THE POSITIVE APPROACH-Positive approach assumptions Flashcards
(45 cards)
who was the positive approach in psychology officially introduced by?
Martin Seligman
when did Martin Seligman introduce the positive approach?
towards the end of the 20th century
what’s the primary focus of the positive approach?
the positive aspects of human nature- the good qualities people have and how they can be nurtured
what belief is positive psychology’s approach to understanding human behaviour based on?
people wish to enhance their lives to make them more meaningful and to increase levels of happiness to achieve greater fulfilment
What do many researchers believe psychology has been dominated by the focus of?
pathology- and that a ‘shift’ is needed in order to understand how people may flourish ad individuals.
what is pathology?
understanding mental illness
ASSUMPTION 1: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FREE WILL:
what does this positive approach believe?
humans are in charge of their emotions and have the free will to change how they direct their emotions
for acknowledgement of free will, what is the assumption ?
as humans we are self- directing and adaptive/ that a good life can be experienced if we use our strength and virtues to enhance our lives.
According so Seligman, what is happiness not a result of?
good genes or luck
According to Seligman, what is happiness a result of?
recognizing our own strengths / working on these to make our lives better minimize negativity
what does Martin Seligman’s assumption of acknowledgement of free will stand in contrast to?
other approaches in psychology which have been labelled as determinist
what does determinist mean?
believing that an individual’s behaviour is shaped and controlled by internal and external forces rather than free will.
DETERMINST APPROACH EXAMPLES-
what does the biological approach suggest?
thoughts/ feelings are determined by our physiological make- up ( bodily functions)
what does the psychodynamic approach propose?
childhood experiences determine adult behaviour
what does the behaviourist approach attribute our behaviour to?
influence of environmental stimuli (e.g. noise)
who is the free will assumption supported by the work of?
Ed Diener
what has Ed Diener carried out research into?
why people are happy / the factors that increase well- being / happiness
when did Diener and Seligman carry out research together?
2002
what did Diener and Seligman’s research look at ?
the ties that students had to friends/ family measured in terms of amount of time they invested in these relationships
what did Diener and Seligman’s research find out
students who has the strongest ties to friends/ family were happier / there was a negative correlation between level of happiness and depression
What do the results of Diener and Seligman’s research highlight?
we are in control of our happiness in that we can choose to engage in activities that are known to make us happy which alleviate feelings of low mood
ASSUMPTION 2 : AUTHENCICITY OF GOODNESS AND EXCELLENCE
What does this assumption state?
feelings of happiness and goodness are as natural as feelings of anxiety and stress/ therefore psychologists need to assign these positive states of mind equal attention
According to Seligman (2002), what belief has been an obstacle in psychological research?
that traits such as virtues/ happiness are less authentic (actual) than negative traits and states (e.g. anxiety and depression)
Seligman believes we have ‘signature strengths’. what are these?
inherent (built-in) traits such as kindness, generosity and humour.
