Psychology 2035A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 16: Positive Psychology, Mania, Prosocial Behavior

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2035A/B
• Professor: Maxwell

Document Summary

Define positive psychology and explain why it is a counterweight to the historic and dominant negative focus in the discipline. Positive psychology is a social and intellectual movement within the discipline of psychology that focuses on human strengths and how people can flourish and be successful. Psychology has always focused on treating an increasing variety of psychological disorders but positive psychology promotes and regulates well-being, emotions and psychological health. Explain why positive psychology provides a framework for new as well as older research on well-being. Zeitgeist refers to timely intellectual state of mind that many people contribute to and share. Positive psychology is new but many of the questions being studied are not. Older research and references are routinely mixed in with newer ones. Study of positive subjective experiences or the positive but private feelings and thoughts people have about themselves and the events in their lives.