Positive Psychology Week 1 Part 2

  • Definition of Happiness:

    • Happiness is often defined as the state of being happy, which can feel circular.
    • Google offers various definitions, generally associating happiness with feelings of pleasure, contentment, and positive emotions.

  • Thought Experiment on Happiness:

    • Writing down things that make you happy can help in identifying what contributes to happiness.
    • Pleasure is often linked to happiness, but the nature of happiness might extend beyond just pleasure.

  • Pleasure vs. Meaning:

    • A hypothetical scenario of a pleasure-inducing chair emphasizes the limitation of purely seeking pleasure.
    • Deep joy can come from meaningful experiences, like motherhood, hard work, or achieving personal goals.

  • Happiness Beyond Hedonism:

    • Happiness may involve elements of meaning and purpose along with pleasure, as reflected in Aristotle's concept of eudaimonia (good life).

  • Subjective Well-Being:

    • Often synonymous with happiness; it captures a person's overall life satisfaction and emotional experiences.

  • Types of Happiness (According to Martin Seligman):

    • Positive Emotional Pleasure:
    • Fleeting and linked to consumerism.
    • Flow:
    • Deep engagement in activities where one loses awareness of time and surroundings.
    • Meaning and Purpose:
    • Happiness derived from self-transcendence and fulfilling roles in life; the most enduring type of happiness.

  • PERMA Model:

    • Expanded by Seligman:
    • Positive Emotion
    • Engagement
    • Relationships
    • Meaning
    • Achievement
    • Consideration of health and vitality as additional components influencing well-being.

  • Measurement Tools in Positive Psychology:

    • Various assessment tools exist to evaluate aspects of happiness and well-being.
    • Importance of personal focus, as each individual's mission may vary (e.g., meaning, flow, achievement).

  • Next Steps for Increasing Happiness:

    • Explore determinants of happiness and identify actionable steps to enhance well-being.