Positive Psychology The Science of Wellbeing. Instructor: Adam Siler

Transcription

1 Positive Psychology The Science of Wellbeing Instructor: Adam Siler

2 Group Brainstorm What do you most want for your loved ones?

3 Course Overview Class Topic Key Questions Class #1 Overview What is positive psychology? Class #2 Positive Interventions How do you define/measure/increase wellbeing? Class #3 Positive Emotions How can you authentically change your mood? Class #4 Engagement/Meaning What is your profile of character strengths? Class #5 Resilience How can you think more optimistically? Class #6 Positive Health How can meditation/exercise help you?

4 Brief History of Psychology Psychology: scientific study of behavior & mental processes

5 Brief History of Psychology Sigmund Freud genius + nut right + wrong incalculable impact medical doctor secularized psychology invented the unconscious Invented defense mechanisms invented talk therapy invented modern psychiatry

6 Brief History of Psychology How would Dr. Freud diagnose you? You are basically bad You are crazier than you know Your mind has structure Your mind reacts predictably Your mind is full of conflict You can be helped scientifically You need psychoanalysis You need drug prescriptions

7 Brief History of Psychology Therapy Approach #1 Therapy Approach #2? Combat disease by putting out fires

8 Brief History of Psychology Therapy Approach #1 Therapy Approach #2 Combat disease by putting out fires Promote health by growing gardens

9 Brief History of Psychology Wellbeing is more than the absence of disease. - Dr. Martin Seligman

10 Brief History of Psychology Psychology is half-baked, literally half-baked. We have baked the part about mental illness. We have baked the part about repair and damage. But the other side is unbaked. The side of strengths, the side of what we are good at, the side of what makes life worth living. - Dr. Martin Seligman (1990)

11 What is positive psychology? Psychology: scientific study of behavior and mental processes Positive Psychology: scientific study of the behavior and mental processes associated with human flourishing

12 What is positive psychology? Positive Psychology A new discipline of psychology Still under construction Definition: scientific study of how to theoretically define, empirically measure, and practically grow wellbeing Definition: scientific study of the what and the how of positive experiences, positive traits, and positive institutions Definition: scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive

13 Comparative Analysis Traditional Psychology Focus on illbeing Psychiatry Psychoanalysis --- Fight disease Reduce suffering Identify problems Positive Psychology Focus on wellbeing Using positive interventions Humanistic therapy --- Promote thriving Make life worth living Identify strengths

14 Comparative Analysis Traditional Psychology Positive Psychology

15 Comparative Analysis Traditional Psychology Positive Psychology

16 Comparative Analysis Traditional Psychology Positive Psychology

17 Topics in Traditional Psychology 1. History 2. Research methods 3. Psychobiology 4. Perception 5. Consciousness 6. Learning 7. Cognition 8. Emotion/Motivation 9. Development 10. Personality 11. Intelligence 12. Illbeing 13. Therapy for illbeing 14. Social psychology

18 Topics in Modern Psychology 1. History 2. Research methods 3. Psychobiology 4. Perception 5. Consciousness 6. Learning 7. Cognition 8. Emotion/Motivation 9. Development 10. Personality 11. Intelligence 12. Illbeing 13. Therapy for illbeing 14. Social psychology 15. Wellbeing 16. Positive interventions

19 What is wellbeing? Key Theories Ideal mental health (Jahoda, 1958) Psychological wellbeing (Ryff, 1996) Social wellbeing (Keyes, 1998) Subjective wellbeing (Diener, 2000) P.E.R.M.A. (Seligman, 2011) Wellbeing (Huppert & So, 2013) Multi-dimensional wellbeing (Prilleltensky, 2015)

20 What is wellbeing? Key Theories Ideal mental health (Jahoda, 1958) Psychological wellbeing (Ryff, 1996) Social wellbeing (Keyes, 1998) Subjective wellbeing (Diener, 2000) P.E.R.M.A. (Seligman, 2011) Wellbeing (Huppert & So, 2013) Multi-dimensional wellbeing (Prilleltensky, 2015)

21 What is wellbeing? According to Dr. Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania, wellbeing involves: 1. Positive Emotion 2. Engagement 3. Relationships 4. Meaning 5. Accomplishment P.E.R.M.A.

22 What is wellbeing? PERMA 1. Wellbeing involves positive emotions Positive emotions can be defined e.g. joy, gratitude, serenity, contentment Positive emotions can be measured PERMA-profiler (Kern & Butler, 2013) Optimism Test (Seligman, 1991) PANAS (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988) Gratitude Survey (McCullough & Emmons, 2003) Positive emotions can be grown Three good things exercise Gratitude letters

23 What is wellbeing? PERMA 2. Wellbeing involves engagement Engagement can be defined Being absorbed, interested, involved Extreme engagement = FLOW Engagement can be measured PERMA-profiler (Kern & Butler, 2013) Engagement can be grown Using character strengths (Park et al., 2004)

24 What is wellbeing? PERMA 3. Wellbeing involves relationships Relationships can be defined Feeling loved, supported, valued Loving, supporting, valuing others Relationships can be measured PERMA-profiler (Kern & Butler, 2013) Relationships can be grown Active-constructive responding (Gable et al., 2004)

25 What is wellbeing? PERMA 4. Wellbeing involves meaning Meaning can be defined Purpose, direction, connection beyond Meaning can be measured PERMA-profiler (Kern & Butler, 2013) Meaning in Life survey (Steager et al., 2006) Meaning can be grown Composing positive visions for future Writing obituaries through eyes of grandchildren Leveraging character strengths on behalf of your community

26 What is wellbeing? PERMA 5. Wellbeing involves accomplishment Accomplishment can be defined Achievement, mastery, competence Accomplishment can be measured PERMA-profiler (Kern & Butler, 2013) Grit scale (Duckworth et al., 2009) Growth mindset scale (Dweck, 2008) Accomplishment can be grown Self-discipline > IQ/talent

27 Resources

28 Resources

29 Resources Adam Siler

30 Group Brainstorm Consider the state of the world. Poverty. Sanitation. Access to food. Access to water. Violence. Literacy. Life expectancy. Freedom. Equality. a. The world is getting better b. The world is getting worse c. The world is staying about the same

31 Global Progress Despite what we hear on the news, the great story of our era is that we are witnessing the greatest improvement in global living standards ever to take place. -Johan Norberg

32 Global Progress Food access, sanitation, life expectancy, income, peace, literacy, freedom, and equality have all steadily and massively improved over the past several hundred years. But so too has pessimism.

33 Progress: Global Wealth Source: Maddison, 2003

34 Progress: Food Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2003, 2015

35 Progress: Sanitation Source: World Health Organization 1995, 2015

36 Progress: Life Expectancy Source: Roser, 2016

37 Progress: Extreme Poverty Source: Bourguignon and Morrisson, 2002; Cruz, Foster, Quillin, and Schellekens 2015

38 Progress: Violence Source: Eisner, 2003

39 Progress: The Environment Air Pollutant Reduction between Volatile Organics -53% Nitrogen Dioxide -55% Direct Particle Matter -58% Carbon Monoxide -69% Sulfur Dioxide -81% Lead -99% Source: Environmental Protection Agency, 2016

40 Progress: Literacy Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2014

41 Progress: Freedom Source: Wikipedia, 2016

42 Progress: Equality Source: Schermer, 2015

43 (my) Conclusion Today is the greatest day in human history. Data suggests that tomorrow will be even better. What you do with this is up to you!