Building Human Strength Flashcards
(20 cards)
What were the three original missions of psychology before WWII?
- Curing mental illness
- Making life more fulfilling
- Nurturing high talent
What caused psychology to shift focus after WWII?
The creation of the Veterans Administration (1946) and National Institute of Mental Health (1947) led to funding and careers focused on mental illness.
What is meant by “Building Human Strength”?
It refers to nurturing positive traits like optimism, resilience, and honesty to prevent mental illness and promote well-being.
According to Seligman, what was forgotten after WWII in psychology?
The missions of making lives fulfilling and nurturing high talent.
What negative consequence did this shift bring to the field of psychology?
Psychology became a “victimology”, focusing only on weakness, damage, and repairing broken parts.
How did psychologists begin to view human beings post-WWII?
As passive, shaped by childhood conflict, stimuli, or brain defects.
What are some key human strengths identified as buffers against mental illness?
Courage, optimism, interpersonal skills, work ethic, hope, honesty, and perseverance.
What is the role of these strengths in prevention?
They buffer individuals against depression, substance abuse, and other psychological disorders.
What major change does Seligman suggest for the future of psychology?
Shift focus from fixing problems to amplifying strengths and virtues.
Why is focusing only on deficits problematic for prevention?
It does not address the root causes or build the capacity for resilience in vulnerable individuals.
What model dominated psychology for 50 years?
The medical model focused on personal weakness and brain damage.
What task force supported this strength-based shift in psychology?
The Presidential Task Force on Prevention led by Suzanne Bennett Johnson and Roger Weissberg.
Name any initiatives supported by the task force.
Best practices in prevention, training new psychologists, violence prevention in children, special APA issue on prevention.
What is the significance of seeing individuals as decision-makers?
It recognizes their agency, preferences, and capacity to grow—important for strength-based approaches.
How can building strength affect physical health?
Positive behaviors and mental well-being can improve physical health outcomes.
How does building human strength contribute to society?
By making people more resilient, productive, and fulfilled, and by preventing mental illness.
What are the two neglected missions of psychology that Seligman wants to restore?
- Making normal people stronger
- Actualizing high human potential
What publication featured this work by Seligman?
APA Monitor, 1998, titled “Building Human Strength: Psychology’s Forgotten Mission”.
What is the goal of a new science of strength?
To systematically promote competence and virtues in individuals and communities.
Why are schools, families, and communities important in positive psychology?
They are primary environments for fostering human strength and resilience.
