Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
14 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Key Areas for Positive Psychology |
Subjective Experiences - Well-being - Contentment - Optimism - Courage
Group Level - Civic virtue - Tolerance - Work ethic |
|
|
Fredrickson's Broaden and Build Theory |
Negative Emotions - Fight or flight response (Threat) - Narrow in on specific set of responses - Beneficial in short term (Negative in long term) - Evolutionarily adaptive Positive Emotions - seldom occur in life-threatening circumstances - Not tied to narrow quick responses - Joy (Urge to play; take in new infor; push limits) - Broadens mindset (Psychological growth) Benefits of Broadened Mindset - Builds greater repertoire of personal resources - Personal resources gained in positive emotion states are durable and outlast transient emotional states - Positive emotions not outcome of optimal functions but causes it |
|
|
Evidence for Broaden and Build Theory |
1) Estrada et al. (1997) - Open to new information 2) Isen et al. (1987) - Creative 3) Kahn and Isen (1993) - Accept broader array of behavioural options 4) Fredrickson and Branigan (2005) - Broader array of behavioural options and more global perspective Experiment 1 Global-local Visual Processing Task - Assesses attentional focus by giving 2 options for participants to match an image either by global view (general likeness), or local view (detailed likeness) - Results: Global view = positive mood, local view = negative mood. Showing that people with negative mood have a more narrowed perspective Experiment 2 - Assess number of responses for different moods - Participants' emotions evoked (Joy, contentment, fear, anger, neutral) through videos and tested on the twenty statements test (Asked what would participants do in situations) - Results: Joy> Contempt> Neutral> Fear> Anger 5) Tugade and Fredrickson (2004) - Measured resilience of participants and measured their responses in stressful situation - Give a time pressured speech, and measured their cardiovascular responses (higher heart rate = stress) - Results: Resilience did not predict stress while presenting speech, but stress was determined in pre-speech. Also, resilience predicted faster speed of return to cardiovascular baseline. Showing that resilient people bounce back from stressful situations fast. |
|
|
Happiness and Well-being |
Happiness Conceived of as both a state and a trait Well-being Is a more global indicator, sometimes labelled life satisfaction |
|
|
Materialism and Happiness |
Deiner (2000) How important is it to be happy? - 7204 from 42 countries - 69% rated happiness = no. 1 priority; 1% never think about happiness; 6% money more important than happiness - Hence, results showed that people give greater importance to happiness Csikszentmihalyi (1999) - Assumed increases in happiness associated with affluence - prolongation of healthy life - acquisition of wealth - consumer goods Results showed: 1) Poor countries =/= low in happiness 2) Past 60 years of US economic growth and happiness remains unchanged 3) Low happiness during the Great Depression, however, after that, happiness improved and remained unchanged for a long time ~~~ Money and happiness has a curvilinear relationship, whereby from poor to not so poor has the biggest change in well-being, thereafter there is no significant difference |
|
|
Dramatic Changes in Income and Happiness |
Brickman, Coates, and Janoff-bulman (1978) Lottery winners - Testing 22 major lottery winners and 22 controls - Asked how happy before lottery win, now and in two years - Measured mundane pleasures Results - Lottery winners and controls no difference in happiness (before, now and in 2 years) - But lottery winners rated ordinary activities significantly less pleasurable than controls ~~~ Adaptation level: Winning lottery increases general happiness and depresses ratings of less spectacular events. Overtime, lottery win cease to effect general happiness (Habituation) |
|
|
The Hedonic Treadmill |
-Physiological drive to become accustomed to present circumstances - Rising aspirations, social comparison (change in social class), evidence for set-point theory (everyone has a fixed average level of happiness they will always fall back into) |
|
|
Life Satisfaction |
Defined in 2 broad ways 1) gives instant satisfaction (E.g. Food, sex) 2) satisfaction through meaningful activity (not instant, but long lasting) |
|
|
2 Types of Happiness |
1) Hedonia - Presence of positive affect - Absence of negative affect
2) Eudaimonia - Actualising ones potential - A worthwhile life - Purposeful goals
Eudaimonia Definitions
Ryff and Singer (2000) Psychological well-being - Personal growth - Self-acceptance - Autonomy - Environmental mastery - Positive relationships - Purpose in life - Personal growth
Ryan and Devi (2000) - Autonomy - Competence - Relatedness
Waterman (1993) - Reflects living in accordance with one's daimon (true self) - Congruence between values and life activities |
|
|
Authentic Happiness Theory |
Deriving meaning and engagement for subjective well-being in life (not pleasure and satisfaction) - Meaning derived from pro-social goals (intrinsic value, not individualistic or materialistic) - Engagement develops character strengths (love, hope, curiosity, zest -> life satisfaction)
20 year study of subjective well-being - 20% changed SWB score; with 2 points or more in a 1-10 scale (1.5 SDs); 35% by 1 SD or more - Pro-social goals: Long term increases in subjective well-being - Individualistic and materialistic goals: Long term decreases in subjective well-being - Happiness can be permanently changed |
|
|
Age and Happiness |
Assumptions: Adolescent - Unhappiness - Insecurity - Peer pressure - career concerns
Old age - Decreasing physical health - Energy and appearance - Death nears
Experiments
1799 people across 16 nations - lack of relationship between age and happiness - Critic: Pattern may be inaccurate due to separation by age range and not by developmental stages
Oswald and Blanchflower - U shaped - Happiness lowest: Women 40s; Men 50s
Csikszentmihalyi and Hunter (2003) Teenage years decreases till 16; some recovery by 18 |
|
|
Exercise and Well-being |
Correlation physically fit with - Self-confident - Self-disciplined - Psychological resilient - Less anxious and depressed
Experiments
1) McCane and Holmes Exercise and Depression - Mildly depressed students engaged in 3 conditions: 1) Aerobic dancing and running; 2) Relaxation exercises *placebo*; 3) No treatment *control* -Results: Exercise > Relaxation > Control
2) Thayer (1987) Ten minute walk - Simulates 2 hour hike in well-being (raised energy levels and lowered tension)
3) Steptoe, Kimbell, and Brasford (1996) Correlation of exercise - Reduced depression and anxiety - Stressful tasks less impact on lower heart rate and blood pressure |
|
|
Subjective and Biological (Exercising) |
- Evaluate selves looking and feeling younger - Increase production of mood-boosting brain chemicals (endorphins) |
|
|
Source of Happiness |
Assumptions - Comfortable income - Health - Supportive marriage - Lack of tragedy ~~~ but only account for no more than 8% to 15% variance in happiness
Evidence
1) Myers in US context Advantage of being white - difference is surprisingly small (given black is stigmatised) - people compare selves to others in own group
2) Women with and without children - No difference
3) Deiner and Biswas-Deiner - Country you live in = little relationship
4) Rural areas, suburbs, big cities = equally happy
5) Richard Lucas Marriage related to happiness - Happy people more likely to be in relationship as opposed to people in relationships are happy (selection effect)
6) Argyle (1999) Although, unemployed less happy (lower income and self esteem)
7) Happiness determinants Three primary factors influencing chronic happiness level - Intentional activity (40%), circumstances (10%), set point (50%) |
