Positive Psychology in Practice

Transcription

1 Positive Psychology in Practice

2 Positive Psychology in Practice Edited by P. Alex Linley and Stephen Joseph John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

3 This book is printed on acid-free paper. Copyright 2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) , fax (978) , or on the web at Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) , fax (201) Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If legal, accounting, medical, psychological or any other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. In all instances where John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is aware of a claim, the product names appear in initial capital or all capital letters. Readers, however, should contact the appropriate companies for more complete information regarding trademarks and registration. For general information on our other products and services please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) , outside the United States at (317) or fax (317) Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Positive psychology in practice / edited by P. Alex Linley and Stephen Joseph. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN Positive psychology. I. Linley, P. Alex. II. Joseph, Stephen. BF204.6P dc Printed in the United States of America ➇

4 We dedicate this volume to the memory of Donald O. Clifton, PhD, The father of strengths-based psychology and the grandfather of positive psychology. (Citation from the APA Presidential commendation made by Philip G. Zimbardo, December 2002; see

5 Contents Foreword Martin E. P. Seligman Preface Acknowledgments Contributors xi xv xvii xix PART I PART II PART III PART IV THE APPLIED POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY PERSPECTIVE 1 Applied Positive Psychology: A New Perspective for Professional Practice 3 P. Alex Linley and Stephen Joseph HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS 2 Positive Psychology: Historical, Philosophical, and Epistemological Perspectives 15 Ingvild S. Jørgensen and Hilde Eileen Nafstad 3 The Good Life, Broadly and Narrowly Considered 35 Laura A. King, Jennifer Emilia Eells, and Chad M. Burton VALUES AND CHOICES IN PURSUIT OF THE GOOD LIFE 4 The Good Life or the Goods Life? Positive Psychology and Personal Well-Being in the Culture of Consumption 55 Tim Kasser 5 Value Pathways to Well-Being: Healthy Values, Valued Goal Attainment, and Environmental Congruence 68 Lilach Sagiv, Sonia Roccas, and Osnat Hazan 6 Doing Better but Feeling Worse: The Paradox of Choice 86 Barry Schwartz and Andrew Ward 7 Fostering Healthy Self-Regulation from Within and Without: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective 105 Kirk Warren Brown and Richard M. Ryan LIFESTYLE PRACTICES FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 8 Achieving Sustainable New Happiness: Prospects, Practices, and Prescriptions 127 Kennon M. Sheldon and Sonja Lyubomirsky vii

6 viii CONTENTS PART V 9 Physical Activity: Positive Psychology in Motion 146 Nanette Mutrie and Guy Faulkner 10 Balancing Time Perspective in Pursuit of Optimal Functioning 165 Ilona Boniwell and Philip G. Zimbardo TEACHING AND LEARNING: METHODS AND PROCESSES 11 Teaching Students to Make Wise Judgments: The Teaching for Wisdom Program 181 Alina Reznitskaya and Robert J. Sternberg 12 Introducing Positive Psychology to the Introductory Psychology Student 197 Amy C. Fineburg 13 Teaching Positive Psychology 210 Nick Baylis 14 Rescuing Our Heroes: Positive Perspectives on Upward Comparisons in Relationships, Education, and Work 218 Michael A. Cohn POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK 15 Leading Well: Transformational Leadership and Well-Being 241 Niro Sivanathan, Kara A. Arnold, Nick Turner, and Julian Barling 16 Strengths-Based Development in Practice 256 Timothy D. Hodges and Donald O. Clifton 17 Positive and Creative Organization 269 Jane Henry 18 Toward a Positive Psychology of Executive Coaching 287 Carol Kauffman and Anne Scoular PART VI PART VII HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, AND PSYCHOTHERAPY: A POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE 19 Positive Psychology and Health Psychology: A Fruitful Liaison 305 Shelley E. Taylor and David K. Sherman 20 Toward a Positive Clinical Psychology: Deconstructing the Illness Ideology and Constructing an Ideology of Human Strengths and Potential 320 James E. Maddux, C. R. Snyder, and Shane J. Lopez 21 The Client: Psychotherapy s Missing Link for Promoting a Positive Psychology 335 Mark A. Hubble and Scott D. Miller 22 Positive Therapy: A Positive Psychological Theory of Therapeutic Practice 354 Stephen Joseph and P. Alex Linley PART VIII POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CONSULTING ROOM 23 Clinical Applications of Well-Being Therapy 371 Chiara Ruini and Giovanni A. Fava

7 Contents ix 24 Strategies for Accentuating Hope 388 Shane J. Lopez, C. R. Snyder, Jeana L. Magyar-Moe, Lisa M. Edwards, Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti, Kelly Janowski, Jerri L. Turner, and Cindy Pressgrove 25 A Clinical Approach to Posttraumatic Growth 405 Richard G. Tedeschi and Lawrence G. Calhoun 26 Positive Psychology and Psychotherapy: An Existential Approach 420 Roger Bretherton and Roderick J. Ørner STRENGTHS OF CHARACTER IN PRACTICE 27 Classification and Measurement of Character Strengths: Implications for Practice 433 Christopher Peterson and Nansook Park 28 Emotional Intelligence in Practice 447 Peter Salovey, David Caruso, and John D. Mayer 29 Gratitude in Practice and the Practice of Gratitude 464 Giacomo Bono, Robert A. Emmons, and Michael E. McCullough 30 Facilitating Curiosity: A Social and Self-Regulatory Perspective for Scientifically Based Interventions 482 Todd B. Kashdan and Frank D. Fincham 31 Approaches to a Good Life: The Emotional-Motivational Side to Wisdom 504 Ute Kunzmann PART IX POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN 32 Fostering the Future: Resilience Theory and the Practice of Positive Psychology 521 Tuppett M. Yates and Ann S. Masten 33 Organized Youth Activities as Contexts for Positive Development 540 Reed Larson, Robin Jarrett, David Hansen, Nickki Pearce, Patrick Sullivan, Kathrin Walker, Natasha Watkins, and Dustin Wood 34 Positive Aging 561 George E. Vaillant PART X PART XI BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH INTEGRATION AND REGENERATION 35 Bringing Subjectivity into Focus: Optimal Experiences, Life Themes, and Person-Centered Rehabilitation 581 Antonella Delle Fave and Fausto Massimini 36 Good Lives and the Rehabilitation of Offenders: A Positive Approach to Sex Offender Treatment 598 Tony Ward and Ruth Mann 37 Facilitating Forgiveness: Developing Group and Community Interventions 617 Frank D. Fincham and Todd B. Kashdan

8 x CONTENTS PART XII PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVES: GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE GOOD LIFE 38 Human Connections and the Good Life: Balancing Individuality and Community in Public Policy 641 David G. Myers 39 Happiness as a Public Policy Aim: The Greatest Happiness Principle 658 Ruut Veenhoven 40 Findings on Subjective Well-Being: Applications to Public Policy, Clinical Interventions, and Education 679 William Pavot and Ed Diener 41 A Population Approach to Positive Psychology: The Potential for Population Interventions to Promote Well-Being and Prevent Disorder 693 Felicia A. Huppert SIGNPOSTS FOR THE PRACTICE OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 42 Toward a Theoretical Foundation for Positive Psychology in Practice 713 P. Alex Linley and Stephen Joseph PART XIII Author Index 733 Subject Index 753

9 Foreword IT HAS BEEN seven years since Nikki, age 5, told me that if she could stop whining, I could stop being such a grouch, and positive psychology (at least in my own mind) came into being (Seligman, 2002). In that moment, I acquired the mission of helping to build the scientific infrastructure of a field that would investigate what makes life worth living: positive emotion, positive character, and positive institutions. In these seven years, much has been accomplished, enough perhaps to call it a movement (but not, please, a paradigm shift since it uses the same tried and true methods of mainstream science to merely shed light on the relatively uninvestigated realm of happiness). Among the accomplishments are: A Positive Psychology Network that supports over 50 pods of scientists around the world An annual International Summit held at the Gallup headquarters in Washington the first weekend every October (mark your calendar now, please) A Classification of the Strengths and Virtues published by Oxford University Press and the American Psychological Association Measurement devices, psychometrically respectable, of many aspects of positive emotion, positive character, and positive institutions A substantial prize for the best research in positive psychology and a new, even more substantial prize in memory of Don Clifton to be announced this year for the best research on strengths and virtues Undergraduate, graduate, and even high school courses on positive psychology the world over, with several textbooks about to appear Positive Psychology Centers at several major universities, one of which will soon become degree granting (Pennsylvania) Many millions of dollars in research funding Active web sites for research and teaching in positive psychology: Active Listserves in positive psychology FRIENDS-OF-PP@LISTS.APA.ORG POSITIVE-PSYCHOLOGY@LISTS.APA.ORG ppttf@lists.apa.org (Teaching Positive Psychology) The first Nobel Prize for a positive psychologist (Danny Kahneman) xi

10 xii FOREWORD Empirically documented interventions that build happiness lastingly tested in random assignment placebo-controlled studies So the science is well underway. The current challenge is to apply the science in the world. Analytic thinking and experimentation is only as good as the synthetic applications to practice. As my department was writing the ad for a social psychologist a few years ago, I got an note that gave me a sleepless night. Marty, my colleague Jon Baron wrote, do you think it would be all right if one of the interests listed was industrial psychology? I wrote back, Of course the three great realms of life are work, love, and play, and industrial psychology is the psychology of work. I remember that Morris Viteles [who had just passed away at age 98] was a distinguished member of our department for 75 years and a founder of industrial psychology. Then I couldn t get to sleep. It bothered me that my department did not have anyone whose main interest was work, love, or play. As I mentally ran through the rosters of several other fine academic departments, I couldn t think of anyone whose primary research was work or love or play. I happened to see Jerome Bruner the next day. Jerry, in his 80s, is still yeasty and going strong and is a walking history of modern psychology. How did this come to be? I asked him. It actually happened at a moment in time, he replied. About 60 years ago the chairmen [the gender is intentional] of Harvard, Princeton, and Penn got together at a meeting of the Society of Experimental Psychologists and agreed that they would hire no applied psychologists! This set the hiring pattern of many of the great departments to this very day. This is a symptom of a larger problem. Complete scientific activity requires both analysis and synthesis. Synthesis is needed when you are not sure that the elements of your analysis carve nature at the joints. The only way to test the validity of your elements is by reconstructing natural phenomena with them. What entitles academic physics and chemistry to be almost solely analytic is their long, accompanying history of synthetic activity, which demonstrated the validity of their elements: predicting eclipses, tides, synthetic fibers, rockets, the green revolution, and computers. What those august chairmen forgot was that psychology did not have a history of engineering, so there was real danger that its laboratory elements might not be the elements out of which mind, emotion, behavior, and psychopathology are made. There are a very large number of potential analysands, and the best way to tell which ones are valid is to apply them to real world practice and ask if they work. The scientific psychological literature of the twentieth century is littered with well-done analytic science that applied to nothing at all, and this is a fate that positive psychology must avoid. Doing synthetic thinking to complement analytic thinking has several benefits: It moves significance claims from hand-waving toward rule-governed, rigorous discourse. It tests whether our analyses are valid. It helps link our findings to more complex phenomena as well as to simpler systems. It will help our scientists communicate effectively with the press, the public, and policymakers. And not least, it brings science and practice closer together. Hence this volume. It contains the practical applications of the science of positive psychology to issues such as good versus bad materialism, optimal levels of

11 Foreword xiii choice and freedom, what makes people lastingly happier and what does not, exercise and the body, future mindedness and present mindedness, wisdom, teaching positive psychology, leadership, the successful and unsuccessful corporation, executive coaching, physical health and illness, positive therapy, clinical applications, building hope and optimism, posttraumatic growth, emotional intelligence, building gratitude, forgiveness, curiosity, eudaimonia, resilience, positive aging, rehabilitation of sex offenders, flow and optimal experience, and public policy. This volume is the cutting edge of positive psychology and the emblem of its future. MARTIN E. P. SELIGMAN REFERENCE Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Authentic happiness. New York: Free Press.

12 Preface IMAGINE A SCIENCE that is as interested in health and well-being as disease and disorder. A science that strives to promote flourishing and fulfillment at each of the individual, group, and social levels. A science that studies what makes life worth living. A science that holds meaningful lessons for all who choose to consider it. A science that speaks to us personally, as practitioners, as much as it does to the people for whom we practice. This is the science of positive psychology in practice and the subject matter of this volume. Positive psychology is at the stage where solid theoretical foundations are being laid, experimental results are building, and attention is beginning to turn to the applications of this knowledge in real world contexts. However, there is no single resource to which psychologists may turn that provides them with a complete package of positive psychological theory, research, and application. This volume was designed to meet that need. Positive psychology constitutes much of what the best professional psychologists already do in practice however, until now, this language of learned experience has not been named, recognized, or celebrated. Our experience in talking to people about the practice of positive psychology is that it gives a voice to what they have always done, but never quite understood, or recognized, or named. Now positive psychology in practice can provide a language and identity that shape and define this implicit understanding. Three strands are interwoven throughout the fabric of this volume: theory, research, and application. We asked our contributors to dedicate their efforts to producing a work that would define the emerging field of positive psychology in practice for the next five years. They have excelled themselves in doing so. Throughout the volume, you will find comprehensive reviews of the literature that are tailored toward questions of research and application. What is the state of current research in the field? What are the implications of this research for practice? What applied research is required that will best inform future practice? These are the questions that each of our contributors has striven to answer. The chapters of this volume serve as reviews of the theory and evidence, particularly as relevant to applications, but critically, they also provide concrete recommendations for applications and for the future research that will be necessary to underpin and guide these applications. We are aware that the relationship between positive psychology and humanistic psychology has been a subject of debate. To be sure, there are differences between positive psychology and humanistic psychology, but we believe that these xv

13 xvi PREFACE differences are far outweighed by their similarities. Hence, we have worked hard in this volume to speak to readers from the traditions of both positive psychology and humanistic psychology. Our knowledge will advance all the more quickly if we are able to acknowledge similarities, constructively explore our differences, and work together in the joint pursuit of our common goals. But overall, it is up to you, as the readers, to judge this. We will judge the extent to which we have achieved our objectives by the measure of how much this volume contributes to the advancement of positive psychology in practice, with the goal of more fulfilled lives for all. Finally, we are reminded that positive psychology is not only about our academic and professional practice and applications for other people but also tells us about how we can lead our own personal lives. May this volume inspire and help you in all these pursuits. ANOTE TO THE READER To guide you to further recommended reading in each of the topic areas, we have asked our authors to indicate a few key readings from their chapter reference lists. These key readings are indicated in each chapter reference list by asterisks. We hope that these key references will provide a valuable and informative guide to readers wishing to pursue their interests in the topic area. January 2004 P. ALEX LINLEY STEPHEN JOSEPH

14 Acknowledgments THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION GENEROUSLY supported my attendance at three Positive Psychology Summits, facilitating many of the contacts that led to the ideas for this volume becoming reality. Stephen was a superb co-editor, and I thank him sincerely for that. I also thank my family for their continued love and support: my mother and father; my wife, Jenny; and my children, Jack, Lucy, and Sophie. For me, they bring positive psychology in practice to life. P. A. L. My thanks to Vanessa for her love and support and for her patience with me during the time this book was being prepared. Thanks also to Alex for making this project such an enjoyable collaboration and to friends and colleagues here at the University of Warwick and at Coventry University for their support. Martin E. P. Seligman s encouragement and support was instrumental in the formation of this volume, and we deeply appreciate this, together with his patronage of positive psychology in general. We also wish to acknowledge Don Clifton s pioneering role in promoting the practice of strengths psychology and positive psychology. He is deeply missed. Finally, we thank our editorial team at John Wiley & Sons, Tracey Belmont, Isabel Pratt, and Linda Witzling, together with the staff at Publications Development Company of Texas, for ensuring that this project evolved seamlessly from the outset. S. J. P. A. L./S. J. xvii

15 Contributors Kara A. Arnold, PhD Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John s, Newfoundland, Canada Julian Barling, PhD Queen s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada Nick Baylis, PhD (Cantab.) C.Psychol. University of Cambridge Cambridge, England Ilona Boniwell, PhD Candidate The Open University Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Giacomo Bono, PhD University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida Kirk Warren Brown, PhD University of Rochester Rochester, New York Roger Bretherton, BSc (Hons), ClinPsyD Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust Lincoln, United Kingdom Chad M. Burton, BA University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri Lawrence G. Calhoun, PhD University of North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina David Caruso, PhD Work-Life Strategies New Canaan, Connecticut Donald O. Clifton, PhD The Gallup Organization Omaha, Nebraska Michael A. Cohn, BA University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Antonella Delle Fave, MD Università degli Studi di Milano Milano, Italy Ed Diener, PhD University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign Champaign, Illinois Lisa M. Edwards, PhD University of Notre Dame South Bend, Indiana Jennifer Emilia Eells, MA University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri Robert A. Emmons, PhD University of California Davis, California Guy Faulkner, BEd (Hons), MSc., PhD University of Toronto Toronto, Canada xix

16 xx CONTRIBUTORS Giovanni A. Fava, MD University of Bologna Bologna, Italy Amy C. Fineburg, MA Spain Park High School Hoover, Alabama Frank D. Fincham, PhD University of New York at Buffalo Buffalo, New York David Hansen, MS University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Osnat Hazan, BA The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem, Israel Jane Henry, PhD Open University Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Timothy D. Hodges, MS The Gallup Organization Omaha, Nebraska Mark A. Hubble, PhD The Institute for the Study of Therapeutic Change Chicago, Illinois Felicia A. Huppert, PhD, FBPS University of Cambridge Cambridge, England Kelly Janowski, MS University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Robin Jarrett, PhD University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Ingvild S. Jørgensen, Cand. Psychol. Sanderud Hospital Ottestad, Norway Stephen Joseph, PhD University of Warwick Coventry, United Kingdom Todd B. Kashdan, MA University of New York at Buffalo Buffalo, New York Tim Kasser, PhD Knox College Galesburg, Illinois Carol Kauffman, PhD Harvard Medical School Cambridge, Massachusetts Laura A. King, PhD University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri Ute Kunzmann, Dr. phil. Max Planck Institute for Human Development Berlin, Germany Reed Larson, PhD University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois P. Alex Linley, BSc (Hons) University of Leicester Leicester, United Kingdom Shane J. Lopez, PhD University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD University of California Riverside, California James E. Maddux, PhD George Mason University Fairfax, Virginia Jeana L. Magyar-Moe, PhD University of Wisconsin Steven s Point, Wisconsin

17 Contributors xxi Ruth Mann, BSc, MSc Offender Programs Unit London, England Ann S. Masten, PhD University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Fausto Massimini, MD Università degli Studi di Milano Milano, Italy John D. Mayer, PhD University of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire Michael E. McCullough, PhD University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida Scott D. Miller, PhD Institute for the Study of Therapeutic Change Chicago, Illinois Nanette Mutrie, DPE, MEd, PhD University of Glasgow Scotland, United Kingdom David G. Myers, PhD Hope College Holland, Michigan Hilde Eileen Nafstad, Cand. Psychol. University of Oslo Oslo, Norway Roderick J. Ørner, BA, MA, Cert. Dip. Psych., FBPS University of Lincoln Lincoln, United Kingdom Nansook Park, PhD University of Rhode Island Kingston, Rhode Island William Pavot, PhD Southwest Minnesota State University Marshall, Minnesota Nickki Pearce, MS University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti, PhD Cal Poly San Luis Opisbo, California Christopher Peterson, PhD University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Cindy Pressgrove, BS University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Alina Reznitskaya, PhD Montclair State University Upper Montclair, New Jersey Sonia Roccas, PhD The Open University of Israel Tel-Aviv, Israel Chiara Ruini, PhD University of Bologna Bologna, Italy Richard M. Ryan, PhD University of Rochester Rochester, New York Lilach Sagiv, PhD The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem, Israel Peter Salovey, PhD Yale University New Haven, Connecticut Barry Schwartz, PhD Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania Anne Scoular, BA (Hons), PGDip Psychology Meyler Campbell Ltd London, United Kingdom

18 xxii CONTRIBUTORS Kennon M. Sheldon, PhD University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri David K. Sherman, PhD University of California Santa Barbara, California Niro Sivanathan, MSc Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois C. R. Snyder, PhD University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Robert J. Sternberg, PhD Yale University New Haven, Connecticut Patrick Sullivan, MS University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Shelley E. Taylor, PhD University of California Los Angeles, California Richard G. Tedeschi, PhD University of North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina Nick Turner, PhD Queen s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada Jerri L. Turner, MS University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas George E. Vaillant, MD Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts Ruut Veenhoven, PhD Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands Kathrin Walker, MS University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Andrew Ward, PhD Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania Tony Ward, MA (Hons), PhD, DipClinPsych, MAPS Victoria University of Wellington Wellington, New Zealand Natasha Watkins, MS University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Dustin Wood, MS University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Tuppett M. Yates, MA University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Philip G. Zimbardo, PhD Stanford University Stanford, California