Positive Psychology Exam 1

What is positive psychology?

Positive psychology: the scientific and applied approach to uncovering people’s strengths and promoting their positive functioning.

What are positive psychology’s goals?

1. Cure mental illness

2. Make the lives of all people more fulfilling

3. Identify and nurture high-talent

Three pillars of positive psychology

1. Positive subjective states: life satisfaction, happiness

2. Positive Individual Traits: creativity, strengths

3. Positive Instruction: democracy, healthy families

Why is positive psychology important?

focusing on the positive aspects of human experience, like strengths, happiness, and resilience, rather than primarily concentrating on the causes and symptoms of mental illness

Western vs. Eastern

Western: interdependence, personal gain or fortune

Eastern: harmony, sharing, collaboration

Individualism vs collectivism

Individualism: ME, sense of independence, need for uniqueness

Collectivism: WE, dependence on each other, the desire to fit in

Circular vs. linear thought processes

A "linear" thought process moves in a straight line, following a logical sequence from point A to point B, while a "circular" thought process repeats ideas or patterns, often revisiting the same points and potentially getting stuck in a loop

Need for Uniqueness

Defined as the pursuit of individual goals to produce a sense of specialness

DSM-5

The official diagnostic system used by mental health

Why is there no agreed-upon manual of strengths?

the concept of "strength" itself can be interpreted differently depending on the context

What are strengths?

Capacity for feeling, thinking, and behaving in a way that optimizes functioning toward a valued outcome

3 frameworks for strength

1. Gallup’s Clifton StrengthsFinder: tests natural talents

2. Values in Action Classification of Strengths: a framework that identifies 24 character strengths that contribute to human flourishing

3. Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets: a set of positive qualities and experiences that help young people grow into responsible, caring, and productive adults (20 external, 20 internal)

Subjective and Objective well being

Subjective: a person's overall assessment of their life satisfaction, happiness, and fulfillment

Objective: a measure of a person's well-being based on external, quantifiable factors like income, health, housing, education, and safety

Emotional, social, psychological well being

Emotional: a state of positive mental health

Social: a state of feeling connected and fulfilled within your social relationships

Psychological: a state of positive mental health

Flourishing vs. Languishing well being

Flourishing: a state of optimal mental and emotional health where an individual feels fulfilled

Languishing: a state of mental health where someone is not experiencing a diagnosable mental illness, but instead feels a pervasive sense of apathy and lack of motivation

Culture

Common heritage or set of beliefs, norms, and values

How does culture relate to harmful historical practices like eugenics?

Reducing “genetic inferiority” through selective breeding. Minority cultural groups, immigrants, and those with mental disorders were most heavily impacted

Effects of psychologists’ own culture on their research and practice

shaping their interpretations of behavior, the questions they ask, the populations they study, and the interventions they choose (bias)

Universality of human strengths

they are valued across cultures and time

Need for research that is specific to cultural groups

allows for a deeper understanding of how cultural factors influence behaviors, attitudes, and experiences within a specific population

Cultural pluralism

Recognizing distinct cultural entities and adopting some values of the majority group

Cultural relativism

Interpreting behaviors within the context of culture

Qualitative vs. Quantitative research

Qualitative: gains an in-depth understanding of individual experiences; rarely puts numbers to data

Quantitative: measures research topics using numbers

Multicultural personality

Strengths and personality characteristics that allow thriving in a multicultural society

Risk-focused strategies

(Prevent/reduce risk) good prenatal care, treat postpartum depression, prevent homelessness

Asset-focused strategies

(improve resources) good medical care, food, water, shelter, parental education, community service

Process-focused strategies

(increase child’s adaptive systems) secure attachment to caregivers, quality nutrition and early childhood programs, peer relationships, cultural tradition

In the child

problem-solving, positive outlook, easy temperament, self-efficacy, meaning in life

In the environment

positive attachments, supportive adults who are competent, authoritative parenting, high-SES family

In the community

effective schools, ties to prosocial organizations, public safety, good emergency social services

What is emerging adulthood?

a period of development spanning from about ages 18 to 29

Vaillant’s 6 adult tasks

1. Identity

2. Intimacy

3. Career Consolidation

4. Generativity

5. Keeper of the Meaning

6. Integrity

What is successful aging and how can it be promoted?

1. avoiding disease

2. engagement with life

3. maintaining high cognitive and physical functioning