer is good for cardiac patients, greater mental health, Aids in the immune system and healing

How has self-actualization been studied within the work environment?

Hoffman helped to develop a scale of employee self-actualization based on the framework of Maslow's motivation theory. Found that Maslow's hierarchy of needs applied worldwide to Self-actualization in the workplace

How is wisdom understood from the perspective of post formal cognitive development?

Last stage of Piaget's theory of cognitive development is formal-operational thinking. This is the stage of cognitive thinking done in adolescence where one uses abstract concepts to Solve problems, wisdom is going beyond formal-operational thinking.

Three of the prayers; adoration, thanksgiving, and reception help people be more

Optimistic, higher self esteem, and meaning in life.

What is the Balance Theory of Wisdom?

Robert Sternberg- Tacit knowledge (knowledge found in personal experience) and personal Values are used to find solutions to help with the greater good of society. The common good is Achieved through balancing personal, interpersonal, and social interests to find the Right solutions.

Why is self-forgiveness important?

Self forgiveness is letting go of the transgressions of oneself. Its letting go of self-criticism and Guilt. When we can make amends it helps us and others move forward in life

What is a main criticism of the positive organizational behavior (POB) line of research?

The main criticism of the POB is that it overemphasizes individual traits while it excludes things Like situational and social forces and contexts.

Are employee engagement and job satisfaction the same thing? Why or why not?

They have some similarities and differences. A worker may be content with their job but have Little involvement, absorption, or focus to do it. However both of these have a positive focus.

What are the key aspects of a transformational leader?

Transformational leaders increase qualities like self-confidence, intrinsic motivation, and self Expectations. They also unleash the power and talent of a group to help that group reach

What are the key predictors of wisdom?

Wisdom is predicted by four factors- 1)intelligence- high scores of fluid and crystallized intelligence account for wisdom 2) personality dispositions- openness to experience, and life experiences 3) Cognitive styles- 15% of wisdom, also creativity and thinking 4) Life experience

Colloquial prayers of thanksgiving can help those with

a preference for emotional expression .

Confessional prayer is linked to

negative well being

-Kramer (2000) two major elements of wisdom

openness to experience and the ability To reflect and grapple with difficult life issues.

Formalistic prayer is helpful for those

with a strong need for order in their life