In recent posts, our focus has been on happiness. More specifically, we have concerned ourselves with different approaches to increasing happiness, with these strategies grounded in theory and supported by research findings. One of the recurring motifs in this area is the role played by positivity and the experience of positive emotion. Let us be…
Increasing happiness (Part 6) Martin Seligman is synonymous with positive psychology, which, in turn, is closely linked in the public mind with research into happiness and well-being. As that connection would suggest, Seligman has devoted considerable time and effort to theorising and conducting research on well-being-related topics. We mentioned him in a post very early…
Increasing happiness (Part 5) In recent weeks, we have looked at the idea of increasing happiness from several different angles, e.g., cultivating gratitude, using signature strengths, and actively trying to boost your own mood. There are many other possible avenues through which we can explore this topic, and, in this post, we will look at…
Last time, we looked at the role that self-selection can play in happiness and well-being-related research. In doing so, we highlighted a study which found that while participants who are enthusiastic about the prospect of taking part in interventions designed to boost well-being are likely to benefit most, the positive results that such studies frequently…
Happiness is a topic we have touched on before in this series and will continue to do as we proceed. There is one simple reason to explain why we have and will focus so much on happiness – we are all interested in it. More specifically, I’m willing to assume that everyone reading these words…
The ratio of positive to negative experiences One of the more intuitively obvious markers of well-being is the experience of positive emotions, events, and interactions. Essentially, positive experiences will make us feel good, and the more positive encounters or moments we have, the more positive emotions we will feel. Against this backdrop, many researchers…
Learned helplessness & explanatory style Recently, we devoted much time and attention to cognitive distortions – our tendency to think in irrational and frequently self-defeating ways (see Blog #16 & #17). Related to this idea is that of learned helplessness. Whether you have heard the phrase before or not, you will most likely be…
Blog #18 – Strategies for the New Year If you’re anything like me, the arrival of a new year brings with it a warrior-like zeal to make seismic changes to your life. The list can be long. Even the act of writing it makes us feel good. Committing to the intention to a) lose…
Cognitive distortions II Last time, we spoke about cognitive distortions. For those of you who need a reminder after the excesses of Christmas, this term refers to patterns of irrational thinking that we are all vulnerable to, to one extent or another. The specific examples we used to highlight just how common this type of…
Blog #16 – Cognitive distortions Sometimes, as it relates to individual well-being, we can be our own worst enemy. To be more specific, the patterns of thinking that we develop can be actively detrimental to our happiness. When these patterns move from rational to irrational thinking, we can fall prey to what psychologists refer to…