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WJEC Psychology > Component 1 - Positive approach > Flashcards

Component 1 - Positive approach Flashcards

1
Q

What does the positive approach say about free will?

A

It says we are in control of our emotions and can choose to be happy by using our strengths.

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2
Q

According to Seligman, what is happiness a result of?

A

Recognising and developing our personal strengths—not just genes or luck.

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3
Q

How does the positive approach contrast with other psychological approaches?

A

It promotes free will, whereas others (like biological, psychodynamic, and behaviourist) are more determinist.

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4
Q

What did Diener & Seligman (2002) find in their study?

A

Students with strong ties to friends and family were happier and less depressed.

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5
Q

What is the takeaway from the free will assumption?

A

We can improve our happiness by choosing positive behaviours, like building relationships.

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6
Q

What does this assumption say about positive feelings like happiness?

A

They are just as natural and important as negative emotions like anxiety.

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7
Q

What has traditional psychology focused on too much?

A

Mental disorders and negative states of mind.

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8
Q

What are “signature strengths” according to Seligman?

A

Inherent positive traits like kindness, humour, and generosity that we should nurture.

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9
Q

How do positive therapists help clients?

A

By focusing on what’s good in the client, helping them grow their strengths and well-being.

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10
Q

What’s the goal of this assumption in mental health?

A

To build positive traits that act as buffers against mental illness.

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11
Q

What is the “good life” in positive psychology?

A

A life full of fulfilment, meaningful activities, and strong connections.

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12
Q

What are Seligman’s 3 types of happy life?

A

Pleasant life (positive emotions), good life (engaging activities), meaningful life (purpose beyond self).

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13
Q

What three elements make up the good life?

A

Positive connections, positive individual traits, and life regulation qualities.

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14
Q

Give examples of positive individual traits.

A

Integrity, courage, creativity, humility.

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15
Q

What’s the final goal of pursuing the good life?

A

Lasting happiness through personal growth, relationships, and purpose.

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16
Q

What is the core aim of mindfulness?

A

To focus on the present moment and gain awareness of thoughts, emotions, and sensations.

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17
Q

How does mindfulness help with unhelpful thoughts?

A

It helps people become aware of negative automatic thoughts and respond to them reflectively.

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18
Q

What is the main technique used to develop mindfulness?

A

Meditation, especially sitting meditation with a focus on breathing and body sensations.

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19
Q

How does meditation help in mindfulness?

A

It trains the mind to observe thoughts as temporary and reduces automatic emotional reactions.

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20
Q

What is informal mindfulness practice?

A

Applying mindfulness to everyday tasks like showering or walking by focusing fully on the activity.

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21
Q

How is informal mindfulness different from multitasking?

A

It involves focusing on one task at a time, not doing multiple things at once.

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22
Q

How is mindfulness used with CBT?

A

In MCBT, it helps change the process of thinking, not just the content of thoughts.

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23
Q

What did Teasdale et al. (2000) find about MBCT?

A

It reduced relapse in people with 3+ depressive episodes but had no effect for those with only 2.

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24
Q

What is MBSR and who developed it?

A

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, developed by Kabat-Zinn, used for chronic illness and stress.

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25
What did Reibel et al. (2001) find about MBSR?
An 8-week programme reduced anxiety and depression, with effects lasting up to a year.
26
What did Mantzios and Giannou (2014) find about group vs individual mindfulness?
Group mindfulness led to more weight loss and reduced avoidance behaviour.
27
Why is mindfulness considered a ‘positive’ approach to therapy?
It doesn’t focus on the past or blame, and encourages acceptance rather than forcing change.
28
How is mindfulness less frustrating than CBT?
It doesn’t make people feel guilty about their thoughts and avoids trying to "fix" them.
29
How does mindfulness promote morality?
It helps improve decision-making and ethical behaviour.
30
What did Ruedy and Schweitzer (2010) find about mindful individuals?
They were less likely to cheat and more likely to uphold moral standards.
31
What is subjective well-being (SWB)?
A person's self-reported happiness or life satisfaction.
32
How is SWB commonly measured?
Through interviews (simple questions) or questionnaires (multi-item scales).
33
What does the observation method involve in happiness studies?
Participants report their activities/thoughts when beeped (experience sampling).
34
Why are correlations used in happiness studies?
To find factors linked to happiness—but they don’t prove cause and effect.
35
What’s a key limitation of correlational findings in happiness research?
It's unclear whether happiness causes certain traits or results from them.
36
What did Inglehart (1990) find about age and happiness?
All age groups were equally happy (80% life satisfaction).
37
Do gender differences affect happiness levels?
No major difference—both men and women reported 80% satisfaction.
38
Which group is more prone to depression, according to Robins & Regier (1991)?
Women—twice as likely as men.
39
How does culture affect happiness?
Individualist cultures report higher happiness than collectivist ones.
40
Does money buy happiness?
Only to a point—once basic needs are met, more money has little effect.
41
What did Diener et al. (1985) find about rich people’s happiness?
37% of Forbes rich list were less happy than the average American.
42
What are the 4 main traits of happy people? (SCOE)
Self-esteem, Control (personal), Optimism, Extraversion.
43
What is adaptation in the context of happiness?
We adjust to good and bad life events—effects fade over time.
44
How do values and goals relate to happiness?
People with meaningful goals are generally happier.
45
How do relationships affect happiness?
Close relationships boost happiness and health.
46
What is “flow” in the context of work and happiness?
A mental state of full immersion and enjoyment in an activity.
47
How does religion relate to happiness?
Religious people, especially those with strong spiritual commitment, report higher happiness.
48
Name the three elements in the theory of happiness.
Adaptation, Cultural Worldview, and Values/Goals.
49
Why is subjective well-being (SWB) data considered subjective?
Because it relies on individuals' self-reports, which can't be externally verified or challenged.
50
What is social desirability bias in self-report data?
People may report being happy to appear in a good light rather than reporting how they truly feel.
51
How do friends’ ratings of happiness support the validity of self-reports?
Friends’ ratings often correlate with self-reports, suggesting that people’s happiness reports are accurate.
52
What does the psychodynamic view say about happiness reports?
It suggests people may repress true feelings of unhappiness, but this is unlikely due to confirmation from others.
53
What is a major limitation of correlational research in happiness studies?
Correlational data cannot show causation and may involve other influencing variables.
54
Give an example of an intervening variable in happiness research.
The link between marriage and happiness may actually be due to more disposable income from shared resources.
55
What is the issue with the direction of correlation in happiness studies?
We don't know if being happy leads to marriage or if marriage causes happiness.
56
Why might happiness findings not apply to all cultures?
Most research is based on Western (individualist) samples, but collectivist cultures may define and express happiness differently.
57
What is the happiness set-point theory?
It suggests people have a natural, stable level of happiness that doesn't change much over time.
58
What gene is linked to happiness and what does it do?
The 5-HTT gene, which influences serotonin levels, is linked to higher life satisfaction.
59
According to Lyubomirsky (2013), what percentages influence happiness?
50% genetics, 10% circumstances, and 40% self-control/personal actions.
60
Why is happiness research considered low risk ethically?
It doesn’t involve manipulating behaviour, so it generally avoids psychological harm.
61
What ethical concern might arise when asking unhappy people about their happiness?
It may make them feel worse or more depressed.
62
How should researchers respond if participants become distressed?
Debrief carefully and refer them to professional help, staying within their ethical competence.
63
What makes some happiness research socially sensitive?
It can lead to stereotyping cultural or national groups based on happiness statistics.
64
Why should we be cautious about cross-cultural happiness comparisons?
Samples may not represent the entire population fairly, making generalizations unreliable.
65
How much does unhappiness cost the UK economy annually?
£26 billion (Foresight, 2008)
66
What did Oswald et al. (2009) find about happy workers?
Happy workers are 12% more productive.
67
How could the NHS save £555 million, according to the Boorman Review (2009)?
By creating healthier work environments.
68
What was the result of Google extending maternity leave?
50% fewer women left the company.
69
What are the benefits of the Positive Psychology Curriculum (PPC)?
Increases student well-being, engagement, achievement, and social skills (Seligman, 2009).
70
Increases student well-being, engagement, achievement, and social skills (Seligman, 2009).
Depression symptoms dropped to 22% vs. 44% in control group (Gillham et al., 1995).
71
What does Flow Theory say about happiness at work?
Best experiences happen when skills and challenges are both high (Csikszentmihalyi).
72
Where do people experience “flow” more often—work or leisure?
At work (Csikszentmihalyi & LeFevre, 1989).
73
What is the goal of the Action for Happiness movement?
To create a happier society through positive social change.
74
What did Kubzansky & Thurston (2007) find about emotional vitality?
It’s linked to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
75
What’s one limitation of positive psychology in schools?
Many studies are small-scale or short-term (Spence & Shortt, 2007).
76
What’s a curriculum issue with adding positive psychology?
Other essential subjects may have to be dropped (Financial Times, 2007).
77
Why might positive psychology at work not be revolutionary?
The idea of “love your job” is ancient (e.g., Confucius).
78
What is the correlation between income and happiness?
A modest +0.12 (Diener et al., 1993).
79
Why might flow activities be inaccessible to some people?
Due to lack of time or money.
80
What’s a research issue with programs like Action for Happiness?
Wealthier people may be more involved, making results biased.
81
What’s the challenge of linking happiness and health?
It’s hard to prove cause and effect.
82
What is one major shift in focus offered by the Positive Approach?
It moves away from treating mental illness to celebrating strengths, happiness, and human potential.
83
How does the Positive Approach encourage growth and personal development?
It emphasizes the future and the belief that people can change their lives through free will and motivation.
84
What is a key quote by Martin Seligman about the aim of positive psychology?
"To shift from repairing the worst things in life to building positive qualities."
85
Name two practical applications of the Positive Approach.
Resilience training in the U.S. Army and Positive Psychology Curricula in schools.
86
What does the Positive Approach say about free will?
It believes humans are not victims of their past or biology and can choose to develop their strengths for a better life.
87
Why do critics say the Positive Approach isn’t new?
It builds on ideas from the humanistic movement (e.g., Maslow, Rogers) from the 1950s-60s.
88
How is the Positive Approach different from Humanistic Psychology in method?
It emphasizes scientific methods, while humanistic psychology values qualitative approaches.
89
What’s the problem with measuring happiness scientifically?
Happiness is subjective and hard to define or measure consistently across individuals.
90
How has neuroscience contributed to measuring happiness?
Studies show positive emotions activate the basal ganglia (Wager et al., 2003), but this may not capture the full experience.
91
How does the Positive Approach ignore individual and cultural differences?
It assumes positivity works for everyone, but this may not apply in collectivist cultures or for people like defensive pessimists.
92
Who is Julie Norem and what did she find?
She studied defensive pessimists and found that forcing optimism can worsen their anxiety and performance.

WJEC Psychology (7 decks)

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