PSYC 3302 Final Exam PDF

PSYC 3302 - Final Exam - Covers mostly content from Week 9 to 12 30% of grade (Well 60% if you do better ;)) QUIZLETS Week 9 - 13: https://quizlet.com/Maddie_Tremblay9/folders/psyc-3302-final-exam?i=40rxp9&x=1xqt Week 1-8: https://quizlet.com/Maddie_Tremblay9/folders/positive-psych-midterm?i=40rxp...

PSYC 3302 - Final Exam - Covers mostly content from Week 9 to 12 30% of grade (Well 60% if you do better ;)) QUIZLETS Week 9 - 13: https://quizlet.com/Maddie_Tremblay9/folders/psyc-3302-final-exam?i=40rxp9&x=1xqt Week 1-8: https://quizlet.com/Maddie_Tremblay9/folders/positive-psych-midterm?i=40rxp9&x=1xqt LECTURES Week 9 - Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth (Chapter 9, p. 295-307) Resilience: Early Observations ● Not all children of mentally ill parents develop mental illness or behavior problems. ● Many low socioeconomic status (SES) children grow up to be competent, caring adults. ● Adults can adapt to inevitable stressors. ● People do not necessarily become miserable with old age and its challenges. Resilience as a Process ● Resilience is now viewed as a process rather than an individual difference. ● Requires challenges for measurement, which can be chronic (e.g., low SES) or events (e.g., disasters). ● Resilient outcomes are broad, considering various dimensions of mental health. ● Trajectories over time show that most people exhibit resilience. Example: Heart Attacks ● Galatzer-Levy and Bonanno's study on optimism and depression trajectories post-heart attack. ● Health and Retirement Study with about 2000 participants, mean age = 71. ● Resilience (~68%) observed in participants, with optimism predicting resilience. ● Developing depression post-heart attack predicted mortality. Example: Challenge of Inequality ● Analysis from the MIDUS data set on SES and health. ● Generally, an average linear relationship between SES and health. ● Psychological well-being (PWB) buffers for lower SES individuals. ● Protective factors include positive emotionality, emotional stability, optimism, sense of control, intelligence, high SES, religion, and social support. Protective Factors ● Less direct exposure or duration of the challenge is a protective factor. ● Positive emotionality, emotional stability, optimism, sense of control, intelligence, high SES, religion, and social support. ● Problem-focused and positive reinterpretation coping strategies. Past Experience ● History of severe trauma and mental illness predicts poor responses to new challenges. ● Some moderate challenges might be protective. ● Studies on squirrel monkeys show a curvilinear link between adversity and mental health. ● Older people often recover more quickly than children. Post-Traumatic Growth ● Trauma is generally considered bad, but some individuals report benefits and growth. ● Stacey Kramer's TED talk emphasizes the reconstruction of self, meaning, and relationships. ● Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory includes dimensions like relating to others, personal strength, new possibilities, appreciation of life, and spiritual change. Challenges in Assessing Growth ● Perceived growth or 'benefit finding' has positive correlates. ● Challenges in assessing growth include retrospective measures requiring participants to evaluate, recall, compare, assess change, and attribute it to traumatic events. ● Prospective studies on PTG show that perceived change is not strongly related to actual changes. Should We Encourage ‘Growth’? ● Actual growth is good but not clear how to make it happen. ● Interventions might backfire, and there's potential for a 'failed search for meaning.' ● Perceptions of growth may be part of a positive coping strategy but are associated with higher initial distress. ● Strong advice to seek growth seems premature; mixed results on increasing or decreasing distress over time. Week 10 - Personality, Traits, and Character Strengths (Chapter 4) Personality Overview ● Definition: "The individual, internal characteristics that produce regularities in thoughts, feelings, and actions." ● Encompasses internal factors contributing to consistency over time, accounting for variations. ● Broad scope from genes to culture, forming a foundation for positive psychology. Components of Personality ● Commonality: Shared basic needs and capacities (e.g., SDT, language). ● Individual & Group Differences: Traits, gender, etc. ● Uniqueness: Individually unique quirks, life stories, projects. Origins of Personality ● Evolution: Shaped by evolutionary processes. ● Genes: Genetic factors contribute to personality. ● Prenatal Experience: Influence from experiences in the womb. ● Early Temperament: Early patterns of behavior. ● Development: Shaped by family, culture, places, and random events. ● Processes: Evocation, selection, maturation, cognitive complexity. Personality Traits ● Definition: Middle-level characteristics defining what a person is like. ● Models: 16 Personality Factors (16PF), Five Factors (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, Intellect), OCEAN/CANOE/HEXACO. ● Heritability: Traits have a genetic component. ● Stability: Generally consistent over time with room for change. ● Predictive: Can predict important life outcomes. Traits: Extraversion Example ● Facets: Friendliness, gregariousness, assertiveness, activity level, excitement seeking, cheerfulness. ● Levels & Processes: Influenced by genes, physiology, sociable/reward behavior, cognitive biases, self-regulation, and cultural factors. Traits are Dimensional ● Variable but consistent over time. ● Acknowledges individual variations. Other Individual Differences ● Needs or Motives: Specific desires or goals. ● Goals: Aspirations individuals strive to achieve. ● Interests: Personal preferences. ● Self-Concept Dimensions: How individuals perceive themselves. ● Values: Personal principles guiding behavior. ● Attachment Styles: Patterns of relating to others. ● Abilities: Cognitive and physical capabilities. Character Strengths ● Background: Part of positive psychology focusing on morally valued traits. ● Comparison with DSM: Focuses on positive individual differences, virtues, and strengths. ● Defining Strengths: Morally valued, stable, consistent, and beyond coping. ● Virtues & Strengths Categories: Wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, transcendence. Criteria for Strengths ● Contributes to fulfillment beyond coping. ● Authentic, intrinsic, valued in itself. ● Elicits social/moral value. ● Trait-like (stable, consistent). ● Distinctive from other strengths. ● Has paragons and prodigies. ● Cultivated by institutions and rituals. Assessing Character Strengths ● Usually self-report with considerations for social desirability. ● Adult and youth questionnaires. ● Other approaches include structured interviews and content analysis in text. Initial Findings on Character Strengths ● Internally consistent and stable. ● Agreement with peer reports. ● Similar average levels across cultures. ● Effects observed in major life events and age differences. Signature Strength Exercise ● Encourages individuals to use their signature strengths in new ways. ● A key idea in positive psychology. ● Promising results observed, but some placebo effect might be involved. Critique of Character Strengths ● Application has outpaced research. ● Structure not clearly defined. ● Overlaps with existing personality traits (e.g., Big 5). ● Heritability overlaps with other traits. ● Limited role for shared environment. Week 11 - The Self, Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem, and Self-Compassion (Chapter 5) The Self and Free Will ● Libet Study: ○ Classic study questions conscious mind's role in decision-making. ○ Based on EEG signals, "readiness potential," and timing. ○ Debates on whether unconscious brain activity implies lack of personal agency. ● The Self: ○ "I" as the doer, challenging to understand. ○ "Me" as the self-concept, encompassing self-efficacy, subjective well-being, and sense of meaning. ○ Multiple selves (actual, ideal, possible) help organize information and motivate. The True Self ● Essentialist Approach: ○ Internal, unchanging personal essence. ○ Indicated more by feelings than behaviors. ○ Deep questions arise due to the contrast with the reality of change over time. ● Research on Authenticity: ○ Self-determination theory perspective. ○ Intrinsic motivation and feeling authentic are interconnected. ○ Trait and state authenticity positively associated with well-being. ● Curious Sources of Authenticity: ○ Positive moods, manipulated behaviors, and values contribute to feelings of authenticity. ○ The debate around the relationship between values and authenticity. Personality and Authenticity Summary ● Limits & Questions: ○ Considerations about the universality of acting according to the true self. ○ Evaluating the impact of a negative or deviant true self. ○ The complexity of defining and understanding authenticity. Self-Efficacy ● Definition: The belief in one's ability to take steps necessary for success. ● Sources: Personal experience, vicarious experience, persuasion, physiological states. ● Experimental Evidence: Demonstrates a causal role in various domains. Self-Esteem ● Definition: An evaluation of the self, influenced by personal judgment and social feedback. ● Traits: Generally stable but can be assessed as 'state.' ● Correlates: Associated with happiness, academic success, and persistence after failure. ● Limits: Not objectively linked to better relationships or overall performance. Self-Compassion ● Roots: Derived from Buddhism, involves treating oneself with kindness, recognizing common humanity, and adopting a mindful approach to negative aspects. ● Questionnaire: Evaluates self-kindness vs. judgment, common humanity vs. isolation, and mindfulness vs. over-identification. ● Positive Correlates: Linked to life satisfaction, emotional intelligence, optimism, and reduced depression and anxiety. Self-Compassion vs. Self-Esteem ● Correlation: Substantial correlation, but not equivalent. ● Differences: Focuses on feeling secure and connected vs. feeling 'better' than others. ● Lab Studies: Show different responses to imagined screw-ups and feedback scenarios. The Self Across Cultures ● Independence vs. Interdependence: Emphasizes group differences, abstracted traits vs. roles, and consistent vs. variable selves. ● Self-Enhancement: Examines beliefs about being "special" vs. "ordinary," personal paths to fulfillment, and levels of self-compassion. Week 12 - Thinking, Creativity, Wisdom, Intelligence, and Affective Forecasting (Chapter 6) Thinking ● Definition: Cognitive behaviour involving ideas, images, mental representations, and other hypothetical elements. ● Processes Include: Imagining, remembering, problem-solving, daydreaming, free association, concept formation, and more. Creative Thinking and Creativity ● Creative Thinking: Mental processes leading to new inventions, solutions, or synthesis. ● Creativity Components: ○ Uniqueness: Originality and novelty of ideas. ○ Usefulness: Functionality of the idea. ● Sources of Creativity (4 Ps): ○ Cognitive Processes ○ Productions (e.g., inventions) ○ Personality Characteristics ○ Environmental Press Creativity: Cognitive Process ● Assessment Measures: ○ Fluency: Number of ideas. ○ Originality: Novelty of ideas. ○ Flexibility: Ability to shift between categories. ○ Elaboration: Adding detail to ideas. ● Divergent vs. Convergent Thinking: ○ Divergent thinking explores multiple solutions. ○ Convergent thinking focuses on finding the correct answer. ● Reduced 'Latent Inhibition': Increased openness to stimuli. Creativity: Products ● Domains of Creativity: ○ Linguistic, visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, olfactive, etc. ● Assessment Issues: ○ Counting works, publications, patents, etc. ○ Expert or subjective ratings. ○ Counting 'impact' (citations, performances). ○ Self-reports of accomplishments. Creativity: Personality ● Factors Influencing Creativity: ○ Big 5 Openness: Interest, thinking, aesthetics, novelty. ○ Intelligence, Expertise: Linked to accomplishment. ○ Naïveté: Sometimes useful for divergent thought. ○ Children vs. Adults in Problem Solving: Naïveté vs. prior beliefs. Creativity: Press (Environment) ● Factors Encouraging Creativity: ○ Autonomous Workplaces ○ Positive Moods: Especially high arousal. ○ Norm Violation ○ Experience in Virtual Reality ○ Multicultural Experiences Wisdom ● Components: Judgment, perspective, curiosity, love of learning, creativity. ● Wisdom Reasoning: ○ Seeing multiple perspectives. ○ Handling uncertainty. ○ Knowledge about the pragmatics of life. ○ Prosocial motivations. Measuring Wisdom ● Self-Reports: Direct or indirect, including modesty. ● Rating Specific Events: Focus on perspective-taking, uncertainty, and prosocial motivations. ● Criteria: Knowledge, relativism, uncertainty. Who is Wise? ● Age Correlation: No clear increase with age. ● Correlation with Personality Traits: ○ Openness to experience. ○ Emotion regulation. ○ Social intelligence. ○ Mindfulness. ○ Perspective taking. Situational Effects on Wisdom ● Factors Influencing Wisdom: ○ Reducing ego-centric perspective. ○ Cultural influence. ○ Lab manipulations of personal vs. other. ○ The importance of seeking advice. Ability and Affective Forecasting ● Intelligence: ○ Highly valued, individual differences. ○ Hierarchically structured, heritable, and influenced by the environment. ● G (General Intelligence): Represents the complexity of one's intellectual repertoire. Affective Forecasting ● Definition: Predicting emotions. ● Errors: ○ Impact Bias: Overestimating intensity or duration of emotional reactions. ● Reasons for Impact Bias: ○ Immune Neglect: Underestimating coping mechanisms. ○ Focusing Illusion: Failing to consider the full picture. Beyond the Impact Bias ● Factors Influencing Forecasting Errors: ○ Interacting with strangers vs. partners. ○ Items with or without return policies. ○ Environmental context (walking in tunnels vs. near a river). Correcting Forecasting Errors ● Fit in Positive Psychology: ○ Understanding and correcting affective forecasting errors are essential for well-being. ○ Correcting these errors aligns with positive psychology's goal of maximizing happiness. ● Correction Approaches: ○ Enhancing awareness of immune neglect and focusing illusion. ○ Encouraging realistic expectations. ○ Incorporating mindfulness and perspective-taking practices. Week 13a - Social and Physical Environments (Chapter 7) Social Environment ● Interconnectedness: ○ People's choices, opportunities, and constraints are influenced by the social environment. ○ Society has clear links to well-being. Prosocial Behaviour ● Definition: ○ General term including actions that increase another's well-being. ○ Includes cooperation, helping, and sharing. ● Evolutionary Mechanisms: ○ Kin altruism (towards genetic relatives). ○ Reciprocal altruism (with non-relatives over time). ○ Competitive altruism (improving reputation through prosocial actions). Getting Along: Social Dilemmas ● Conflict Between: ○ Immediate personal benefit. ○ Collective well-being. ● Social Dilemmas Types: ○ Common Resource Dilemmas (e.g., cows/pasture). ○ Public Goods Dilemmas (e.g., public radio). ● Examples: ○ Optional student fees, pandemic-related behaviors, voting, supporting a strike. Solving Social Dilemmas ● Features Influencing Dilemmas: ○ Ethical vs. business frame, community vs. private. ○ Certainty (amount available or needed). ○ Repeated interactions, experience. ● Features of Situation: ○ Communication, group size, social norms, in-group vs. out-group. ○ Building trust and using generosity. Intuitive Prosociality ● Question: ○ Can prosocial behavior/preference be automatic or intuitive? ● Factors Supporting Intuition: ○ Heroes, cognitive approach, neuroscience correlates, developmental emergence, emotion research. ● Caveats: ○ Findings not always replicated. ○ Timing challenges. ○ Importance of experience. Virtual Environments ● Debate: ○ Are screens, the internet, etc., ruining mental health or making life better? ● Principles Applied: ○ Active social engagement vs. social comparison. ○ New connections vs. competing with offline life. ○ Real accessibility solutions. Natural and Built Physical Environments Nature as a Positive Enhancement ● Biophilia Hypothesis: ○ Innate need to affiliate with living or lifelike things. ● Benefits of Nature: ○ Stress reduction, cognitive fatigue reduction, increased creativity. ○ Positive impacts on pain, recovery time, cardiovascular health, and mortality. ● Community Benefits: ○ Less aggression and crime, increased social activity and cooperation. Individual Differences: Subjective Nature Connections ● Nature Relatedness: ○ Affective, cognitive, and physical relationship with nature. ● Correlates: ○ Time spent outdoors, environmental attitudes, psychological well-being. ● Nature Exposure & Connections as Positive Psychology Interventions: ○ Mindful walks, Suzuki 30 x 30, Passmore's 2-week intervention studies. ● Reasons for Caution: ○ Defining nature is tricky, some experiences are unpleasant, and studies often lack randomized controlled trials. Built Environments ● Majority Time Indoors: ○ People spend over 90% of their time indoors in residences, work/school, and public spaces. ● Challenges: ○ Tricky balance between personal, space, and task requirements. ○ Positive approach emphasizing optimal environments. ● Biophilic Design: ○ Incorporating nature or natural elements in built environments. ○ Utilizes natural materials, forms, representations, fractal geometry, prospect, and refuge. Week 13b - Love & Close Relationships (Chapter 8) (End of Ch. 10) Early Theories: ● Behaviorism and other early theories initially dismissed the concept of love. ● Harlow studies challenged these notions, emphasizing the importance of close bonds for development and health. Love Theories ● Harlow Studies: ○ Accidental discovery: Highlighted the significance of physical comfort in forming bonds, beyond basic needs like food. ○ Contrasted with behaviorism and psychoanalytic views. ○ Notions of attachment (Bowlby) compared to Harlow's monkey studies. Kinds of Love ● Passionate Love: ○ Begins with physical attraction and signs of liking. ○ Promotes a deep emotional and sexual relationship. ○ Examples and parallels with the concept of 'Eros.' ● Companionate Love: ○ Begins with familiarity, similarity, and friendship. ○ Emphasizes spending time together and expressions of liking. ○ Examples and parallels with the concept of 'Storge.' ● Quadrumvirate Model: ○ Passionate, Companionate (Compassionate), Attachment. The Prototype Approach ● Features of Love: ○ People nominate features of lovers. ○ Prototypicality or centrality varies. ○ Companionate love features often considered more typical, including trust, honesty, caring, intimacy, and respect. Gender Differences ● Overall Similarity: ○ Despite some differences, much similarity exists. ○ Men often prone to romantic conceptions, while women may lean towards pragmatic or companionate views. Culture Differences ● Individual vs. Collectivist Cultures: ○ Considerations about romantic vs. arranged marriages. ○ Differences in day-to-day aspects of marriages. ○ Variances in conceptions of passion (Eros) and companionate love (Storge) based on cultural contexts. Romantic Relationships Over Time ● Passion vs. Companionate Love: ○ Both can exist early on and may fade over time on average. ○ Long-term relationships can maintain passion. ○ Satisfaction associated with the experience of love, critical for commitment. Oxytocin: The Love Hormone? ● Initial Enthusiasm: ○ Correlations with breastfeeding, empathy, trust, childbirth. ○ Questions about distinctiveness, causation, and methodological challenges. ○ Failures to replicate some findings. Positive Relationships ● Romantic Relationships: Initial Attraction: ○ Factors such as proximity, similarity, physical attractiveness, and building intimacy. ○ Introduction to the Fast Friends procedure. ● Personality Contributions: ○ Traits impacting initial attraction vs. later satisfaction. ○ Importance of agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and attachment styles. Relationships ● Bank Account Analogy: ○ Positive deposits vs. negative withdrawals. ○ "Bad is stronger than good," but good is more typical. ○ Healthy relationship ratio of about 5:1. Capitalization ● Sharing Positive News: ○ Building intimacy by sharing positive events. ○ Importance of partner responses. ○ Comparison with perceived vs. received social support. Spending Time Together ● Self-Expansion Theory: ○ People have a need to grow and learn. ○ Growth through relationships and integrating partners. ○ Importance of novel and arousing activities. Novelty & Excitement ● Correlational Link: ○ Novelty and excitement correlate with satisfaction and love. ○ Experimental studies and real-world interventions supporting the role of exciting activities. Response to Conflict ● Humor: ○ Conflict is inevitable, humor may help. ○ Types of humor and their effectiveness in various situations. ○ Attachment styles predict use and response to humor in conflict. ● Forgiveness: ○ Conflict is inevitable, forgiveness may help. ○ Correlation with resolution and satisfaction. ○ Dyadic, longitudinal study suggests conflict reduction but considerations for abusive relationships. CHAPTERS Chapter 4 - Personality Middle-Level Personality Constructs: ● Traits: Regularities in thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Can be broad (e.g., big five extraversion) or narrow (e.g., talkative). ● Needs (or Motives): Drive motivation and behaviour toward satisfaction, e.g., the need for affiliation. ● Goals: Things people want to accomplish, ranging from personal projects to broad life aspirations. ● Interests: Activities or domains that attract individuals. ● Values: Universally important concepts prone to individual and cultural differences. ● Character Strengths: Positive, valued characteristics, relatively stable and trait-like. Jingle and Jangle Fallacies: ● Jangle Fallacy: Incorrectly thinking similar things are different due to different names. ● Jingle Fallacy: Incorrectly thinking different things are the same due to shared names. VIA Classification of Character Strengths: ● Guiding Virtues: Wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. ● Strengths within Virtues: Specific instances or paths to virtues, e.g., creativity, curiosity within wisdom. Positive Psychology Movement: ● Strengths Model: A response to the focus on mental disorders, emphasizing positive individual differences. ● VIA Classification: 24 strengths organized into six virtues, aiming to describe beneficial traits. Similarity and Difference with Big Five: ● Commonalities: Hierarchy, stability, and broad applicability across cultures. ● Differences: Strengths explicitly valued; some strengths may fall outside big five traits. Signature Strengths: ● Criterion: Strengths contributing to fulfillment and well-being. ● Signature Strengths: Deep, intrinsic strengths; natural, energizing, and linked to subjective well-being. ● Positive Psychology Exercise: Identifying and using signature strengths in new ways for increased happiness. Strengths vs. Traits: ● Trait-Like Nature: Strengths are dimensional, stable, and applicable across contexts. ● Valued Characteristics: Unlike traits, strengths are all positively valued aspects of personality. ● Developmental Aspects: Strengths were initially seen as more prone to development via education and effort. Strengths Model Challenges: ● Statistical vs. Conceptual Development: VIA strengths faced challenges aligning with statistical data compared to the big five. ● Ongoing Refinement: The VIA classification system is considered a "work in progress," requiring more refinement. Conclusion: ● Fluency in Both Languages: Positive psychologists should be fluent in both trait and strength models. ● Importance of Strengths: Despite challenges, strengths serve a crucial role in positive psychology practice. Chapter 5 - The Self The Self: Active Self ('I') vs. Subjective Self-Concept ('Me') Introduction: ● Distinction between active self ('I') and subjective self-concept ('Me'). ● Importance for psychologists in understanding behavior and information processing. Self-Complexity: ● Multi-faceted self-concept with ideas about past, future, and self-evaluation. ● Different circumstances activate relevant aspects of the self-concept. True Self: ● Most people believe in a 'true self'. ● Authentic behavior, consistent with the true self, linked to well-being and accomplishment. Self-Determination Theory Intrinsically Motivated Behavior: ● Described in self-determination theory. ● Authentically motivated behaviors meet basic needs: autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Self-Esteem Definition and Characteristics: ● Positive evaluation of the self. ● Subjective, about personal beliefs rather than objective reality. Comparison with Self-Efficacy: ● Contrasts with self-efficacy, which is more specific and goal-oriented. ● Self-esteem is more about overall self-evaluation. Correlates and Controversies: ● Correlated with subjective well-being, lower depression rates, persistence, occupational status, income, and health. ● Debate on whether directly increasing self-esteem is wise. Challenges in Boosting Self-Esteem: ● Past efforts to increase self-esteem showed limited success. ● Skepticism about the direction of causation and potential unintended consequences. Debates and Research Gaps: ● Some studies suggest a causal relationship, but challenges in reliable self-esteem increase methods. ● Skepticism about value of efforts to boost self-esteem, potential costs involved. Self-Compassion Definition and Components: ● Positive perspective on the self. ● Involves kindness, awareness of common humanity, and a mindful approach to negative aspects. Contrast with Self-Criticism: ● Contrasts with a critical approach to oneself. ● Encourages treating oneself with kindness, akin to how one would treat a good friend. Benefits and Motivation: ● Helps cope with failure, showing lower unpleasant emotions and self-critical thoughts. ● Positively correlated with self-esteem but potentially more useful in coping with failure. Potential for Intervention: ● Considered a more positive and pro-social goal compared to self-esteem. ● Some indications that self-compassion can be increased through workshops or psychotherapy. Research Gaps and Caution: Preliminary research, with potential benefits. Not conclusively demonstrated as more adaptive than self-esteem. Cultural Cautions about the Self-Concept Cultural Differences: ● Self-esteem and self-compassion may have cultural variations. ● Caution in applying concepts beyond Western societies. Independence and Interdependence: ● Cultural psychologists highlight differences in independence and interdependence. ● East-West variations in self-concept, authenticity, and well-being perceptions. Summing Up Key Points: ● Distinction between active self and subjective self-concept. ● Importance of understanding the self-concept for behaviour and information processing. WEIRD Societies and Research Gaps: ● Psychology often focuses on WEIRD societies (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic). ● Cultural psychologists studying differences in self-concepts highlight gaps in understanding. Caution in Generalization: ● Caution in extending research findings across different cultures. Chapter 6 - Thinking Creativity ● Processes: ○ Divergent thinking, remote connections, reduced latent inhibition. ○ Associated with positive moods, atypical mindsets, and high openness. ● Framework: ○ Four Ps (person, process, press, product) outline the scope of creativity. Wisdom ● Components: ○ Strong knowledge, broad perspective, awareness of knowledge limits. ○ Facilitated by considering other perspectives. ● Association: ○ Linked to high openness and intelligence, similar to creativity. ○ Not exclusive to older age. Intelligence ● Attributes: ○ Common ingredient for accomplishment. ○ Hierarchical structure (g or IQ) with various abilities contributing. ● Influence: ○ Linked to creativity, education, work performance, income. ○ Heritable but influenced by circumstances and education. Affective Forecasts: ● Definition: ○ Thoughts about future emotions guiding decisions. ● Biases: ○ Overestimation of impact, intensity, and duration of events on happiness. ○ Some biases may motivate desirable behaviors. ○ Correcting biases can lead to better decisions. Cognition and Emotion: ● Connection: ○ Intimate interplay between cognition and emotion. ○ Reciprocal influence on various psychological processes. ● Examples: ○ Emotions influencing judgments, cognitive performance, and learning. ○ Exceptional accomplishment combining high ability and intense emotional drive. Chapter 7 - Social and Physical Environments Social Environments: Social Dilemmas and Cooperation: ● Social interactions often involve dilemmas, where self-interest conflicts with collective well-being. ● Cooperation in these dilemmas is vital for overall societal and individual well-being. ● Trust, communication, clarity, and social pressure influence cooperation in social dilemmas. Prosocial Behavior: ● Prosocial behavior involves actions that benefit others. ● Evolutionary theory supports the idea that helping others can be advantageous for the helper. ● There's a natural impulse for cooperation in certain situations, as seen in young children's prosocial behavior. ● Positive psychologists find that acts of kindness and prosocial spending contribute to happiness. Emotions and Prosociality: ● Positive emotions like awe and gratitude nudge people towards prosocial behaviors. ● Prosociality is associated with reward-linked parts of the brain. Environmental Challenges: ● Many social decisions revolve around social dilemmas, such as environmental challenges. ● Resolving these dilemmas requires cooperation, trust, and communication. Physical Environments: Built Environments: ● Designing built environments involves balancing features, functions, and user preferences. ● Optimal built environments are context-dependent and vary among individuals. Nature in Built Spaces: ● Incorporating natural elements into built spaces can positively impact psychological and health outcomes. ● Nature exposure in urban environments is associated with increased well-being. ● Biophilic design mimics natural forms to create aesthetically pleasing built spaces. Nature Exposure: ● Nature exposure promotes physical and mental health, leading to increased life satisfaction. ● Experimental studies show that nature can cause positive states and reduce stress. ● Spending time in nature is associated with prosocial behaviors and environmental concern. Virtual Environments: ● Virtual environments, including smartphones and computers, are increasingly integral to people's lives. ● Social media and online interactions impact well-being; active engagement fosters connection, while passive browsing may lead to unfavorable social comparisons. ● The effects of technology on well-being are complex, with studies showing mixed results. ● Considering virtual environments as social spaces allows for a more nuanced understanding of their impact. Summing Up: Interconnectedness: ● Humans are extraordinarily interconnected in both social and physical contexts. ● Coordination and exchange with others, whether known or unknown, are fundamental aspects of human life. Recommendations: ● Enhancing both social and physical environments is crucial for individual and collective well-being. ● Addressing social dilemmas and promoting cooperation can contribute to societal and environmental well-being. ● Encouraging nature exposure, both in built environments and through direct contact with nature, can positively impact psychological and physical health. ● Balancing technology use, fostering active engagement in virtual environments, and considering individual differences contribute to well-being in the digital age. Chapter 8 - Close Relationships Positive Behaviors in Relationships ● Analogy: Relationships as bank accounts, positive behaviors as deposits, and negative behaviors as withdrawals. ● Relationships survive when deposits exceed withdrawals. ● Emphasis on the importance of positive behaviors for thriving relationships. ● Positive behaviors are more frequent but occasional negative behaviors are more costly. ● Healthy relationships have a balance of positive to negative interactions (5:1 ratio). Capitalization and Support ● Capitalization: Sharing good news with partners. ● Positive effects of shared positive events on mood. ● Importance of partners' responses to shared good news. ● Four types of responses: active-constructive, passive-constructive, active-destructive, passive-destructive. ● Active-constructive responses are the most beneficial. Using Active-Constructive Responding ● Studies suggest relationships benefit from active-constructive responses to good news. ● Exercise: Practice active-constructive responding with someone close. ● Active-constructive responses indicate interest, caring, and engagement. Exciting and Self-Expanding Activities ● Engaging in novel, exciting, and challenging activities as relationship deposits. ● Self-expansion theory: Growth activities expand the sense of self. ● Couples engaging in more novel activities report higher satisfaction. ● Importance of maintaining self-expansion over time in long-term relationships. Research on Sexual Frequency and Happiness ● Correlation between sexual activity and relationship satisfaction. ● Study attempting to experimentally increase sexual frequency. ● Unexpected results: Couples assigned to have more sex reported less positive affect and enjoyment. Positive Approaches to Relationship Challenges ● Sacrifices in close relationships can bring personal and relationship rewards. ● Conflict is inevitable; positive approaches strengthen relationships. ● Use of humor in conflict resolution: affiliative inside jokes work better. ● Forgiveness is crucial for relationship satisfaction and commitment. Overall Message ● Positive psychology's main message: "Other people matter." ● Close relationships are central to well-being. ● Focus on both pleasant and challenging aspects of relationships. ● Emphasizes the importance of positive processes for coping with challenges. Chapter 9 - Stability and Change Resilience and Well-being Over Time: Stability of Well-being: ● Well-being tends to be stable over time, even in the face of adversity. ● Resilience involves maintaining mental health through challenges. Predictors of Resilience: ● Personal characteristics like a strong sense of control, self-regulation, positive emotionality, and optimism contribute to resilience. ● Coping strategies such as problem-solving, benefit finding, and positive outlooks enhance resilience. ● Social support, high socio-economic status, and religious beliefs act as buffers against poor outcomes. Benefits Following Trauma: ● Some individuals experience positive changes post-trauma, including improved social relationships, a sense of meaning, personal strength, appreciation of life, and spirituality. ● Traumatic events disrupt habits and expectations, prompting perceptions of growth. Scepticism About Growth: ● Skepticism exists about encouraging the search for growth post-trauma. ● Perceptions of growth may not align with actual changes and can be linked to increased distress. Positive Psychology and Well-being Pursuit: Possibility of Well-being Improvement: ● Positive psychology assumes the possibility of improving psychological well-being intentionally. Positive Activities for Happiness Boosts: ● Various positive activities (e.g., gratitude journaling, savoring pleasant experiences, using strengths) lead to happiness boosts. Effective Positive Interventions: ● Effective positive interventions require a good fit between activity details and individual personality and circumstances. ● Substantial investment, effort, and variety are needed for meaningful and lasting increases in well-being. Need for Research and Development: ● Ongoing research and development are crucial to refine and implement positive interventions widely. ● Young positive psychologists play a key role in advancing and applying positive interventions.