Positive Psychology
Learn about Seligman, Csikszentmihalyi, Sternberg, Howard Gardner, Goleman & Edward de Bono.
Research signature strengths, flow, optimism, emotional intelligence, hope, happiness, creativity, well-being, love triangle, wisdom, luck, positive relationships and decision-making.
Positive Psychology Glossary. Positive Psychology Toolkit. Positive Psychology recommended reading and links.
This Thursday evening we start another exploration of the exciting new subject of Positive Psychology and it would be great to have you join us.
Tim LeBon says "If you buy one book on positive psychology make it Positive Psychology in a Nutshell." |
"Positive Psychology
is
concerned with the enhancement of happiness and well-being, involving
the
scientific study of the role of personal strengths and positive social
systems
in the promotion of optimal well-being." (Alan Carr).
A Positive Psychology Glossary
Thinking
that brings together information focussed on solving a problem
(especially solving problems that have a single correct solution) |
|
Creativity
|
The
capacity to produce work that is both novel and useful” |
Divergent
thinking |
Thinking
that moves away in diverging directions so as to involve a variety of
aspects and which sometimes lead to novel ideas and solutions;
associated with creativity |
Duchenne
smile |
A genuine smile, associated with better
marriages and life satisfaction (cf Pan Am Smile) |
Emotional
intelligence |
The
capacity to reason with emotion in four areas: to perceive emotion, to
integrate it in thought, to understand it and to manage it. (Salovey
and Mayer) |
Eudaimonia |
Life going well by an objective
standard (Aristotle) |
Flow
|
An
optimal experience characterized by a distorted sense of time ,loss of
self-consciousness, Concentration and highly focused
attention and a sense of serenity |
Hope
|
The
overall perception that one's goals can be met. |
Lateral
Thinking |
Edward
de Bono’s term for looking at things from a fresh, sideways
perspective |
Luck |
The
impact of chance opportunities, lucky breaks and being in the right
place at the right time. |
Multiple
intelligences |
Howard Gardner’s theory that there
are 7 different sorts of intelligence:- Visual/Spatial
,Verbal/Linguistic ,
Logical/Mathematical
,Bodily/Kinesthetic , Musical/Rhythmic ,Interpersonal &
Intrapersonal Intelligence |
Optimism |
a)
Expectation of good things (personality trait) b)
Explaining things positively (explanatory style) |
Positive
Psychology |
The
scientific study of the role of personal strengths and
positive social systems in the promotion of optimal
well-being |
Signature
strength |
Seligman’s
term for personal strengths
of character. For 6 virtues- wisdom and knowledge, transcendence,
temperance, justice, love and courage – there are 3-5
strengths eg. The virtue of love is broken down into the three
qualities of intimacy, kindness and social intelligence. |
Sternberg’s
love triangle |
Various
combinations of intimacy, passion and commitment lead to 7 types of
relationship, the most desirable of which is consummate love (all 3) |
Subjective
well-being |
How people evaluate their lives, including life
satisfaction and marital satisfaction, lack of depression and anxiety,
and positive moods and emotions |
Wallas’s
4 stages of creative problem-solving |
1.Preparation
2.Incubation 3. Illumination 4.Verification |
Wisdom |
The
pinnacle of insight into the human condition and about the means and
ends of a good life |
A Positive Psychology Toolkit
Desired Outcome |
Method |
Change |
Prochaska
et
al’s 6 stages of change model |
Creativity |
Find
an environment
with psychological safety, peacefulness, Avoid Distractions &
time pressures |
Creativity/Problem-Solving |
Brainstorming |
Creativity/Problem-Solving |
Lateral
Thinking |
Decision-Making |
Delphi
Method |
Decision-Making |
Progress
–
see http://www.decision-making.co.uk |
Decision-Making |
Avoid
the following
traps:-
|
Emotional
Intelligence |
Develop
the 5
abilities of emotional intelligence 1.
Be self-aware
2.
Manage difficult emotions, such as anxiety, anger and sadness 3.
Motivate yourself – develop self-control, reward yourself and
create flow. 4.Recognise
emotion in others
Watch
body language and be empathic
5.Handle
relationships well
|
Flow/Happiness |
Find
flow by engaging
in activities (leisure and work) which are intrinsically motivating,
have clear goals, immediate feedback, require the right level of skill
and have a chance of completion. |
Happiness |
Fordyce
Happiness Training Programme |
Happiness |
Seligman’s
Gratitude journal |
Happiness,
Flow |
Exercising
signature
strengths |
Happiness,Positive
relationships |
Give
priority to close
relationships |
Happiness,
Relationships |
Perform
acts of
kindness and altruism |
Hope |
Design
specific goals Create
pathways to achieve them Work
on motivation even in the face of blockages |
Luck |
|
Mindfulness/Positive
self |
Levine’s
body, mind and thought mindfulness |
Optimism,
Creativity,
Relationships |
Cultivate
an
optimistic explanatory style Become
aware of your explanatory style. See
good things as permanent, global and
internal
See
Bad things as temporary, specific and external |
Problem-Solving |
PMI
(Plus, Minus,
Interesting) |
Problem-solving |
Random
word Technique |
Problem-solving |
Po
technique |
Relationships |
Identify
and feedback
Partners signature strengths |
Relationships |
Various
guidelines for
relationships (Sternberg, Gottman, Seligman) |
Self-esteem |
Branden’s
6
pillars of self-esteem |
Self-esteem,
change |
Affirmations |
A Positive Psychology Reading List
Argyle,M.
The Psychology of Happiness (London: Routledge,
2001)
Aristotle
Nicomachean Ethics
Aspinall,L.
& Staudinger, U. A Psychology of Human Strengths (Washington,
APA,
2003)
Barr-On,
R & Parker, J (2000) The Handbook of Emotional
Intelligence (Jossey-Bass)
Benson,
H. (1975)The Relaxation Response (New
York: William Morrow)
Bolt,
M Pursuing
Human Strengths: A Positive Psychology Guide
Branden,
N. The Six Pillars of self-esteem
Buzan,
T (2000) The Mind Map Book London:BBC
Buzan,
T (2000) UseYour Head London:BBC
Csikszentmihalyi ,
M. Flow: The Psychology of optimal experience
(1990)
Csikszentmihalyi .
M. Finding Flow (1997)
Clegg,
B & Birch, P (1999) Instant
Creativity Kogan Page
Compton W,C. Introduction to Positive
Psychology
de Bono, E. (1982) de Bono's Thinking Course. London:
BBC Books
de Bono, E . (2000) Six Thinking Hats. London:
Penguin
Epstein,S
(1998) Constructive Thinking: The Key to Emotional
Intelligence (Westport,
Praeger)
Eysenck,
M (1990) Happiness (L.E.A)
Fromm,
E The Art
of Loving
Gelb,
M (2004) How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci
Element Books
Gillham,
J The Science of Optimism and Hope Philadelphia,
PA: Templeton Foundation Press (2000)
Goleman,
D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than
IQ New York:
Bantam
Goleman,
D. (1998) Working with Emotional Intelligence: Bantam
Gottmann, J. & Silver, N. The
Seven
Principles for Making Marriage Work
Gray,
J Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (Harper
Collins, 2002)
Harris,
R. (1998) Creative Thinking Techniques
Keyes,
C and Haidt , J (ed) Flourishing:
Positive
Psychology and the Life Well-Lived
Levine,
M. The
Positive Psychology of Buddhism & Yoga (LEA, 2000)
Levinson,
D. Season’s of a Man’s Life (New
York: Ballantine, 1986)
Linley
P. & Joseph,S Positive Psychology in Practice
Wiley (2004)
Shane
J. Lopez (Editor), C.R. Snyder (Editor) Positive
Psychological
Assessment: A Handbook of Models and Measures
Maslow, A. Motivation and Personality (Longman,
1987)
Myers,
D.M. The Pursuit of Happiness (New York: Morrow,
1992)
Osborn,
A. (1953) Applied
Imagination. New York: Scribners
Peterson,
C & Seligman, M Character
Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification
Pervin, L & John, O. Handbook of Personality.
New York:
Guilford.
Rawlinson,
J. (1986) Creative Thinking and
Brainstorming. London: Gower
Russell,
B. The Conquest of Happiness
Scott
Peck, M. The Road Less Travelled
Seligman,
M Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and
Your Life New York: Pocket Books
Snyder,
C.R (2000) Handbook of Hope. Orlando FL:
Academic Press
Snyder,
C.R . & Lopez, S (2002) Handbook of Positive
Psychology. New York: OUP
Sternberg,
R (1999) Handbook of Creativity Cambridge, UK
Vaillant,
G.E. Adaption to Life (Harvard University Press,
1995)
Wiseman,
R. The Luck Factor (Arrow, 2004)
Positive Psychology On the Web
Recommended
Links
Martin
Seligman’s Authentic
Happiness
site including Signature
Strengths survey
Journal
of Happiness Studies
(free content here)
Positive
Psychology quotations
(Talent Development Resources) and resources
Ed Deiner’s
site
World
Database of
Happiness (Continuous register of scientific research on
subjective
appreciation of life)
How
to be
Happy (Guardian November 19th 2003)
Interview
with Martin Seligman
HAPPINESS
http://www.myhappiness.com/
**
Daedalus - How not to buy
happiness
Tim LeBon's one-stop Happiness page
CREATIVITY
http://www.virtualsalt.com/crebook1.htm
***
http://cms.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-19920301-000031.html
**
http://www.mindtools.com/brainstm.html
http://thinksmart.com/mission/workout/creative_person.html
http://tip.psychology.org/create.html
http://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/psy444.htm
http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2001/02/022101_leonardo.jhtml
http://rinkworks.com/brainfood/latreal.shtml
Tony
Buzan Online site which includes downloadable software, free
videos on how to Mind Map, and soon a Mind Mapping forum and Tony Buzan
blog.
FLOW
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1175/is_n4_v30/ai_19571454
***
http://www.psychwww.com/mtsite/achflow.html
**
http://talentdevelop.com/Page8.html
http://www.unrealities.com/essays/flow.htm
http://psychology.about.com/od/shclassic/a/aa50shclassic15.htm
http://www.educationreformbooks.net/flow.htm
Tim
LeBon's one
stop Flow page
SELIGMAN
http://www.authentichappiness.com ***
http://www.positivepsychology.org/
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/seligman04/seligman_index.html
http://www.eqtoday.com/optimism/seligman.html
http://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/interviews_seligman.htm
Tim
LeBon's critique
of Authentic Happiness
HOPE
http://www.psych.ku.edu/faculty/rsnyder/adults.htm
OPTIMISM
http://www.stanford.edu/class/msande271/onlinetools/LearnedOpt.html
http://www.thinkarete.com/wisdom/works/notes/1429/
http://www.noogenesis.com/malama/discouragement/helplessness.html
http://www.wilsonbanwell.com/articles/emotional_health/about_optimism.htm
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/myth/000707pollyanna.html
http://www.selfgrowth.com/freenews/newsletter45.html
http://www.webmomz.com/SelfCare/selfcare_Empowerment_6-Happiness-Tips.shtml
http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Bit-of-Pollyanna&id=5857
HOWARD GARDNER
http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/KeyTheorists/Gardner.htm
MASLOW
http://www.westga.edu/~psydept/os2/papers/serlin2.htm
http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/maslow.html
http://web.utk.edu/~gwynne/maslow.HTM
http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/KeyTheorists/Maslow.htm
Tim LeBon's
one-stop Maslow
site
SELF-ESTEEM
http://www.nathanielbranden.com/fs/new.html
***
http://www.selfgrowth.com/esteem.html
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/regsys/self.html
http://cms.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-19991101-000033.html
http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/~epritch1/social98b.html
http://www.more-selfesteem.com/articles.htm
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
http://cms.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20000701-000035.html
**
http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/KeyTheorists/Sternberg.htm
http://www.mhhe.com/hper/health/personalhealth/labs/love/activ6-2.html
EMOTIONS AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
The Emotional
Competency website helps people explore the logic of passion.
See: http://www.emotionalcompetency.com/
http://www.mapnp.org/library/prsn_prd/decision.htm
http://www.decision-making.co.uk
http://www.carolla.com/wp-delph.htm
LUCK
http://www.luckfactor.co.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/thematerialworld_20031016.shtml
Sign up today for Tim's popular course on positive psychology at City University
To sign up, visit
http://www.city.ac.uk/cae/cfa/business/coaching_business_skills/positive_psychology.html
Book a consultation with Tim today - life coaching and psychotherapy withthe insights of Positive Psychology
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a good read: Buy Wise
Therapy by Tim LeBon
©Tim LeBon 2009
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philosophy & psychology at Tim
LeBon’s site