HDFS 174: Happiness in Life and Relationships - Comprehensive Course Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, theories, and cultural traditions from HDFS 174: Flow, Mindfulness, Savoring, Aesthetics, Creativity, Body Image, Resiliency, Hope, Optimism, Scandinavian Traditions, and Subjective Well-Being.

Flow

A mental state identified and named by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, characterized by complete absorption in an enjoyable activity ('in the zone') where one operates at peak performance.

Autotelic Experience

An activity that is intrinsically rewarding in and of itself, serving as a core characteristic of the flow state.

Mindfulness

The practice of being aware of the present moment—including the outer world and inner experiences—originating from Buddhist meditation practices and characterized by open, nonjudgmental observation.

Savoring

Focusing one's attention on the positive nature—what is good and pleasurable—of an experience, which can be applied to past, present, or future events.

Cognitive Fusion

The state of getting 'hooked' on a thought, 'buying into' one's thoughts, and accepting them as absolute truth.

Cognitive Defusion

The process of 'unhooking' or detaching from a thought by observing it as a mental event rather than getting caught up in it or accepting it as true, without attempting to challenge or make it more positive.

Aesthetics

Qualities pertaining to a thing's beauty or appeal to the senses, which support well-being by helping people feel good, feel connected, and find meaning.

Wallas's Creative Process

A four-stage model of creativity cited in Compton & Hoffman (2024), consisting of preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification.

Body Image

The mental image one has of one's own body, composed of perceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral components, which directly forms part of self-concept and impacts self-esteem.

Looking Glass Self

Charles Horton Cooley's (1902) concept proposing that individuals come to know themselves through how they imagine other people view them.

Doing vs. Being Dichotomy

Kaiser's (1997) gender ideology contrasting 'doing' (male role emphasizing achievement, action, agonic power, and adventure scripts) with 'being' (female role emphasizing appearance, attraction, hedonic power, and romance scripts).

Doctrine of Separate Spheres

A 19th-century ideology where dress reflected distinct activity realms: the male public sphere of work and the female domestic sphere characterized by conspicuous leisure and consumption.

Functionality Appreciation

A positive body image strategy centered on appreciating one's body for what it allows one to do rather than how it looks.

Body Image Flexibility

An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) construct involving openness to negative body thoughts without judgment, practicing self-compassion, and pursuing value-driven goals without resorting to unhealthy coping behaviors.

Resiliency

The ability to quickly and effectively cope and adapt to adversity (Parsons, 2024), consisting of three components: resistance, recovery, and reconfiguration.

Dispositional Optimism

A perspective viewing optimism as a stable personality trait characterized by expectancy (viewing goals as realistic and expecting achievement) and confidence (belief in one's ability to achieve those goals).

Explanatory Optimism

A learned cognitive habit where optimism versus pessimism is determined by explanatory style across three dimensions: permanence, pervasiveness, and personalization.

Hope Theory

C. R. Snyder's (1994) model stating that hopeful thinking consists of three interrelated components: goals thinking, pathways thinking, and agency thinking.

Fika

A Swedish tradition (pronounced fee-kuh) of taking a break, often with a hot beverage and a sweet treat, to pause and recharge.

Lagom

A Swedish concept (pronounced lah-gom) translating to 'not too much, not too little,' emphasizing moderation and balance to bring contentment.

Friluftsliv

A Norwegian tradition (pronounced free-loofts-leev) of spending time in nature to improve physical and mental well-being.

Hygge

A Danish concept (pronounced hoo-ga) centered on coziness that fosters comfort, contentment, and well-being.

Lykke

A Danish and Norwegian concept (pronounced loo-kah or lick-uh) describing the feeling of contentment with and gratitude for life's simple pleasures.

Subjective Well-Being (SWB)

An individual's cognitive and affective perception of how happy and satisfied they are with their life, evaluated as a measurable multidimensional construct.

Six Core Dimensions of SWB

The psychological well-being framework formulated by Ryff & Singer (2008), comprising self-acceptance, personal growth, positive relations, autonomy, purpose in life, and environmental mastery.

Bottom-Up Model of SWB

A theoretical model proposing that overall subjective well-being is determined by the sum of an individual's happiness across specific life domains such as income, health, job satisfaction, and relationships.

Top-Down Model of SWB

A theoretical model proposing that subjective well-being is determined by internal personal qualities, including personality traits, attitudes, and cognitive interpretations of events.