POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY is the scientific study of optimal functioning and well-being, also known as the science of happiness, strengths, positivity, optimism, resilience and flourishing. The field was established in the late 1990s as a reaction to the prevailing direction that psychology had taken in the 2nd half of the 20th century, with its focus on studying the negative aspects of our minds and behaviour. Psychological research was neglecting the other side of the equation – finding out what really makes us happy, how to increase well-being, nurture our talents, play to our strengths and how to thrive in both our personal and professional lives. Positive psychology covers all of these elements, what it takes for us to feel good and function well so that we flourish.
Positive psychology covers a broad range of areas which includes the study of well-being, optimism, positive emotions, emotional intelligence, resilience, values, motivation, goals and strengths – our natural talents. The good news is that when it comes to our happiness, around 40% of it is under direct voluntary control and can be increased through intentional activities and adopting a positive outlook on life. Routes to happiness can be found in meaningful, engaging and pleasurable activities. There is even a scientific formula for happiness! SWB = SWL + PA – NA. SWB is Subjective Well-being, the scientific term for happiness. SWL stands for Satisfaction with Life, how we think about our lives, how we rate it. PA stands for Positive Affect, the sum of our positive emotions and Negative Affect, the negative component. Over a decade’s worth of research has been carried out now. Our speciality at Positive Psychology Training is to take the research and turn it into practical applications that help people to flourish.
Positive psychology does not deny the negative aspects of life but goes beyond ‘positive thinking’ to ask different questions. How can we find a positive in the negative, for example, in the study of resilience, the ability to bounce back from tough times and post-traumatic growth, the search for meaning in life’s shattering experiences.
Most therapists and psychologists are working in the disease model with a goal of reducing suffering, recovery and repairing the worst. The goal is to achieve an absence of symptoms (reaching ‘neutral’). A positive psychologist, on the other hand, works in the health model with a goal of moving beyond neutral and into the plus scale of well-being (regardless of starting point). An absence of depression, for example, is not the same as the presence of happiness. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that working in the health model is an effective approach to increasing well-being and even reducing suffering at the mild end of the spectrum. There seems to be some truth that ‘what you focus on is what you get.’ So if you want greater happiness, focus on activities that lead to happiness. The diagram below gives you more of an idea of how the two models work.
What this means in practice is that positive psychologists use coaching, which is the tool of the health model, whereas a psychologist working in the disease model is more likely to be doing counselling or therapy.
Positive psychology works on three levels – the individual, in relationship and on a wider level in groups, organisations and communities. So on an individual level the science studies positive character traits and strengths. The field also has a contribution to what makes for positive relationships. Much of the research on the wider level has focused on the ingredients for a flourishing workplace, employee well-being and engagement. Interventions such as ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ are a form of positive change management whose starting point is by appreciating the existing skills and talents of the workforce.
Positive psychology is making inroads into a number of areas such as in coaching, education, therapy and business. It offers a new, dynamic approach to personal and professional development. The research on positive emotions, for example, informs us that they not only feel good, they do us good too. If you experience positive to negative emotions at a ratio of 3:1 or above, you begin to thrive and enter an upwards spiral of development that can culminate in transformation. In business this helps people to perform well and turns a team that’s languishing into one that’s flourishing.
Positive Psychology Training applies positive psychology in health, education and business.
