This document discusses the development of positive psychology as a field. It notes that traditional psychology has focused more on human flaws, illnesses, and problems, rather than virtues and human potential. Positive psychology emerged in the late 1990s to study optimal human functioning and how to promote well-being. The field aims to understand happiness, meaning, and how individuals and communities can thrive. Positive psychology examines both hedonic, or feeling good, aspects of well-being, as well as eudaimonic, or functioning well and finding purpose, aspects. It explores how happiness, meaning, and overall flourishing can be achieved despite life's difficulties.

1. POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGYPOSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
The science of psychology has been far more successful onThe science of psychology has been far more successful on
the negative than the positive side; it has revealed to usthe negative than the positive side; it has revealed to us
much about man’s shortcomings, his illnesses, his sins, butmuch about man’s shortcomings, his illnesses, his sins, but
little about his virtues, his achievable aspirations or his fulllittle about his virtues, his achievable aspirations or his full
psychological height. It is as if psychology had voluntarilypsychological height. It is as if psychology had voluntarily
restricted itself to only half its rightful jurisdiction, and that therestricted itself to only half its rightful jurisdiction, and that the
darker, meaner half (Maslow, 1954, P. 354)darker, meaner half (Maslow, 1954, P. 354)

2. 1. A path towards flourishing1. A path towards flourishing
 How do we live the good life?How do we live the good life?
 What is a life well-lived to you?What is a life well-lived to you?
 What is happiness?What is happiness?
 What does a meaningful life entail?What does a meaningful life entail?
 Is it possible to be happier than you are now?Is it possible to be happier than you are now?
 Is it possible to create meaning in your life?Is it possible to create meaning in your life?
 Can you thrive/flourish despite all life’s challenges andCan you thrive/flourish despite all life’s challenges and
pain?pain?
 This course reflects on above questions and attempts toThis course reflects on above questions and attempts to
look at possible scientific answers (ie POSITIVElook at possible scientific answers (ie POSITIVE
PSYCHOLOGY)PSYCHOLOGY)

3. 2. Development of positive2. Development of positive
psychologypsychology
 Seligman (1998) refers to positive psychology as theSeligman (1998) refers to positive psychology as the
scientific study of optimal human functioning. It aims toscientific study of optimal human functioning. It aims to
discover & promote factors that allow individuals &discover & promote factors that allow individuals &
communities to thrivecommunities to thrive
 So around 2000 there was a shift in psychologicalSo around 2000 there was a shift in psychological
thinking from exclusive focus of what is wrong withthinking from exclusive focus of what is wrong with
people & how to fix it to what is right in people & how canpeople & how to fix it to what is right in people & how can
it be enhancedit be enhanced
 In late 1990’s Psychofortology (science of psychologicalIn late 1990’s Psychofortology (science of psychological
strengths) was coined by 2 SA psychologists (Wissing &strengths) was coined by 2 SA psychologists (Wissing &
Van Eeden)Van Eeden)
 Similar ideas developed spontaneously in other parts ofSimilar ideas developed spontaneously in other parts of
the worldthe world

4. 2. Development of positive2. Development of positive
psychologypsychology
 The roots of positive psychology can be found earlier inThe roots of positive psychology can be found earlier in
1900’s in eg personality theories of people like Maslow &1900’s in eg personality theories of people like Maslow &
Rogers as well as Antonovsky who defined health notRogers as well as Antonovsky who defined health not
only as absence of disease but also as presence ofonly as absence of disease but also as presence of
positive & healthy characteristicspositive & healthy characteristics
 In SA people like StrIn SA people like Strümpfer and Wissing challengedümpfer and Wissing challenged
early perspectives on health focussing only on physicalearly perspectives on health focussing only on physical
health and absence of pathology with salutogenichealth and absence of pathology with salutogenic
perspectives (strengths)perspectives (strengths)
 So positive psychology developed as a corrective toSo positive psychology developed as a corrective to
traditional psychology with its strong focus on illness &traditional psychology with its strong focus on illness &
pain (medical model) to incorporate human strengths &pain (medical model) to incorporate human strengths &
potential leading to greater well-beingpotential leading to greater well-being

5. Roots of positive psychologyRoots of positive psychology

6. 2. Development of positive2. Development of positive
psychologypsychology
 Thus positive psychology attempts to enhance the quality of humanThus positive psychology attempts to enhance the quality of human
life by focusing on strengths & existing resources, enriching life &life by focusing on strengths & existing resources, enriching life &
promoting optimal functioningpromoting optimal functioning
 Positive psychology (PP) has rapidly moved from describing thePositive psychology (PP) has rapidly moved from describing the
nature of well-being to exploring how well-being can be achieved &nature of well-being to exploring how well-being can be achieved &
evaluating interventions leading to well-beingevaluating interventions leading to well-being
 Initial focus of PP = satisfaction with life, well-being & hedonicInitial focus of PP = satisfaction with life, well-being & hedonic
(feeling good) happiness(feeling good) happiness
 Now focus also includes experience of meaning, meaning making,Now focus also includes experience of meaning, meaning making,
purpose etc which PP attempts to understand from a eudaimonicpurpose etc which PP attempts to understand from a eudaimonic
(functioning well) perspective(functioning well) perspective
 PP = currently applied in many domains of everyday lifePP = currently applied in many domains of everyday life

7. 3. What is well-being?3. What is well-being?
 Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi (2000) indicateSeligman & Csikszentmihalyi (2000) indicate
that wellness is about valued subjectivethat wellness is about valued subjective
experiences: well-being, contentment andexperiences: well-being, contentment and
satisfaction (past); hope & optimism (future) andsatisfaction (past); hope & optimism (future) and
flow & happiness (present)flow & happiness (present)
 Ryff & Singer (1998) feel that well-being is aboutRyff & Singer (1998) feel that well-being is about
engaging in life, leading a life of purpose, havingengaging in life, leading a life of purpose, having
meaningful connections with others, regardingmeaningful connections with others, regarding
yourself well and experiencing masteryyourself well and experiencing mastery

8. 4. Perspectives on happiness,4. Perspectives on happiness,
meaningfulness & value systemsmeaningfulness & value systems
 In PP 2 perspectives exist ito understanding &In PP 2 perspectives exist ito understanding &
explaining what well-being/good life entails:explaining what well-being/good life entails:
i)i) Hedonic perspectiveHedonic perspective – focusing on– focusing on
happiness, enjoyment, pleasure, satisfaction &happiness, enjoyment, pleasure, satisfaction &
comfort (happiness)comfort (happiness)
ii)ii) Eudaimonic perspectiveEudaimonic perspective – focusing on– focusing on
meaning, purposes, expression of potentials &meaning, purposes, expression of potentials &
being involved with something larger than selfbeing involved with something larger than self
(meaning)(meaning)
 Thus hedonic = happiness = feeling good;Thus hedonic = happiness = feeling good;
eudaimonic = meaning = functioning welleudaimonic = meaning = functioning well

9. 4. Perspectives on happiness,4. Perspectives on happiness,
meaningfulness & value systemsmeaningfulness & value systems
 Feeling good component of well-being is typicallyFeeling good component of well-being is typically
understood & measured ito happiness, positive emotionsunderstood & measured ito happiness, positive emotions
& satisfaction with life& satisfaction with life
 Functioning well component of well-being is described &Functioning well component of well-being is described &
measured ito meaning, realization of potential &measured ito meaning, realization of potential &
perceived flourishingperceived flourishing
 So functioning well is more about meaning making,So functioning well is more about meaning making,
managing challenges in life & developing the best inmanaging challenges in life & developing the best in
oneselfoneself
 Research in PP has taught us that feeling good &Research in PP has taught us that feeling good &
functioning well can lead to well-being (flourishing in life).functioning well can lead to well-being (flourishing in life).
They can also exist on their own & not lead toThey can also exist on their own & not lead to
flourishing…flourishing…

10. Happiness = giving/receiving?Happiness = giving/receiving?

11. 5. Positivity portfolio5. Positivity portfolio
 How about creating your own positivityHow about creating your own positivity
portfolio?portfolio?
 In this portfolio you can reflect on theIn this portfolio you can reflect on the
content of this course as well as activitiescontent of this course as well as activities
that were inspired by this course and sothat were inspired by this course and so
paving the way for your own growth…paving the way for your own growth…

12. 6. Strengths amidst the pain6. Strengths amidst the pain
 Note – strengths & high levels of functioning areNote – strengths & high levels of functioning are
not only found in good times when things gonot only found in good times when things go
well, but also when you are resilient duringwell, but also when you are resilient during
difficult times or painful circumstances…difficult times or painful circumstances…
 The rest of this course will focus on pointersThe rest of this course will focus on pointers
towards the understanding & implementing oftowards the understanding & implementing of
what it means to live your life well…what it means to live your life well…