Strengths

• A shift on focus :)


  • Moves traditional emphasis away from the wrong and treatment of disorders to celebrating humans authentic strengths
  • Shifts pattern from negative states (depression and anxiety) to happiness

  Ex: Sheldon and King said traditional psychology fails to encourage growth and has negative bias, positive focuses on what is right

  
  

  T: In contrast, positive psychology recongises what people want to think about their future giving free will to achieve

  Seligman “a change in focus”
• Applications

  • Helping individuals, organisations and groups

  EX: US army campaigns, improving resilience and reduce stress. Positive psychology techinques builds on signature strengths returning soldiers home without serious mental health

  
  

  EX2: Used in education In US, Positive psychology cirricula involving activites to increase well-being

  2000 - US education awarded 2.8$ million grant for positive psychology
• Free will approach

  • Based on the idea behaviour is not pre-determined but individuals have FREE WILL to grow and develop signature strengths
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  • E: Criticises historical disciplines in terms of traditional determinism (victims of biology or environment)
  • Seligman: Pessimism from other approachs obstructs development

  E: Humans are self regulating and have control over developing authenic strengths

  
  

  T: Free will is a necessity for humans to flourish