This document provides an overview of positive psychology and coaching psychology. It discusses how positive psychology evolved as the fourth wave of psychology beyond focusing on disease, behaviorism, and humanism. Models of positive psychology like PERMA are introduced, as are second wave positive psychology topics like meaning, authenticity, and how negative experiences can lead to growth. Coaching psychology principles and the coaching process are outlined. Interventions highlighted include gratitude, forgiveness, and character strengths. Leading thinkers and theories in positive psychology are also mentioned.
2. Positive Psychology
“The scientific study of optimal human functioning. It
aims to discover and promote the factors that allow
individuals and communities to thrive.”
- Martin Seligman
4. “The science of psychology has been far more successful on
the negative than on the positive side; it has revealed to us
much about man’s shortcomings, his illnesses, his sins, but
little about his potentialities, his virtues, his achievable
aspirations, or his full psychological height. It is as if
psychology had voluntarily restricted itself to only half its
rightful jurisdiction, and that the darker, meaner half” (Maslow,
1954, p. 354).
5. Between 1887 and 2001, for every 21 research studies
related to a ‘negative’ topic in psychology there was only
one related to a positive aspect of life.
Fun fact!
11. Chapter 2 – Second Wave Positive Psychology
Held (2004)
“Positive psychology has presented itself as a
separate field of psychology which is
characterised by a “negativity about negativity
itself.”
”
12. Chapter 2 – Second Wave Positive Psychology
PP 1.0
-
+ ▪ the good life
▪ positive experiences
▪ positive thinking
▪ positive behaviour
13. Chapter 2 – Second Wave Positive Psychology
PP 2.0
- +
▪ the good life
▪ positive experiences
▪ positive thinking
▪ positive behaviour
▪ the meaningful life
▪ negative can create positive
▪ positive can create negative
14. Chapter 2 – Second Wave Positive Psychology
PP 1.0: Subjective well-being
” life
satisfactio
n
positive
affect
negative
affect
+ + -
15. Chapter 2 – Second Wave Positive Psychology
PP 2.0: Psychological well-being
self-acceptance
environmental mastery
purpose in life
positive relationships
personal growth
autonomy
16. Chapter 2 – Second Wave Positive Psychology
Negative can create positive
experiencing +
mastering
difficult
situations
personal
growth
17. Chapter 2 – Second Wave Positive Psychology
PP 2.0 in practice
awareness of factors that
obscure authenticity and agency
engaging in behaviour that
reduces the impact of these
factors
awareness of factors that
represent authenticity and
agency
engaging in behaviour that
increases authenticity and
agency
18. Chapter 2 – Second Wave Positive Psychology
Positive can create negative
▪ positive thinking can be a form of avoidance and can
reduce well-being
▪ the paradoxical search for happiness and meaning
▪ overuse of strengths: e.g. extreme levels of optimism
related with maladaptive risk-taking
19. Chapter 2 – Second Wave Positive Psychology
PP 2.0 in practice
“I saw this big piece of
marble, saw David, and the
only thing I needed to do was
to remove the pieces that
were unnecessary”
- Michelangelo
21. Coaching Psychology
“Coaching psychology can be understood as the systematic
application of behavioural science to the enhancement of
life experience, work performance and well-being for
individuals, groups and organisations who do not have
clinically significant mental health issues or abnormal levels
of distress.” Grant, 2006.
22. The steps are:
1. Problem identification
2. Goal selection
3. Generation of alternatives
4. Consideration of consequences
5. Decision making
6. Implementation
7. Evaluation
(Wasik, 1984)
23. Goal setting theory
Motivation theory / Self Determination Theory
Change
Systems theory
Organisational Development
Individual Difference
Psychometrics
Counselling/Therapy - BSFT, CBT
Positive Psychology
ACT
Self compassion
Informed by:
24. Resources:
Top Pos Psych TED talks – includes Seligman, Shawn Achor, Angela Duckworth, Lea
Waters (from Melb Uni)
Positive Psychology Program web site
International Positive Psychology Association
VIA Strengths Survey
The Psychology Podcast / The Potential Psychology Podcast!
Greater Good Web site (http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/)
Centre for Positive Psychology – Melbourne Graduate School of Education (Melb Uni)
Humanistic - entree to positive psychology. Otto Rank, Carl Rogers, Maslow. Started looking at human potential
Focus of thought leadership in the field as a whole,
Why is it called ‘Positive’ Psychology?
‘Positive’ psychology is a misnomer. It’s not all about being positive.More about research into the ‘positive’ aspects of life. How do we thrive and flourish?
Emergence parallels the self help movement which began with AA in 1935 but really came into its own in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Psychology has a bit of catching up to do!
If 20 % of our population are dealing with a mental health issue at any given time, what about the other 80%?
‘Positive’ psychology is a misnomer. It’s not all about being positive.More about research into the ‘positive’ aspects of life. How do we thrive and flourish?
Emergence parallels the self help movement which began with AA in 1935 but really came into its own in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Psychology has a bit of catching up to do!
If 20 % of our population are dealing with a mental health issue at any given time, what about the other 80%?
Umbrella term that pulls together research in a number of different areas. Already people working in optimism, resilience etc.
Kicked off by Seligman in his inaugural address at President of the APA in 1998. Talked about a new science of human strengths.
We don’t tend to think or talk about this kind of stuff at work.
Key difference is population.
Coaching can be thought of as the application of positive psychology.
This is where my experience comes in. Commenced the Masters in Coaching Psychology at USyd in the 2nd intake of the course, Feb 2001.
2005 Suzy Green teaching Pos Psych unit.
Psycho education regarding positive psychology constructs
Assessment inventories - kick off or as arising
Primary goal is to effect change mcuh as you would in therapy
CBT - Extension of the Cognitive Triange (behaviour, thoughts and feelings) House of Change (Grant)
Self compassion - high achievers with high expectations of self
Goals - fitness and wellbeing (life coaching)
Specific pursuits - current client - book publication
Online - ‘Quick Win Challenge’ - buy a house, get filing done, tidy spare room, promote a business
Leaders - daily challenges, dealing with people, org development/change, communication, wellbeing - increasing
Teams - ‘facilitation’ rather than coaching - planning, problem solving, brainstorming