Positive Psychology And The Biopsychosocial Model

Lyubomirsky focuses on social psychology and the “development of ‘sustainable’ happiness” (179). She brings the idea of genetics into happiness and different aspects of happiness. She determines that there are three factors to happiness, and she also has a Subjective Happiness Scale to measure happiness. According to Lyubomirsky, the three aspects of happiness are

In “Happiness 101,” Harvard professor Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar presents his ideas pertaining to the achievability of happiness. He begins by discussing how individuals must give themselves permission to be human, so that they can feel the negative feelings before they reach the positive feelings. If negative feelings are held back without release, then they only intensify eventually blocking out the positive feelings. Ben-Shahar continues his presentation to the topic of managing stress on the micro, mezza, and macro levels. These levels include the ideas of meditation, sleep, taking time off, vacations, and the “three deep breaths.” Simplifying agendas and practicing quality over quantity has a positive effect on stress levels as well. At the conclusion of his presentation, Ben-Shahar discusses the positive effect of practicing gratitude on health, happiness, and well-being. After listening to Tal Ben-Shahar’s presentation, I completely agree with every point that Ben-Shahar uses over the topics of giving permission to be human, stress management, and practicing gratitude covered throughout his presentation over happiness.

Often it is very hard for people to look at the brighter side of a situation, especially when there is a disorder like depression involved. Using this technique in a professional setting, the therapist can help the person identify the good side of what might seem like a bad situation. The therapist can accomplish the three main goals of cognitive- behavioral theory while helping with the symptoms of the disorder the person may have. This can also be used in a self-help way to improve the quality of life a person has. Sometimes it is hard to determine what the problems in life are, but if the problems are known the three main goals for the therapist can become the goals of a person who is trying to better their life. Two of the interviewees felt that more people wanted to be around them more and most people do not like being around negativity. Having positive thoughts also caused them to feel more appreciative and confident which can really change the way a person looks at the world. When people are positive and try to look at the brighter side, more people will want to be friends with the positive thinking person because it will also boost others happiness when they are around positive

Even if we use the word “happiness” on daily basis, has anyone ever tried to define it? It’s harder than it seems. When do you feel happy? How is it when you feel happy? Is there any way to understand how much happiness to you experience? This is the main hypothesis of this paper – Can happiness or wellbeing be measured? And if it can be measured, how do we measure it? Happiness is feeling pleasure and enjoyment because of your life, situation (Meriam Webster). Pleasure and enjoyment are very subjective and means different things to different people. This is where the term subjective wellbeing comes from. There are a lot of things that can be included when measuring wellbeing. Various studies have been conducted to assess wellbeing and how does it affect other factors. For example Earlstin(1995) and later on Ferrer-i-Carbonell(2005) have examined the relationship between income and happiness. Gruber(2004) studies the relationship cigarette taxation and happier smokers. Richard, Clark, Gerogellis and Diener(2004) analyze the effect of unemployment on wellbeing.

The journal that I had selected deals with the relationship between health behaviors and happiness. Through the use of cross-sectional survey of 800 randomly selected university students, researchers were able to analyze what it takes for students to remain happy when undergoing many life struggles.

Heffernan and Boniwell (2011) illustrate a number of psychological interventions that an individual can adapt in order to enhance the positive affects they encounter in their lives. In their book Heffernan and boniwell state that the latest and clearest definition of positive psychology interventions comes from the meta-analysis by Sin and Lyumbomirsky, who defined PPI as: “Treatment methods or intentional activities that aim to cultivate positive feelings, behaviours or cognitions…programs, interventions or treatments aimed at fixing, remedying, or healing something that is pathological or deficient – as opposed to building strengths – do not fit the definition of a PPI” (Sin and Lymbomirsky, 2009: 468).

The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.” (Chuck Palahniuk). The first concept I learned is positive psychology, and unexpectedly I have applied this concept throughout my life for the last sixteen years without realizing it until this course. People who employ positive psychology are those who make people happy throughout the course of their life and are optimistic during difficult times to cope with the challenges (Franzoi, 2014, pg. 8). People who incorporate positive psychology into their life have less stress and are tend to be happier and healthier. Positive psychology brings similar effects to positive emotions like happiness and pleasure as clinical psychology that treats depression and anger (Max, 2007).

The term happiness continues to perplex psychologists. With the recent study of positive psychology or the study of happiness, psychologists have unintentionally attached a negative connotation to all other emotions. However, all emotions, even the ones coined as negative, are valuable to humans. An analysis of human emotions proves that feelings of sadness, anger, fear, and happiness are equally beneficial to human development because they allow for a safer and more open mind-set.

According to Seligman (2000), positive psychology is a science that “promises to improve the quality of life” through positive individual traits, experiences and institutions (p.5). Positive psychology plays an essential role and articulates a view of good life, which can show what actions of a person would lead to well-being and into positive individuals (Seligman, 2000, p.5). Seligman formed this focus of positive psychology to study the happiness and well-being of individuals. He believed this exclusive new focus emphasizes attention on individuals’ flourishment and their ability to thrive in their commonalities and institutions. Similar to Seligman, Gable and Haidt (2005) believed that positive psychology takes an aim to study “the other side of the coin”; the ways people express their emotions and build healthy relationship with their families and institutions (p.104-105). According to Linley, Govindji and West (2007), positive psychology has grown into the study of what is right for people, particularly within the topics of strengths and happiness (p.44-45).However the negatives in life are not forgotten it is simply overridden by the focus of what makes people thrive in happiness (Gable & Haidt, 2005, p.104).Therefore the focus of positive psychology alternated from pathology to forward growth of people to be simply defined as the “science of optimal human functioning” (Linley, Govindji and West, 2007

The pursuit of happiness and being free from suffering has always be the ultimate goals of humanity (Dalai Lama, 2008). The emergence of Positive Psychology made it possible for (positive) psychologists to make a major breakthrough in getting closer to this goal. Through the application of Positive Psychology Interventions (PPI), it is now possible to manage levels of well-being, while also diminishing the risk of depressions. Sin and Lyubomirsky (2009) defined PPI as methods or activities other than medical treatment that can improve positive emotions, behaviours, and acknowledgement. A large amount of research with different types PPI activities has been conducted, some meta-analysis journals from these studies (e.g. Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009

First, the brief article ignores affective experience, one of the two facets of SWB discussed by researchers in the journal paper, and only focuses on the other factor: SWL. The professors’ goal of the research is to verify if two types of control are associated with two facets of SWB, and the conclusions they got is that two control devices are associated separately with SWL and affective experience. Disregarding the facet is unforgivable for it has a destructive effect on presenting researchers’ study by cutting off an important part of it, causing the content and direction of the study to be fragmentary. Second, the short article states well-being wrongly and partially as happy and “feel better about life”. The brief article completely skips the discussion around affective experience, which consists of both negative and positive emotional state, but it uses positive emotional state (happiness) to stand for the whole idea of well-being. Third, the description of the study’s method is also incomplete and wrong. The method mentioned by the brief article is merely “14-item questionnaire”. However, three different evaluating procedures of measurement of primary and secondary control, SWL and daily positive and negative effect are explained in the long journal article. To measure primary and secondary control, the professors used 14 questions and asked participants to rate on the

In conclusion, the Good Life is within reach for me and anyone who hopes for it. Positive psychology provides the blueprint on actions and cognitive thinking which will lead me to happiness and balance. The goals I have established through the course and by focusing on: my signature strengths, knowing my motivational method, establishing goals, achieving flow, being healthy, continued cognitive and emotional growth, wisdom, and spirituality, I will meet “my” Good

Analysing previous research investigating CS, it was found that most studies have concentrated on life satisfaction as an indicator of SWB. Review of the literature identified one research study which explored the complex relationship between CS and the two different aspects of SWB and PWB (Hausler, Strecker, Huber, Brenner, Höge & Höfer, 2017). As there is limited research in this area, further research should therefore aim for a more detailed understanding of CS and the relationships with SWB and PWB using a variety of measures. Carlquist, Ulleberg, Delle Fave, Nafstad, & Blakar, (2017) have found that WB is rarely investigated. They sate that many studies are often focused on related concepts of WB. These being, happiness, good life, and satisfaction with life. These concepts are often harder to define and are analysed in many overlapping ways and are also used interchangeably for WB.

At a casual glance, positive psychology looks like the study of happiness. It is more than that. Positive psychology attempts to explain what happiness is. It is a school of psychology that aims to help achieve a positive life, not just focusing on mental illness. It is concerned with the self and group positive emotion, action and interaction. A main focus is to help people with their strengths. If they can focus on their strengths and not just their weaknesses they can become better-rounded. Many schools of psychology only focus on mental illness and disordered behavior to the unfortunate exclusion of optimism. Positive psychology seeks to repair some of the negative connotation that psychology has received over the years.

Some would ask, what is meant by the term Positive Psychology? One idea to explain this term is it is the focus or study of people who use their strengths and good virtues to focus their lives on, and not become bogged down by the negative all around them each day. I was talking with a friend the other day and they were asking me what classes I was taking this term, and when I told her she had this puzzled look on her face. She asked me, “why would you take a class about that, you are a happy person, don’t you know what makes you happy?” I laughed and said yes, but I want to find out more about how others, and more importantly children, see the world and all that life brings and how I can help encourage them to live a happy fuller life, as well as keep my focus clear as well. We all have both good and bad things happen to us and around us in our lives, but it is what you chose to hold on to, and what you chose to let go of, is what makes our life a happy one or just a mear assistance here on the earth.