Lecture Notes: Optimism and Positive Psychology

Introduction

• Speaker: Former President of the American Psychological Association
• Focus on the eleventh reason to be optimistic
• Anecdote with CNN: Keywords on psychology's state: "Good," "Not good," "Not good enough"

Psychology's History

• Disease Model Era:
  • Dominated psychology for 60 years
  • Focus on identifying and treating mental disorders
  • 14 treatable disorders, 2 curable
  • Development of a scientific approach to mental illness
• Impacts of Disease Model:
  • Psychologists as victimologists, pathologizers
  • Shift away from human strengths, choices
  • Neglect of improving "normal" lives and happiness

Positive Psychology

• Founded by Nancy Etcoff, Dan Gilbert, Mike Csikszentmihalyi, and the speaker
• Goals:
  • Focus on human strength, not just weakness
  • Building strengths, not just repairing damage
  • Improve the lives of normal people
  • Nurture genius and high talent

Three Types of Happy Lives

1. The Pleasant Life:
   • Maximizing positive emotions
   • Skills: savoring, mindfulness
   • Limitations: 50% heritable, positive emotions habituate
2. The Engaged Life:
   • "Flow" - complete immersion in tasks
   • Example: Options trader, bridge player "Len"
   • Focus on using highest strengths in various life areas
3. The Meaningful Life:
   • Utilizing strengths in service of something larger

Positive Psychology Interventions

• Types of Interventions:
  • Design a beautiful day using mindfulness
  • Gratitude visits: Writing testimonials
  • Strengths dates for couples
  • Philanthropy vs. fun activities
• Effects:
  • Greater life satisfaction through engagement and meaning

Conclusion

• Parallel Issues in Technology, Entertainment, and Design
• Technology, entertainment, and design can be used for both destructive and constructive purposes
• Importance of increasing happiness through these fields
• Technology, entertainment, and design should focus on:
  • Increasing positive emotion
  • Enhancing engagement and meaning
• Optimism in enhancing human happiness through advancements