Psychology Focusing on Positivity: Key Figures Experts
In the realm of psychology, a new approach has emerged that shifts the focus from treating pathology to promoting well-being and happiness. This groundbreaking movement, known as positive psychology, was pioneered by Martin Seligman in the late 1990s.
At its core, positive psychology aims to increase human flourishing and well-being by nurturing five essential elements: Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment, collectively known as the PERMA model.
1. Positive Emotions: Experiencing optimism, gratitude, hope, and contentment can significantly enhance life satisfaction. 2. Engagement: Being deeply involved and absorbed in activities or hobbies, often linked to the concept of 'flow', leads to a state of complete absorption for pleasure and enjoyment. 3. Relationships: Forming and maintaining meaningful social connections, including familial, romantic, and platonic bonds, are crucial for a fulfilling life. 4. Meaning: Finding a sense of purpose or belonging to something larger than oneself provides a profound sense of fulfilment. 5. Accomplishment: Achieving goals, mastery, and success contributes to a sense of pride and satisfaction.
Seligman's approach encourages identifying and cultivating one's unique signature strengths, rooted in virtues such as courage, justice, and perseverance, combined with ethical behaviour and intrinsic motivation to foster lasting well-being.
Positive psychology also emphasizes moving beyond merely fixing weaknesses. Instead, it places importance on strengths, resilience, gratitude, and optimism as critical factors for a fulfilling life and authentic happiness. This approach incorporates scientifically validated interventions such as gratitude exercises, strengths-based practices, and mindfulness to enhance these key areas.
In addition to the PERMA model, Seligman (2003) suggests that personal strengths and virtues act as a barrier against misfortune and psychological disorders, and can increase recovery capacity. Optimism, for instance, helps individuals face difficulties with a good mood and perseverance.
Another vital aspect of positive psychology is Emotional Intelligence, the ability to experience, express, and control one's own emotions, as well as understand the emotions of others. Unfortunately, Emotional Intelligence is not explicitly mentioned in the PERMA model.
Laughter, a simple yet powerful tool, also plays a significant role in positive psychology. Laughter occurs on average 300 times a day for children and between fifteen and one hundred times for adults. Laughter strengthens the body's immune system, reduces hormones that cause tension, and increases the release of endorphins, improving creative thoughts, communication skills, and the quality of life.
Resilience, the ability to face adversities, overcome them, and get reinforced from the experience, is another key component of positive psychology. Resilience, combined with the principles outlined in the PERMA model, enables individuals to thrive and flourish.
In conclusion, positive psychology, with its focus on increasing well-being through nurturing positive emotions, engagement, strong relationships, meaningful purpose, and accomplishments, offers a compelling and practical approach to living a fulfilling life.
- Recognizing and nurturing unique signature strengths, based on virtues such as courage, justice, and perseverance, is essential for fostering lasting well-being in positive psychology, as proposed by Martin Seligman.
- Going beyond merely fixing weaknesses, positive psychology emphasizes strengths, resilience, gratitude, and optimism as crucial factors for a fulfilling life and authentic happiness, according to Seligman's approach.
- Emotional Intelligence, the ability to manage one's own emotions and understand the emotions of others, though not explicitly mentioned in the PERMA model, is a vital aspect of positive psychology.
- Incorporating scientifically validated interventions, like gratitude exercises, strengths-based practices, and mindfulness, alongside the PERMA model, can enhance key areas and contribute to a flourishing life within the realm of positive psychology and education-and-self-development, promoting personal-growth.
