Positive Psychology Mid-Term
THE HOW OF HAPPINESS is it possible to become happier
...
the concept of flow
...
A. •(cami) explain the 3-step approach to battle persistent ruminations. (Pg. 119-122)
1. Cut loose - You need to free yourself from overthinking. Just stop. 2. Act to Solve problems - Gain a new perspective on yourself and on your life in general. Jumpstarts you into solving your real problems. 3. Dodge overthinking triggers - Learn how to avoid future overthinking traps.
Describe 3 happiness myths (Pg. 39)
1. Happiness must be "found" - the idea that happiness is a place just beyond our reach. 2. Happiness lies in changing our circumstances - If something about our lives would change we would be happy. 3. You either have it or you don't - We're either born happy or not
Explain what the happiness continuum is
A numerical scale that measures a persons happiness. It ranges from very, very low to very, very high.
Explain the 40% solution
A.40% of our ability to be happy comes down to how we respond to life.what is in our control (Pie chart)
•describe happiness interventions to improve relationships.
A.Five acts of kindess (5 in one day, or five during the week) doing kindness acts on a regular basis helps people be happier . when doing the same three acts over and over it became just a checklist and less sincere
describe 3 gratitude interventions outlined by the author.
A.Gratitude Journal Paths to Gratitude Keep it fresh
•Contrast the author's original Authentic Happiness Theory and Well-being theory in how they differ in their main topic/focus, measurements, and overall goals.
A.Pg 24-25 The well-being theory is basically focused on well-being not happiness. INCREASE FLOURISHING!!! It has five measurable elements (PERMA). No one element defines well-being they all contribute to it. This theory is about all FIVE pillars and the way we choose our life course is to maximize all five of these elements. As for the authentic happiness theory the main focus is happiness. Happiness has three aspects: Positive emotion, engagement and meaning. Authentic happiness is one-dimensional: it is about feeling good and it claims that the way we choose our life course is to try to maximize how we feel (how much life satisfaction).
•explain positive computing and describe at least 3 projects in this area to promote flourishing.
A.Using technology to promote positivity. Facebook, Video gaming, and psychological fitness using apps for the military instead of just physical fitness.
What are reasons that optimism leads to happiness, according to the author
A.pg 106-107 active and effective coping, (ex) optimistic about child birth
•state several research findings of people who are high in gratitude.
A.pg 90 first paragraph - Happier, more energetic, more hopeful, more helpful, empathic, spiritual, forgiving, less materialistic, less likely to be depressed, anxious, lonely, envious, or neurotic.
explain several benefits of increasing gratitude, according to the author.
A.pg 92 the eight things 1. grateful thinking promotes the savoring of positive life experiences. 2. expressing gratitude bolsters self worth and self esteem. 3. gratitude helps people cope with stress. 4. encourages moral behavior. 5. help build social bonds. 6 inhibits invidious comparisons with others. 7 deminish negative attitude. 8. thwart hedonic adaptation.
•discuss the role of variety in maximizing the benefits of happiness activities.
A.pg 97 "keeping things fresh" Variety is the spice of life.
•Describe what solving "problems versus puzzles" refers to
A.puzzles-preliminary to preliminary...problems: morality, science, politics, religion
explain the 65% barrier
A.symptom reduction vs response rate, 65% the will be work 45%-50% is placebo placebo: a fake drug that is provides a mental test for the patient
What advice does she do about the issues of "corniness" with happiness interventions? (Pg. 72)
If things are "corny" to you you can pick a different activity or go out of your comfort zone, try it, and see what happens.
explain which area of the brain is associated with positive affect.
Left, pre-frontal cortex pg 61
explain the Penn Resiliency program and it's goals
Major goal: a way to teach well being in schools, to increase students ability to handle day to day problems, promotes optimism by teaching students to think more realistically. Teaching students how to be flexible
•What are suggestions from John Gottman, about maintaining a healthy romantic relationship?
Make time - make time to talk to each other and have meaningful conversations. Creat a media free zone in your home dedicated to conversation. Express admiration, appreciation, and affection - communicate your admiration and gratitude directly. Capitalize on good fortune - be excited for good news Manage Conflict - pick your battle Share an inner life - share you dreams and goals and do something to help your partner achieve their goals or dreams.
•describe the steps to practicing the author's kindness strategy.
Pg 133-135 1.Timing is everything: Select which act you intend to do, how often you do it and how much you do it. Too little: you won't obtain much benefit of happiness Too much: you may end up feeling overburdened, angry and fatigued. 2. Variety is the spice of life: If you are always doing the same thing it may start to lose its flavor. After doing something for a really long time you will start to adapt to it therefore it will no longer grant the same amount of happiness 3. Chain of kindness: One benevolent act can set in motion a series of kind acts. The chain effect. 4. A final caveat: At times you may be called on to help others at the expense of your own well-being.
explain ways in which kindness can be pernicious, according to the aut
Pg 135 When you need to be careful of being "kind"; Caregivers being burned out; Needs to be done feely, people being coerced into being kind because they "owe" them; people may not welcome your kindness. Helping people can make them feel uncomfortable, needy, or weak.
•What is the relationship between positive events (e.g. job promotion) and happiness?
We assume positive events will make us so much happier. Hot Dates, Job Promotion.etc than they really do
•Explain how positive psychotherapy explains depressive symptoms and its treatment approach.
depression comes about as a lack of positivity or perma. Focus on teaching people how to function or deal with depression but adding positivity and well being.
Describe the 1st "dirty little secret" of biological psychiatry and clinical psychology
both give up on the nation of cure. Most drugs are cosmetic
discuss some implications of intentional activities to support happiness and marraige
don't expet things to just happen, act to make things happen. Thwart adaptation, choose to be happy
•what are several characteristics of the happy participants from the authors' research?
gratitude, exercise, social networkds
Explain Seligman's vision for the therapy of the future
no more cosmetic fix, deeper fixers, drugs are temperory , Learn skills, increase positive emotions rather than minimizing negative emotions., but learning to cope with those negative emotions puzzles-preliminary to preliminary..
•Explain what is the Positive Psychology approach to dealing with negative emotions?
optimizing positive emotion
distinguish between big, small, and very small optimism
pg 102 small optimism: optimistic thought, expecting the better end ex ill make it through this day, week
•explain the basic findings from the author's research on happy people and social comparisons. (Pg. 115-118)
pg 115 - 118 A.Happiest people don't notice the little things about people around them, they are happy for them in their accomplishments, and sad for them in times of trials. The happier the person, the less attention they pay to how others around them are doing.
•What does research say about happiness and life circumstances, material wealth, and beauty.
pg 42 the materialistic things in life are not what makes us happy
explain the happiness set point
pg 52 your happiness baseline; accounts for 50% of happiness
do genes prestine us to be happy or ungappy
pg 57 yes genes prestermine if you are naturally a happy person or not, but you can alsways change that. It just is easier for some people more than others
explain 3 considerations for customizing happiness activities for yourself.
pg 70 1. Fit with the source of your unhappiness - Contemplate the underlying reason for your unhappiness and do an activity to target that. 2. Fit with your strengths - Identify your strengths and what you do best. 3. Fit with your lifestyle - Think about the extent to which the activities you choose can be adapted to your needs and lifestyle.
•describe the ABC model
pg 89-90 A.This is how BELIEFS (B) about an ADVERSITY (A) cause the CONSEQUENT (C) . So this is basically what we think about an adversity rather than the adversity itself. We can change what we think.
•describe 4 types of questions: faith, opinion, debate, empirical. Which type of question can answer if we can improve our happiness?
prelude of the book, not in chapter 1
list some ways in which kindness can make us happier.
relieves guilt, distress, or discomfort over others helping others helps you feel advantage over comparison, it can be a distraction to your own problems. led people to recognize how much people appreciated their acts of kindess
•Discuss two reasons to teach wellness in schools
students naturally learn better when in a healthy state of mind (Well being)
According to research, what is the relationship between money and happiness?
they found that money may buy temporary happiness but it dies off. When people who focus on money and material things they never are satisfied
what are some adverse consequences associated with overthinking?
•Pg. 112) A.Sustains or worsens sadness; fosters negatively biased thinking, impairs a person's ability to solve problems; saps motivation; interferes with concentration and initiative.
•Describe the 4 response styles (active & constructive, passive and constructive, active destructive and passive destructive
•pg 49 flourishing
•use creativity to adapt a lesson plan to teach a concept using Positive Psychology techniques
◦A) pg 92 - The example from the book was "breadology", where a celebrity chef came to Geelong Grammar School to teach the kids how to make bread. Instead of eating it, they gave it away. The kids responded in says that it made them feel better and it was better than playing video games.
•Describe the 5 elements of well-being theory (hint: PERMA) and the 3 properties they must have to qualify as an element of well-being
◦Pg 16-20 Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishments. ◦Pg 16 The three properties are: 1. It contributes to well being 2.Many people pursue it for its own sake, not merely to get any of the other elements 3. It is defined and measured independently of the other elements (exclusivity).
•Describe how flourishing is defined by the core and additional features.
◦Pg 26-27 This is the spirit of the well-being theory: to flourish you need to have all the "core features" and at least three of the six "additional features". Core features are: Positive emotions, engagement, interest meaning, purpose. Additional features are: Self-esteem, optimism, resilience, vitality, self-determination, positive relationships.
•Describe the goal of Positive Psychology in well-being theory
◦Pg 29 The goal is to measure and to build human flourishing. Achieving this goal starts by asking what really makes us happy.
Losada Ratio
◦Pg 66-67 Losada Ratios is 3:1 positive to negative statements. You need to have a good ratio of positive and negative statements.
•Explain what M.A.P.P. is—what are the 3 ingredients which make it successful (hint: last page of chapter).
◦Pg 77 Masters of Applied Positive Psychology. The three ingredients are 1. Intellectual content: challenging, personally applicable and fun 2. Transformative: both personally and professionally 3. Calling: students and faculty are called.
