Positive Psychology Core Assessment - Research Paper Example

Positive Psychology Core Assessment Abstract The aim of this study is manifold. Not only do we seek cursory knowledge of Positive Psychology as a distinct school of thought but we also go on to review contemporary research to develop a modern understing of human psychological well-being. Furthermore, we assess our individual understanding about how we operate as individuals and attempt to constructively apply what we learn in real life settings. The goal is systemic process of empirical research, self-evaluation, and proactive implementation of knowledge we gain. What we find is that by pinpointing individual differences a person may apply some of the understanding gained by empirical research for a more satisfying life. Introduction How we think may be the single most influential factor in our overall satisfaction with life. Here, we investigate studies in Positive Psychology to help us develop a framework understanding that might be applied in daily life. In doing, we examine the history, intent and scope of positive psychology. We also analyze and evaluate details of current research to coalesce core concepts into a working model from which to design a loosely constructed life experiment. Furthermore, we assess our own well-being, strengths and limitations to help develop a method to implement. Last, we evaluate the effectiveness of these practices in our daily life. Background First, we briefly examine the history, intent and scope of positive psychology as a school of thought. Positive Psychology developed as a polemic alterative to disease model psychology. Instead of asking questions about what makes people sick, it asks questions about what makes people well. Some major principles of Positive Psychology focus on our attitudes. Certain types of experience help people feel better about their lives (King & Hicks 2009). How we think profoundly impacts how we feel and, thus, how we experience the world. How we experience the world profoundly impacts how we respond to it. Our responses to our experiences influence our environment. The resultant reality influences how we feel which helps shape our attitudes. This cycle of environmental stimuli, emotional processes, cognitive functions, and attitudinal responses is most readily intervened at the level of individual thought processes. Certain individual differences characterize a person’s social effectiveness (King & Hicks 2009). As such, particular social conditions influence both individual experiences as well as potential interpersonal effectiveness (King & Hicks 2009). For example, no matter how positive our attitudes may be, they may never be powerful enough to effect even the slightest change in someone bent on negativity. Positive Psychology seeks to maximize positive social change through individual satisfaction. Nevertheless, clear cause and effect relationships are nearly impossible to delineate in modern psychology research. The prevailing view is that there is some interactivity between feeling good, thinking well, and doing well. Literature Review Next, we analyze and evaluate details of current research to coalesce the concepts into a working model. Researchers found that the stronger a persons feelings of satisfaction, the lower they score on a materialism scale (Lamberta, Fincham, Stillman & Dean 2009). It was shown that personal fulfillment is the difference between feelings of gratitude and materialism as well as a measure of jealousy (Lamberta, Fincham, and Stillman & Dean 2009). When we are less focused on physical gratification and cultivate an attitude of being thankful for what we have, we feel better. Most people can probably experience hedonistic pleasure to some satisfaction. One study found about half the people sampled experienced profound satisfaction from external stimuli alone, but less than a quarter experienced profound satisfactions from both internal and external stimuli (Keyes & Annas 2009). Significantly fewer people experience both hedonistic and altruistic pleasure. These are individuals who were shown to be mentally robust on standardized tests (Keyes & Annas 2009). Some only seem to experience a high degree of hedonistic pleasure. Less than a third experienced quarter experienced profound satisfaction from external and only moderate satisfaction from internal stimuli (Keyes & Annas 2009). These individuals were twice as likely to score as mentally ill (Keyes & Annas 2009). So these individual differences seem to be indicators of one’s level of mental health. There is also a developmental perspective to consider. Healthy life experience differs across age groups. Children in Afghanistan exhibited more positive affect when playing socially than those who were playing alone (Warren, Z., Etcoff, N., Wood, B., Taylor, C. and Marc, C. D. 2009). Furthermore, the greater the number of playmates there were in a group, the greater the average frequency of positive affect (Warren, Z., Etcoff, N., Wood, B., Taylor, C. and Marc, C. D. 2009). It seems kids who play together in larger groups are more likely to enjoy their play time. Perhaps this is related to how they learn adjust to the demands of implied social order. A longitudinal study of preschool aged children found that positive empathy correlates with sympathy and social competence (Sallquist, Eisenberg, Spinrad, and Eggum & Gaertner 2009). This trend of social consciousness becomes more sophisticated as people become older. Developmental maturity is associated with positive character traits such as the caring, dependability and principled idealism that manifest objective moral behavior which, in turn, feelings of meaning and purpose in one’s life (Reimera, Goudelock & Walker 2009). People who believe in the cause of humanity seem to enjoy better function as a result of enhance mental states. An Internet study of emerging adulthood, young adulthood, middle-age adulthood, and older adulthood revealed people that people in the first two groups were more likely to describe themselves as in searching meaning in their lives, while those in last two groups actually experienced more meaningful lives (Sieger, Oishi & Kashdan 2009). Perhaps, one way of finding meaning is to proactively participate in the larger human family. The experience of a meaningful life correlated to well-being in all groups, but those in search of meaningful lives in the last two groups were more likely to report feelings of dissatisfaction with life (Sieger, Oishi & Kashdan 2009). That means that although finding meaning in life is helpful to positive life experiences across age groups, if one is still searching for meaning in life at a later age, it is associated with a sense of discontent. How do these differences correlate with the play environments these adults experienced while they were children? After all, optimally satisfying experiences are more readily manifested in social settings than in individual settings (Walker 2010). Social realities notwithstanding, how we see the world impacts how we feel about it. The perceived meaningfulness of unimportant events does not seem to have a major effect on one’s overall sense of well being; However, perceived meaninglessness in important events is associate with a significantly lower sense of overall well being, and perceived meaningfulness of important events is associated with a significantly higher sense of overall well being (King & Hicks 2009). That means we should spend our energy to find meaning in the more profound events in life and less on mundane tasks. Actively acquired meaningfulness occurs more frequently in response to negative events, and passively acquired meaningfulness occurs more frequently in positive events (King & Hicks 2009). As such, it is also important for us to seek pleasurable activities and events. Still, so-called guilty pleasures are only subset of what may constitute a more temporally stable sense of satisfaction in life. It is noteworthy to mention that in all of these studies part of what is measured is the most recent evaluation of events. The participants were temporally removed from the events in question by an indeterminate degree. As such, some emotive and cognitive processing had already occurred, and this directly influences the responses. It is reasonable to assume that responses to the same questions immediately following a given event could be significantly different from those acquired at a later time. Despite these limitations, researchers and practitioners can extract relevant information with which to effect methodical improvements. Self Assessment Furthermore, we conduct a cursory self-assessment based on our own well-being, strengths and limitations. Instead of working smart, I often find myself working hard. That is, I do not always exercise such mastery that my resources are not wasted on a law of diminishing returns. This seems to an over tenacious drive within me. This self-knowledge combined with what I have learned about Positive Psychology has proffered a two-pronged strategy to improving my overall well being. One strategy will include training to engage in stress reduction strategies such as more effective time management as well as mindfulness mediation. My hope is that greater effectiveness in me will bring a deeper sense of personal satisfaction and contribute a more positive vibe to my immediate environment. Researchers found that core mindfulness training helped reduce anxiety and other psychological symptoms in people who experienced them as well as increased a sense of wellness, self-care, and resilience (Orzech, Shapiro, Brown, & McKay 2009). Simple meditative practices enhance our ability to actively participate in our own wellness. Furthermore, it can augment our already salient talents. A group of students who underwent a Hardiness Training Group showed a significantly higher GPA that lasted two years compared to a control group (Maddi, Harvey, Khoshaba, Fazel, & Resurreccion 2009). The other strategy is to more openly engage in the cultural pleasures in life which for me means setting aside time to socialize within the community at large. It seems that throughout the lifespan social consciousness is coupled with a sense of personal satisfaction. The overall point is that we can train ourselves to function better by implementing simple practices. Life Experiment Here, I describe my goals and plans for applying the information from the course in the future. I include in my discussion how these goals and plans will build strengths in a multicultural environment. Students who excel tend to be those have a fulfilling inner life as demonstrated in mastery over their abilities (Howell 2009). As I practices mindfulness exercises and more consciously seek social flow, I have native certain changes in my attitude and the attitudes of people around me. A positive mental attitude is a highly correlated with a sense of well-being (Gallagher & Lopez 2009). Mindfulness exercises help me to be more centered, more often, and this is reflected in a lower interpersonal anxiety. A cultivated sense of gratitude is related to a sense transcendent meaning in one’s life (Lambert, Graham, Fincham & Stillman 2009). In terms of multicultural realities, it is the difference between complaining that too many people are too different and being thankful that we have a wide range of human experience which to appreciate. As a self-described workaholic, I also have specific plans this coming weekend to enjoy the festivities of the populace. Although I am low on money, my general attitude is improved at the thought of engaging fully in grand social activities just for their own sake. I believe this improved positive outlook is bleeding over to those around me. Although they are engaged in their own individual challenges, the simple air of hopefulness mitigates stress responses in everyone. I am interested to see if this snowballs into lasting positive change in my environment. Conclusion Here, we have investigated studies in Positive Psychology to develop a framework understanding to apply in daily life. In doing, we examined the history, intent & scope of positive psychology as a school of thought. We also analyzed & evaluated details of current research to synthesize a working model. Furthermore, we assessed our own well-being, strengths and limitations to help develop a method to implement. Last, we evaluated the effects of these practices in our daily life. What we found attests to the power of positive thinking & the prudence of cultivating a positive attitude. Likewise, it also attests to the fact that we are influence by our environment to some degree, and social realities in some contexts are more conducive to positive thoughts and attitudes than others. In the end, such profound influences on reality may only be differential perceptions due to a more optimistic mindset. Even so, it is worthwhile to walk through life with a half-grin rather than a half-frown if the circumstances will nevertheless be the same. References Gallagher, M. W. & Lopez, S. L. (2009). Positive expectancies and mental health: Identifying the unique contributions of hope and optimism. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(6), 548-556. Howell, A. J. (2009). Flourishing: Achievement-related correlates of students' well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(1), 11-13. Keyes C. L. M. & Annas, J. (2009). Feeling good and functioning well: distinctive concepts in ancient philosophy and contemporary science. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(3), 197-201. King, L. A. & Hicks, J. A. (2009). Detecting & constructing meaning in life events. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4 (5), 317-330. Lambert, N. M., Graham, S. M., Fincham, F. D. & Stillman, T. F. (2009). A changed perspective: How gratitude can affect sense of coherence through positive reframing. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4 (6), 461-470. Lamberta, N. M., Fincham, F. D., Stillman, T. F. & Dean, L. R. (2009). More gratitude, less materialism: The mediating role of life satisfaction. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4 (1), 32-42. Maddi, S. R., Harvey, R. H., Khoshaba, D. M., Fazel, M. & Resurreccion, N. (2009). Hardiness training facilitates performance in college. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(6), 566-577. Orzech, K. M., Shapiro, S. L., Brown, K. W. & McKay, M. (2009). Intensive mindfulness training-related changes in cognitive and emotional experience. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4 (3), 212-222. Reimera, K. S., Goudelock, B. M. D. & Walker, L. J. (2009). Developing conceptions of moral maturity: traits and identity in adolescent personality. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(5), 372-388. Sallquist, J., Eisenberg, N., Spinrad, T., Eggum, N. D. & Gaertner, B. M. (2009). Assessment of preschoolers' positive empathy: concurrent & longitudinal relations with positive emotion, social competence, & sympathy. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4 (3), 223-233. Sieger, M. F., Oishi, S. & Kashdan, T. B. (2009). Meaning in life across the life span: Levels & correlates of meaning in life from emerging adulthood to older adulthood. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4 (1), 43-52. Walker, C. J. (2010). Experiencing flow: Is doing it together better than doing it alone? The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(1), 3-11. Warren, Z., Etcoff, N., Wood, B., Taylor, C. and Marc, C. D. (2009). Preservation of differences in social versus non-social positive affect in children exposed to war. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(3), 234-242. Read More