happiness and wellbeing in positive psychology

positive psychological strength and qualities

1. Positive and Negative Emotions Subhadarshini Bariha

2. Potentialities of Positive Emotions Dr. Isen found that, when experiencing mild positive emotions, we are more likely 1. to help other people ( Isen , 1987); 2. to be flexible in our thinking (Ashby, Isen , & Turken , 1999); 3. to come up with solutions to our problems ( Isen , Daubman , & Nowicki , 1987); and 4. to be more willing to exhibit self-control ( Pyone & Isen , 2011).

3. Positive Affectivity Positive affectivity is correlated with the personality trait extraversion and Positive affectivity is associated with greater job satisfaction and marital satisfaction. The relationship between these variables is probably complex and bi-directional, with positive affectivity causing people to enjoy their jobs and relationships more and being happy in work and love increasing positive affectivity. Low positive affectivity is associated with a wide range of psychological disorders.

4. Positive affectivity is associated with regular physical activity; adequate sleep; regular socialising with close friends; and striving for valued goals (rather than attaining them). So positive affectivity may probably be enhanced through engaging in regular physical exercise; maintaining a regular and adequate pattern of sleeping; making and maintaining strong friendships and socialising frequently with the supportive friends; and through working towards personally valued goals (Watson, 2002).

5. Negative affectivity is correlated with the trait neuroticism. Negative affectivity (like the personality trait, neuroticism) is one aspect of the avoidance-oriented behavioural inhibition system. The function of this system is to instigate avoidance- behaviour and inhibit approach- behaviour to keep the organism away from situations that may entail danger, pain or punishment. Positive affectivity in contrast is part of the behavioural facilitation system (like the personality trait—extraversion) which orients the organism toward potentially rewarding situations that may yield pleasure.

6. Distinguishing the Positive and the Negative Can we experience negative affect and positive affect at the same time? Positive as opposed to inverse correlations are found between positive and negative affect in many Eastern groups , namely in Asian samples (Spencer-Rodgers, Peng , & Wang, 2010). This ability to feel and think dialectically about events in one’s life can be labeled a strength in Asian cultures. It may be that this emotional complexity allows Asians to have a greater level of social intelligence , which is of course beneficial in a collectivist society (Spencer-Rodgers et al., 2010).

7. Happiness and Subjective Well-being

8. Psychology had focused more on bringing individuals from a negative state to a normal state of functioning. The study of happiness has long been under the purview of philosophical speculation. With the rise of positive psychology, researchers had ventured out into studying happiness and wellbeing. The development of reliable and valid measures of questionnaires of happiness has made significant evolution of the knowledge in the field.

9. Subjective well-being Subjective well-being involves the subjective evaluation of one’s current status in the world. Prof. Ed Diener defines subjective well-being as a combination of positive affect and general life satisfaction.

10. Ruut Veenhoven’s Model of Happiness Ruut Veenhoven is a Dutch sociologist and a pioneer in the scientific study of happiness. He explained happiness using the concept of qualities of life and life satisfaction .

11. Qualities of life concepts can be sorted using two distinctions: Chances vs Outcomes : Life chances are the oppurtinities that we get in life and outcomes are actualization of those potentials and oppurtinities . Outer vs Inner Qualities of Life : Outer qualities refer to the aspects of the environment and inner qualities refers to the qualities of the person

12. Four Qualities Of Life Outer Qualities Inner Qualities Life Chances Livability of environment Life-ability of the person Life Results Utility of Life Satisfaction with Life

13. According to Ruut , life satisfaction is the most appropriate concept to understand happiness as it reflects the degree to which external living conditions ‘fit’ with inner life-abilities.

14. Four kind of Satisfaction Passing Enduring Part of Life Pleasure Part-satisfaction Life as a Whole Top-experience Life Satisfaction

15. Enduring satisfaction with your life as a whole is called life satisfaction and also commonly referred to as ‘ happiness’. Life satisfaction is most appropriate as a policy goal. Enduring satisfaction is clearly more valuable than passing satisfactions and satisfaction with life as a whole is of more worth than mere part satisfaction ( Veenhoven , 2000)

16. What makes us happy? Do we really become happier when our wishes become true? Can we predict what will make us happy in future?

17. Affective Forecasting Affective forecasting include predictions about emotional reactions to future events. Research has shown that people generally mispredict how much pleasure or displeasure a future event will bring (Wilson & Gilbert, 2005). Generally people are good at predicting whether future events are likely to be pleasant or unpleasant. However, they are not good at predicting the duration and intensity of their future emotional reactions (Wilson & Gilbert, 2005)

18. Impact Bias Impact Bias is the error people make by overestimating the intensity and duration of their emotional reactions to future events (Wilson & Gilbert, 2005). Occasionally people underestimate and more commonly overestimate the intensity and duration of their emotional reaction to future events. This happens for both positive and negative emotions.

19. Sustainable Happiness Model Lyubomirsky , Sheldon, and Schkade (2005) proposed a sustainable model of happiness. They proposed three major determinants of causal factors of happiness: genetic set point, life circumstances, and intentional activities.

20. Based on the past research, they proposed approximate percentages of contribution each factor makes in our life. Existing evidence indicate that approximate 50% variance in happiness is accounted by genetic set-point, about 10% by life circumstances ( Diener et al., 1999) and they proposed remaining 40% can be accounted by intentional activities.

21. Set-point Set point is genetically determined and assumed to be fixed, stable over time and immune to the influence of control ( Lyubomirsky et al. 2005) Evidence from twin studies and personality traits provide support for this stable component of happiness.

22. Life Circumstances Life circumstances are the secure and stable elements of a person’s life, that is incidental but relatively stable facts of an individual’s life. The circumstances that most consistently predict high SWB are: -being married -religious -employed -healthy -sufficiently wealthy to meet basic needs

23. Intentional Activities Intentional activities are effortful actions or practices that include the variety of things people think and do ( Lyubomirsky et al. 2011)

24. PERMA+ MODEL Seligman (2012) selected five components that people pursue because they are intrinsically motivating and they contribute to wellbeing. These elements are pursued for their own sake and are defined and measured independently of each other (Seligman, 2012). Additionally, the five components include both eudaimonic and hedonic components, setting this apart from other theories of wellbeing.

25. Positive Emotion Positive emotion is much more than mere happiness. Positive emotions include hope, interest, joy, love, compassion, pride, amusement, and gratitude. Positive emotions are a prime indicator of flourishing, and they can be cultivated or learned to improve wellbeing (Fredrickson, 2001). When individuals can explore, savor,  and integrate positive emotions into daily life, it improves habitual thinking and acting. Positive emotions can undo the harmful effects of negative emotions and promote resilience ( Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004).

26. Engagement According to Seligman (2012), engagement is “being one with the music.” It is in line with Csikszentmihalyi’s (1989) concept of “flow.” Flow, or this concept of engagement, occurs when the perfect combination of challenge and skill/strength is found ( Csikszentmihalyi & LeFevre , 1989). People are more likely to experience flow when they use their top character strength. Research on engagement has found that individuals who try to use their strengths in new ways each day for a week were happier and less depressed after six months (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005). The concept of engagement is something much more powerful than simply “being happy,” but happiness is one of the many byproducts of engagement.

27. Relationship Relationships in the PERMA model refer to feeling supported, loved, and valued by others. Relationships are included in the model based on the idea that humans are inherently social creatures (Seligman, 2012). There is evidence of this everywhere, but social connections become particularly important as we age. The social environment has been found to play a critical role in preventing cognitive decline, and strong social networks contribute to better physical health among older adults ( Siedlecki et al., 2014). Many people have a goal of improving relationships with those they are closest to. Research has demonstrated that sharing good news or celebrating success fosters strong bonds and better relationships ( Siedlecki et al., 2014). Additionally, responding enthusiastically to others, particularly in close or intimate relationships, increases intimacy, wellbeing, and satisfaction.

28. Meaning Another intrinsic human quality is the search for meaning and the need to have a sense of value and worth. Seligman (2012) discussed meaning as belonging and/or serving something greater than ourselves. Having a  purpose in life helps individuals focus on what is really important in the face of significant challenge or adversity. Having meaning or purpose in life is different for everyone. Meaning may be pursued through a profession, a social or political cause, a creative endeavor, or a religious/spiritual belief. It may be found in a career or through extracurricular, volunteer, or community activities. A sense of meaning is guided by personal values, and people who report having purpose in life live longer and have greater  life satisfaction and fewer health problems ( Kashdan et al., 2009)

29. Accomplishments/Achievements Accomplishment in PERMA is also known as achievement, mastery, or competence. A sense of accomplishment is a result of working toward and reaching goals, mastering an endeavor, and having self-motivation to finish what you set out to do. This contributes to wellbeing because individuals can look at their lives with a sense of pride (Seligman, 2012). Accomplishment includes the concepts of perseverance and having a passion to attain goals. But flourishing and wellbeing come when accomplishment is tied to striving toward things with an internal motivation or working toward something just for the sake of the pursuit and improvement (Quinn, 2018). Achieving intrinsic goals (such as growth and connection) leads to larger gains in wellbeing than external goals such as money or fame (Seligman, 2013).

30. The Plus (+) in PERMA Yet happiness goes beyond just these five elements, and the + can include other important areas we well, such as optimism, nutrition, physical activity and sleep. These are areas equally important to mental wellbeing.

31. Ways to build positive emotion Spend time with people you care about ( Kok et al., 2013). Do hobbies and creative activities that you enjoy (Conner et al., 2018). Listen to uplifting or inspirational music ( Juslin & Sakka , 2019). Reflect on things you are grateful for and what is going well in your life (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).

32. Ways to increase engagement Participate in activities that you really love, where you lose track of time when you do them ( Bonaiuto et al., 2016). Practice living in the moment, even during daily activities or mundane tasks ( Belitz & Lundstrom , 1998). Spend time in nature, watching, listening, and observing what happens around you (Petersen et al., 2021). Identify and learn about your character strengths, and do things that you excel at (Lai et al., 2018 ).

33. How to build relationships Join a class or group that interests you. Ask questions of the people you don’t know well to find out more about them. Create friendships with people you are acquainted with. Get in touch with people you have not spoken to or connected with in a while

34. Ways to build meaning Get involved in a cause or organization that matters to you (Tang et al., 2022). Try new, creative activities to find things you connect with. Think about how you can use your passions to help others. Spend quality time with people you care about.

35. Ways to build accomplishment Set goals that are SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound ( Falecki et al., 2018). Reflect on past successes. Look for creative ways to celebrate your achievements

36. We all want to experience a higher level of wellbeing and “flourish” in life. The PERMA+ model is an evidence-based approach to improve “happiness” and decrease anxiety, depression, and stress. Many activities can be used to systematically increase positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement (PERMA). The good thing is that the areas of PERMA can be mutually exclusive, but in most ways, they are not. For example, by using mindfulness exercises to increase engagement, one will probably also experience more positive emotion and meaning in life

37. The goal of positive psychology in well being theory is to increase the amount of flourishing in your own life and on the planet. As per Seligman creating PERMA persons will lead to a planet of individuals with higher well being .