Guest Speaker 1

Positive Psychology

Scientific study of traits like faith, values, creativity, courage, and hope; aims to understand what makes life most worth living.

Founder of Positive Psychology

Martin Seligman, launched the movement in the late 1990s.

Three Components of Happiness

1) Positive emotion and pleasure, 2) Engagement in life, 3) A meaningful life.

Well-being in Positive Psychology

Includes emotional health, work quality, physical health, health behaviors, and access to food and shelter.

World Happiness Report (2024)

Assesses happiness based on GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom, generosity, corruption, and emotional well-being.

Happiness in America (2024)

Measured by emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community/environment factors.

Positive Emotion and Health

Positive emotions are associated with better health outcomes, including longer life, lower disease risk, and stronger immune function.

Richman et al. (2005) Study

Higher hope predicted lower risk of high blood pressure and infections; curiosity predicted reduced hypertension and diabetes risk.

Common Cold Study (Cohen et al., 2003)

Happier participants were significantly less likely to catch a cold after being exposed to the virus.

Objective Sickness Measure (Cohen et al.)

Mucus weight was used to objectively determine who developed cold symptoms.

Wound Healing Study (Robles et al., 2010)

Participants with higher positivity healed faster after minor skin wounds.

Smiling and Health

Smiling can reduce pain and stress, accelerate cardiovascular recovery, and lower negative physiological responses.

Kraft and Pressman (2012) Study

Participants who smiled during a lab stress task had lower heart rates during recovery.

Pressman et al. (2021) Study

Smiling during a needle injection led to less self-reported pain and reduced heart rate responses.

Luu et al. (2025) Study

Participants who naturally smiled during a cold pressor task had consistently lower heart rates.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Facial expressions can influence emotional experience; smiling can make you feel happier.

Undoing Hypothesis

Positive emotions can "undo" the physiological effects of negative emotions and speed up recovery.

Takeaways from Positive Psychology

Positive emotions improve health. Strategies include gratitude, kindness, meaningful activities, and smiling during stress.

Strategies to Boost Positive Emotions

Do something you enjoy, show kindness, practice gratitude, engage meaningfully, and smile—even during stress!