Positive Psychology - Lecture 1

Positive Psychology - Lecture 1

• Positive psychology is a branch of psychology focused on character strengths and behaviors. It aims to help people build meaningful and purposeful lives, moving beyond survival to flourishing.
• Theorists and researchers in positive psychology have identified elements of a good life and developed practices to improve life satisfaction and well-being.
• Positive psychology emphasizes meaning and deep satisfaction, not just fleeting happiness.
• Martin Seligman is considered the "father" of positive psychology.
• Positive psychology explores different aspects of positive living, including positive emotions, "flow" states, and a sense of meaning or purpose.
• Positive psychology is an approach to study human thoughts, feelings, and behavior, focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses. It aims to build a good life, not fix a bad one instead of just focusing on moving average people up to normal.
• Positive psychology looks at positive events and influences in life like inspiration, joy, happiness, love, gratitude, resilience, and compassion and applying positive principles in organizations.
• Seligman connected the feeling of helplessness in depressed people with positive psychology
• Seligman was frustrated with psychology's narrow focus on the negative aspects like mental illness, abnormal psychology, trauma, suffering, and pain. He felt that happiness, well-being, exceptionalism, strengths, and flourishing were not sufficiently studied.
• The foundational paper of positive psychology was published in 2000 by Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
• Positive psychology complements traditional psychology, focusing on building mental assets rather than addressing weaknesses and problems.
• Major proponents of positive psychology include Martin Seligman, Christopher Peterson, and Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. Abraham Maslow used the term "positive psychology" in the 1950s.
• Positive psychology provides a wealth of knowledge to improve lives both personally and collectively.
• Positive psychology focuses on improving life quality by considering factors other than money -experiences are more important than material possessions.
• People overestimate the impact of money on their happiness. Spending on experiences increases happiness more than material possessions.
• Gratitude contributes to happiness.
• Oxytocin promotes trust, empathy, and morality. Physical affection can improve well-being.
• Positive emotions are contagious, and happiness spreads to others.
• Acts of kindness boost well-being.
• Volunteer work improves well-being.
• Spending money on others increases happiness for the giver.

Schools of Thought in Psychology

• psychoanalysis
• functionalism
• gestalt
• structuralism
• behaviorism
• humanism
• cognitivism

This quiz delves into the foundational concepts of positive psychology, a field that emphasizes strengths, well-being, and meaningful living. Learn about key theorists like Martin Seligman and explore the elements that contribute to a flourishing life. Test your understanding of positive emotions and 'flow' states in this introductory lecture.