Positive Psychology

1. Positive Psychology

2. Three Minute Review TREATMENT • history of treatment • 2 major approaches • Biological • Psychotherapy • Psychopharmacology • Antipsychotic Drugs • deinstitutionalization • dopamine • differences between older and newer generation drugs • Anti-anxiety drugs • e.g., Valium • GABA

3. Antidepressants • tricyclics (reduce reuptake of serotonin & NE) • MAOIs (reduce breakdown of serotonin & NE) • SSRIs (reduce reuptake of serotonin only) • See Fig. 17.3 of Gray (p. 666) • monoamine hypothesis and issues with it • maybe they work because of effects on sleep cycle • Light therapy for SAD • Electroconvulsive Therapy • why resort to something so extreme? • how has it improved since Cuckoo’s Nest era? • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) • magnetic fields disrupt neural firing locally • Psychosurgery • history and current status

4. Psychotherapy • eclectic - mixed bag • Psychodynamic • transference • Humanistic • client-centred, reflection, empathy, unconditional positive regard • Cognitive Therapy • problem-centred, change thought patterns

5. How Happy Are 023 Students? April 2006 n = 105 Number of Responses Happiness Rating

6. You’re representative Data from United States (Myers, 1992)

7. Very Common Responses • Relationships  social life, more time with family and friends and partner  finding a partner (or a better partner) • Money  Common: more emphasis on basics and stability rather than luxury level • “Money can’t buy happiness, it can pay rent!”  Less common: winning the lottery • “Money can’t buy you happiness, but I’m happiest when I can buy what I want.” • Better grades  end of exams • Reduced stress • less stress, less work, less worrying, slower pace, more spare time  better study habits, organization • less parental pressure to perform • family illnesses, deaths, conflicts

8. Fairly Common Responses • Physical appearance • esp. weight loss • Psychological factors • self-esteem, confidence, less self criticism, less concern about others’ opinions, overcoming shyness, more assertive, less anxious • Career  more certainty about life, direction, career  successful career or education (e.g., med school)  summer job (esp. lab work)  “working helps me to feel fulfilled” • Health • good health • more sleep  sports, exercise (some specific)  better eating habits

9. Somewhat Common Responses • Living conditions  moving away from home  moving closer to home  “better roommate (only one month left!!!!!)” • Others’ behavior/mood • changed behavior of others in life, fewer problems with others in life, family stability, family members being happy • Finding meaning, making a contribution • “be in a more personal environment where I could make a constructive contribution” • “I can’t choose #3 because although my life is comparatively wonderful, overall there are huge problems with the world” • “Making some noticeable change in the community with regards to our relationship with the environment”

10. One of a Kind • I could be rich, Hugh Hefner’s son, Bill Gates nephew, dating both the Olson twins • if I was rich, I make med school, I find Natalie Portman, I win at life • a new Batman costume two extra hours in each day • being older • winning the lottery… warm weather… world peace • more laughter, less hate • live in the now! • Nothing. I’m still alive • Life is great! I’ve been very blessed • Life isn’t searching for more but making the best of what you have. The glass is half full! I’ve learned to be grateful rather than angry.

11. 1,021 on “joy” 4,129 on “life satisfaction” 3,522 on “happiness” 781 on “courage 31,019 on “prevention” Negative versus positive topics in psychology journal articles 1887 to 2001 • 9,760 on “anger” • 65,531 on “anxiety” • 79,154 on “depression” • 20,868 on “fear” • 207,110 on “treatment” Slide courtesy of David Myers

12. People want more • Popularity of self-help books suggests a large number of people want to go from okay to well Mental Health Spectrum Poor OK Great Most of Psychology is here Why not here?

13. What is LEAST important? Does money make us as happy as we expect it will?

14. Money Matters Between Nations • correlation between average income and average life satisfaction for 28 nations: ~.60 • difference is most pronounced among poorer nations

15. Gross National Happiness? Optional video link on course web site

16. Money Doesn’t Matter Much Within Nations Australian Living Standards Survey, 1991-1992(percent reporting high life satisfaction) • correlation between income and happiness within US: .12 • some difference between those below and above poverty line, but little effect beyond that Slide courtesy of David Myers

17. Income Has Risen But Happiness Hasn’t Personal income (in 1995 $) Very happy (%) Slide courtesy of David Myers

18. Hedonic Treadmill Happiness = Reality / Expectations

19. Social Comparison Would you rather: • earn $50,000/year when your co-workers get $25,000/year OR • earn $100,000/year when your co-workers get $250,000/year? Would you rather: • have 2 weeks vacation when your co-workers have 1 week OR • have 4 weeks vacation when your co-workers have 8 weeks? The paradox of German reunification

20. If Only I Could Win the Lottery… • … I’d probably be about as happy as I am now • Happiness of lottery winners: 4.0 • Happiness of others: 3.8 • many life disruptions • 70% quit jobs  lose job satisfaction and co-workers • most move, many are not socially acceptable to new neighbors • family quarrels

21. What is LEAST important? • Age • happiness is stable over life span Percent “Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied” with Life as a Whole Percent 100 Age group 80 60 40 20 0 15- 24 25- 34 35- 44 45- 54 55- 64 65+ Slide courtesy of David Myers

22. What is LEAST important? • Gender • despite differences in depression rates, it makes little difference Slide courtesy of David Myers Percent 100 Males 80 Females 60 40 20 0 Satisfied Very happy Pooled data from 169,776 interviews in 16 nations

23. What is LEAST important? • Intelligence • no correlation between IQ and happiness • teeny correlation between education level and happiness • Physical Attractiveness • teeny correlation between attractiveness and happiness, esp. for women • Parenthood • parents less happy with toddlers and teenagers

24. Marital Satisfaction and the Family Life Cycle 56 Rollins-Feldman 55 Locke-Wallace 54 53 52 Satisfaction 51 50 Blood-Wolfe 49 British study 48 47 46 Marriedwithoutchildren Child-bearing Pre-school children, oldest 5 Schoolchildrenoldest5-12 Teenagers oldest12-16 First child gone to last leavinghome Emptynest to retirement Emptynest todeath of first spouse Slide courtesy of David Myers

25. What is VERY important? • Love and Marriage • clear correlation • cause and effect unclear • relationships --> happiness? • happiness --> relationships?

26. Marriage is good… if it works Married Never married Separated Divorced Slide courtesy of David Myers

27. Friends Are Very Important

28. What is VERY important? • Work • correlation between job satisfaction is clearly related to happiness • again causality is unclear • those with best fit between complexity and ability are happiest • management happier than staff

29. What is VERY important? • Personality • past happiness predicts future happiness very well • is there a happiness “set point”? • key factors • self-esteem • extroversion • optimism • sense of control over one’s life

30. Day to day well-being of University students 3.0 3.0 Happy Happy 2.5 2.5 Extroverts Extroverts 2.0 2.0 1.5 1.5 Introverts 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 Neutral 0 0 Mon Mon . . Tues Tues . . Weds. Weds. Thurs Thurs . . Fri. Fri. Sat. Sat. Sun. Sun.

31. What is SOMEWHAT important? • Health • correlation between health and happiness: .32 • spurious -- related to neuroticism • neurotics are less happy • neurotics are less healthy • Social activity • Religion • social aspect • healthier lifestyle • spirituality

32. Spirituality and Happiness From Gallup survey of adult Americans. 100 80 Percent “very happy” 60 40 20 0 Low High Spiritual commitment Slide courtesy of David Myers

33. % “Very important or essential” Be very well off financially Develop a meaningful philosophy of life Slide courtesy of David Myers

34. What is SOMEWHAT important? • Leisure • correlation between satisfaction with leisure activities and happiness: .4 • some activities have positive effect • social clubs, volunteer work, music, dancing, sports, holidays • some activities have negative effect • excessive TV-watching

35. The Tyranny of Choice • maximizers • obsessed with finding the best • less satisfied • more prone to depression • satisficers • willing to accept “good enough” Optional Scientific American article including Maximization Test on course web site

36. Choose Wisely

37. Finding Flow • moments of complete engagement in a task • intense concentration • clear goals and feedback • lose sense of time • lose self consciousness • optimal when abilities closely match challenges • surfing the peak of the optimal level of arousal curve? • would you really be happy lying on the beach drinking pina coladas all day long for the long term?

39. Top Ten Things to Remember • How to spell “Psychology” • There’s much more to psychology than Freud. • Evolutionary principles and neuroscience can explain a lot about human behavior. • Microsleeps are deadly. If you are sleepy while driving, take a break. • Beware “the banality of evil.” If someone asks you to do something that you know in your gut is wrong, you can refuse. • If someone needs help, do something instead of waiting for others to take action. • Children’s early development is very important: physical development, critical periods, and attachment. • Be aware of your prejudices, including the implicit ones, to avoid discrimination. • Mental disorders are common, understandable and treatable. • You have to power to improve your happiness (e.g., life choices) and success (e.g., internal locus of control)