4. Positive psychology
“Positive psychology is the scientific study of
human strengths and virtues.”
According to MARTIN Seligman—who is seen as
the founding father of positive psychology—the
positive psychology movement can be described
as:
“The study of what constitutes the pleasant life,
the engaged life, and the meaningful life.”
5. Positive psychology
“Positive psychology is the scientific and applied
approach to uncovering people’s strengths and
promoting their positive functioning” (Hugo
Alberts).
Or:
“Positive psychology studies what is going right
with the human mind and behaviour and how to
foster these types of wellbeing on both the macro-,
group-, and individual-level”
6. What are the Three Levels of Positive
Psychology?
Subjective level: the subjective level centers around
feelings of happiness, well-being, optimism, and similar
emotions or feelings as they relate to your daily
experience.
Individual level: the individual level combines the
subjective level feelings of well-being with the qualities
or virtues that make you a well-rounded person, such as
forgiveness, love, and courage.
Group level: the group level focuses on positive
interaction with your community, and includes traits
like altruism, social responsibility, and other virtues that
strengthen social bonds.
7. Positive Psychology and the PERMA Model
PERMA is an acronym for the five elements of
well-being, and it has become a widely recognized
model in the field of positive psychology.
P – Positive emotions:
Experiencing positive emotions has a major
impact on boosting well-being. Positive emotions
may spring from fostering gratitude and
forgiveness about past events, enjoying oneself in
the moment, and being optimistic about the future.
8. E – Engagement
To enhance your well-being, it is also important to
develop a sense of engagement. You can do this by
completely absorbing yourself while doing
something you enjoy and excel at. This sense of
engagement produces an experience known as
‘flow’, a sensation you have when your skills are
sufficient for a particular challenge with a
particular goal in mind. The concept of “flow” was
coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, a leading figure
in the field of positive psychology.
9. R – Relationships:
R – Relationships:
As social beings, individuals often rely on
building connections with other people to thrive,
and the support we derive from these
connections can give life purpose and meaning.
10. M – Meaning:
Experiencing positive emotions alone is not
enough to lead a happy life. Seligman suggests
that finding meaning is the highest form of
happiness. Meaning can be achieved by applying
your personal strengths to the service of
something larger than you — like a social cause
— a substantial contribution to a community
you’re a part of, or a charitable duty.
11. A – Accomplishment:
There is no doubt that when we achieve our
goals and succeed, we feel a sense of fulfillment.
If the drive to accomplish these goals doesn’t
exist, a true sense of well-being is difficult to
attain.
