Introduction to Positive

Psychology
Positive Psychology
DYPSYPos313
Episode 1
Positive Psychology
• is the scientific study of positive human
functioning and flourishing on multiple levels
that include the biological, personal, relational,
institutional, cultural, and global dimensions of
life (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000).
• is also defined as the scientific study of what
makes life most worth living (Peterson, 2008)
The basic premise of positive psychology
is that human beings are often drawn by
the future more than they are driven by
the past. A change in our orientation to
time can dramatically affect how we
think about the nature of happiness.
In positive psychology, we are going to
concentrate positive experiences at the
three time points:
 
1. the past, centering on wellbeing,
contentment and satisfaction;
2. the present, which focuses on concepts such
as happiness and flow experiences;
3. the future, with concepts including optimism
and hope
Positive psychologists seek to encourage
acceptance of one's past, excitement and
optimism about one's future experiences,
and a sense of contentment and well-
being in the present.
Not only does positive psychology distinguish
between wellbeing across time points but it also
separates the subject area into three central concerns:

1. the subjective node, which encompasses things

like positive experiences and states across past,
present and future
2. the individual node, which focuses on positive
states and traits
3. the group node, which studies positive
institutions, citizenship and communities
EXAMPLE: CENTRAL CONCERNS

• Positive Experiences
Subjective • Understanding positive emotions entails the study of
Node contentment with the past, happiness in the present, and
hope for the future

• Positive Individual Traits

• Understanding positive individual traits involves the study of
Individual
strengths, such as the capacity for love and work, courage,
Node compassion, resilience, creativity, curiosity, integrity, self-
knowledge, moderation, self-control, and wisdom

• Positive Institutions
• Understanding positive institutions entails the study of the
Group Node strengths that foster better communities, such as justice,
responsibility, civility, parenting, nurturance, work ethic,
leadership, teamwork, purpose, and tolerance
Positive psychology complements, without
intending to replace or ignore, the traditional
areas of psychology. By emphasizing the
study of positive human development in this
field helps to balance other approaches that
focus on disorder, and which may produce
only limited understanding.
EXAMPLE: PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
• Anxiety disorders, including
panic disorder, obsessive-
compulsive disorder, and phobias.
• Depression, bipolar disorder, and
other mood disorders.
• Eating disorders.
• Personality disorders.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Psychotic disorders, including
schizophrenia.
Positive psychology may offer something we can
benefit from, it offers the chance to help find the
inner strengths of a person focusing more on
proactive steps to use their own abilities in order to
prosper in society.
Positive psychology focused on the character
strengths and behaviors that allow individuals to
build a life of meaning and purpose—to move
beyond surviving to flourishing.
EXAMPLE: CHARACTER STRENGTHS
• Bravery
• Persistence
• Integrity
• Kindness
• Social intelligence
• Gratitude
• Hope
• Humor and playfulness
• Spirituality
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
IS NOT IS
 Being happy  What
all the time makes life
 “Think worth
positive”, living
“Look at the  Strengths
bright side” and virtues
 Ignoring  Focused on
weakness
wellbeing