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The Psychology of Everyday Life: Motivation and the Search for Happiness - Positive Psychology

Q: What are Seligman's three aspects of happiness?

Seligman actually rejects the use of the term 'happiness,' stating that it is too vague and unscientific. Instead, he breaks happiness or 'the good life' into three components: Positive emotion (the pleasant life) Engagement (the engaged life) Meaning (the meaningful life)

6 important questions on The Psychology of Everyday Life: Motivation and the Search for Happiness - Positive Psychology

Why is positive psychology a shift from traditional trends in psychology?

Although Seligman has tested his techniques on depressed patients, positive psychology differs from traditional psychotherapy by its emphasis on happiness and wellbeing rather than on the relief of suffering and mental illness. Seligman is not the first to think about the human potential for happiness, however, and he acknowledges the influence of earlier writers such as Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, and Erik Erikson.

What are Seligman's three aspects of happiness?

Seligman actually rejects the use of the term "happiness," stating that it is too vague and unscientific. Instead, he breaks happiness or "the good life" into three components:

Positive emotion (the pleasant life)
Engagement (the engaged life)
Meaning (the meaningful life)

What does Seligman mean by the engaged life?

The engaged life involves the ability to invest in and make connections with work, intimate relationships, and leisure activities. In the engaged life we are not isolated individuals, floating on a self-imposed island of alienation, but rather we are actively engaged with the world around us.

Seligman believes that increasing life engagement involves identifying signature strengths - one's own particular strengths and interests - and then putting them to use. For example, people who are interested in art can take a painting class. Those who like animals can volunteer at an animal shelter.

What is meant by the meaningful life?

In the meaningful life, people use their signature strengths to commit and contribute to causes larger than themselves. The particular cause does not matter and might include politics, religion, community service, or family. In this way, people gain a sense of belonging to a larger group, cause, or institution and they enhance their sense of self-worth and life purpose.

A series of studies shows the relationship between such commitments and life satisfaction. The importance of a meaningful life suggests that a life devoted to self-centered aims ultimately provides limited life satisfaction.

Which aspects of happiness are most important?

Multiple studies show that the engaged and meaningful life have stronger positive correlations with life satisfaction and stronger negative correlations with depression than does the pleasant life, although all three aspects of the good life relate to overall happiness.

What are the character strengths?

The six overarching virtues were broken down into twenty-four character strengths. These included:

Wisdom and knowledge:

Creativity
Curiosity
Open-mindedness
Love of learning
Perspective

Courage:

Authenticity
Bravery
Persistence
Zest

Humanity:

Kindness
Love
Social Intelligence

Justice:

Fairness
Leadership
Teamwork

Temperance:

Forgiveness
Modesty
Prudence
Self-regulation

Transcendence:

Appreciation of beauty and excellence
Gratitude
Hope
Humor
Religiousness

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

The Handy Psychology Answer Book | 9781578593545 | Lisa J Cohen

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The Psychology of Everyday Life: Motivation and the Search for Happiness - Positive Psychology

6 important questions on The Psychology of Everyday Life: Motivation and the Search for Happiness - Positive Psychology

Why is positive psychology a shift from traditional trends in psychology?

What are Seligman's three aspects of happiness?

What does Seligman mean by the engaged life?

What is meant by the meaningful life?

Which aspects of happiness are most important?

What are the character strengths?

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