Intro To Positive Psyc

Study Outcomes
• Define well-being and describe a few characteristics thereof with

reference to your own and others behaviour and experiences.
• Distinguish and describe different (i.e. hedonic and eudaimonic)
perspectives on/approaches to well-being and how these fit with the
concepts feeling good, functioning well, and being true, as well as with
manifestations of experiences of happiness and meaningfulness.
• Indicate some steps in the development of positive psychology, especially
within the South African context.
• Start your journey towards understanding and promoting your own and
others’ flourishing.
Preparation:
Read Chapter 1 (pages 3 -21)
of your textbook
Positive Psychology
• Positive psychology (Psychofortology), a sub-discipline of psychology,
shows the path towards scientifically answering these questions.
• In this module we will reflect on

• Facets / Components of well-being
• Different understandings of well-being
• Enhancement thereof in individuals and groups
• The International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA), which was

established in 2007, describes positive psychology as the scientific study
of what enables individuals and communities to thrive.
Overview and perspective
• Development of positive psychology as a science
• Researchers
• Practitioners
• Students
• Consumers
• Seligman (1998) addressed the APA and later further developed the
idea in the Positive Psychology Manifesto
• Optimal human functioning
• Factors that aid in thriving of individuals and communities
Positive psychology in SA
• Development of Positive Psychology in South Africa
• Focus on what is right instead of what is wrong
• A sub-discipline in psychology was identified
• Psychofortology
• The science of psychological strengths (forte = from Latin for “strength”)
“focuses on the nature, manifestation, patterns, origins, dynamics, and
enhancement of strengths on individual, group and community level"
(Wissing, 2014, p. 4).
Earlier perspectives
• Seen in ideas in personality psychology
• Maslow
• Rogers
• Jahoda
• Fromm
• Seen in empirical studies

• Exceptional people
• Don’t define health in terms of the absence of disease, but in terms of the presence of
positive and healthy characteristics
• Definition of health according to WHO (1999)

• “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity”.
Pathology VS Fortology
• Pathology
• Traditional medical model
• Focused only on physical health and the absence of pathology
• Fortology
• Strümpfer conceptualised and investigated health and well-being from a “salutogenic” and later
on a “fortigenic” perspective
• South African researchers, Strümpfer and Wissing, can be credited with coining the term
“fortigenesis”
• Why the shift in paradigm?

• To correct the strong focus on illness and pain
• Strength-based well-being of humans that express and realise their own potential
• Enhance the quality of human life by focusing on strengths and already existing resources,
enriching life and promoting optimal functioning
Developments in positive psychology
• Initially
• Satisfaction with life
• Subjective well-being
• Hedonic (feeling good) happiness
• Now includes
• Meaning
• Meaning making
• Purpose
• Eudaimonic (functioning well) happiness
What is well-being?
• “Wellness is about valued • “Human well-being is ultimately an
issue of engagement in living,
subjective experiences: involving expression of a broad range
• Well-being of human potentialities: intellectual,
social, emotional, and physical.
• Contentment • (i) leading a life of purpose (this sense
• Satisfaction (in the past) that life is meaningful and purposeful, is
an on-going day-by-day unfolding
• Hope and optimism (for the phenomenon, and not an end-state);
• (ii) deep and meaningful connections to
future) others (such warm, trusting interpersonal
• and flow and happiness (in the relationships and rich and fulfilling bonds,
they do not just drop into our laps; they
present)”. (Seligman, & require continued effort and investment);
and
Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). • (iii) self-regard and mastery” (Ryff &
Singer, 1998).
Feeling good, functioning well and
being true
• Hedonic perspective • Eudaimonic perspective
• Happiness • Meaning
• Enjoyment • Purpose
• Pleasure • Expression of potential
• Satisfaction
• Comfort • Being involved with something larger
than the self.
• Broadly seen as
• “hedonic” = “happiness” • Broadly seen as
• “eudaimonic” = “meaning”
• Generally understood
• Happiness = “feeling good” • Generally understood
• Meaning = “functioning well”
Feeling good, functioning well and
being true
• “feeling good” and “functioning well” as two different, but overlapping
manifestations of psychosocial well-being.
• “feeling good”
• Typically understood and measured in terms of happiness, positive emotions and satisfaction
with life.
• “functioning well”
• Described and measured in terms of meaning, realisation of potential and perceived
flourishing, even in the context of life challenges.
• “being true/good”
• Refers to living a life in line with value systems that take a virtue-ethics perspective…
motivational and moral facets of being and acting.
Please prepare Study Unit 2 & 3 for next week

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Study Outcomes

• Define well-being and describe a few characteristics thereof with

• In this module we will reflect on

• The International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA), which was

• Seen in empirical studies

• Definition of health according to WHO (1999)

• Why the shift in paradigm?

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