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Book Details
Abstract
Happiness is fundamental to how we live our lives, but the meaning of happiness remains as contentious as it did when it was first debated thousands of years ago.
Taking a critical approach to the subject, Positive Psychology investigates the debates that have shaped the psychological discussion of happiness, from theories of well-being to examining how psychotherapy can help foster positive mental health. Offering contrasting perspectives on each topic and examining a range of classic and contemporary research, this book encourages you to engage with positive psychology in a critical way while considering how the theory applies to our everyday lives.
Whether you are new to the subject or want to develop your understanding of the complexities of the field, this lively and engaging introduction will enhance your knowledge not just of positive psychology, but of what happiness and well-being mean to you.
From theories of well-being to psychotherapy, this book takes a critical European perspective to positive psychology, encouraging the reader to engage with the question of 'What is positive psychology?' Accessible yet comprehensive, it is an ideal introduction to the subject for both undergraduate and postgraduate students
Giovanni B. Moneta is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at London Metropolitan University, UK. He conducts research in the area of personality psychology and individual differences with a focus on motivation, emotion and culture, and has published in journals such as Journal of Personality and The Leadership Quarterly.
"An excellent, readable introduction to positive psychology for both undergraduate and postgraduate students, with interesting and innovative coverage of the relationship between happiness and personality." - John Parkinson, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Bangor University, UK
"Moneta's book is a master-guide to positive psychology. Both comprehensive and deep, this text reveals the contributions of the field, the promise it holds, and its most pressing unanswered questions." - Teresa Amabile, Professor at Harvard Business School, USA, and co-author of The Progress Principle
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover | Cover | ||
| Contents | v | ||
| List of Figures | x | ||
| List of Tables | xi | ||
| Preface | xiii | ||
| Acknowledgements | xv | ||
| 1 What Is Positive Psychology? | 1 | ||
| The birth of positive psychology | 1 | ||
| The origins of positive psychology | 2 | ||
| The childhood of positive psychology | 3 | ||
| The goal of this book: Finding an answer to the question | 5 | ||
| The narrated roadmap of this book | 5 | ||
| Overview | 5 | ||
| Measurement issues | 16 | ||
| Recommended web resources and further reading | 17 | ||
| Websites | 17 | ||
| Reading | 18 | ||
| 2 Positive Emotions and Well-Being | 19 | ||
| Negative and positive emotions | 20 | ||
| Emotions, feelings, and moods | 20 | ||
| Positive and negative affect | 23 | ||
| Origins and consequences of affect | 26 | ||
| The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions | 27 | ||
| The dual nature of affect: Signal and cause of progress | 30 | ||
| The ratio of positive to negative emotions | 31 | ||
| Cross-cultural differences in emotions | 32 | ||
| Affect and emotional complexity | 33 | ||
| The role of emotions in positive psychology | 34 | ||
| Happiness and life satisfaction | 35 | ||
| Feelings of happiness and happiness | 35 | ||
| The measurement of happiness | 35 | ||
| Background variables and happiness | 36 | ||
| Income and happiness across nations: Basic needs and human rights | 37 | ||
| Income and happiness within wealthy nations: The hedonic treadmill | 39 | ||
| Differences between happy and unhappy people | 41 | ||
| Models of well-being | 43 | ||
| The hedonic definitional model of subjective well-being | 43 | ||
| The eudaimonic definitional model of psychological well-being | 45 | ||
| Empirical comparison of subjective and psychological well-being | 47 | ||
| Directions for future research | 50 | ||
| Self-development and understanding exercise | 53 | ||
| Recommended web resources and further reading | 55 | ||
| Websites | 55 | ||
| Reading | 56 | ||
| 3 Positive Self | 57 | ||
| Introduction | 57 | ||
| Self-concept | 58 | ||
| Self-esteem | 58 | ||
| Self-efficacy | 60 | ||
| Self-regulation | 64 | ||
| Ego | 64 | ||
| Intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and self-determination | 66 | ||
| Self-construals and cross-cultural differences in self-processes | 72 | ||
| Reversals | 79 | ||
| Stress and coping | 82 | ||
| Needs and motives | 85 | ||
| Personal strivings | 89 | ||
| Goals | 92 | ||
| Achievement goals | 93 | ||
| The creative self | 95 | ||
| The creative self in social context | 100 | ||
| The 'I' and the 'me' | 105 | ||
| Directions for future research | 109 | ||
| Self-development and understanding exercise | 111 | ||
| Recommended web resources and further reading | 112 | ||
| Websites | 112 | ||
| Reading | 113 | ||
| 4 Positive Traits | 114 | ||
| Introduction | 114 | ||
| 5 Optimism and Self-Regulation of Emotions | 157 | ||
| Introduction | 157 | ||
| Optimism, hope, and emotional intelligence | 158 | ||
| Optimism | 158 | ||
| Hope | 162 | ||
| Emotional intelligence | 165 | ||
| Self-regulation of emotions | 169 | ||
| Attentional control | 169 | ||
| Mindfulness | 171 | ||
| Meta-emotions | 173 | ||
| Adaptive and maladaptive metacognitions | 175 | ||
| Directions for future research | 177 | ||
| Self-development and understanding exercise | 180 | ||
| Recommended web resources and further reading | 181 | ||
| Websites | 181 | ||
| Reading | 181 | ||
| 6 Flow | 183 | ||
| Introduction | 183 | ||
| Measurement methods and models of flow | 184 | ||
| The Flow Questionnaire and the first model of flow | 184 | ||
| The Experience Sampling Method and the quadrant and octant models | 188 | ||
| The Standardized Flow Scales and the componential model | 191 | ||
| Overall assessment | 193 | ||
| The origins of flow | 193 | ||
| Self-Determination Theory and flow | 193 | ||
| The teleonomy of the self and the autotelic personality | 195 | ||
| Cultural influence on flow | 196 | ||
| Consequences of flow | 198 | ||
| Flow and creativity | 198 | ||
| Flow and sport performance | 198 | ||
| Flow and work performance | 199 | ||
| Flow and academic performance | 200 | ||
| Flow and emotions | 200 | ||
| Frequency of flow and well-being | 201 | ||
| Negative consequences of flow | 202 | ||
| Directions for future research | 202 | ||
| Self-development and understanding exercise | 205 | ||
| Recommended web resources and further reading | 206 | ||
| Websites | 206 | ||
| Reading | 207 | ||
| 7 Positive Relationships | 208 | ||
| Introduction | 208 | ||
| Romantic love | 209 | ||
| Well-being in love | 209 | ||
| Components of love | 210 | ||
| Types of love and relationship well-being | 212 | ||
| Love and subjective well-being | 212 | ||
| Relationships in work environments | 213 | ||
| Well-being at work | 213 | ||
| Relationships between indicators of wellness | 216 | ||
| Positive work environment factors | 218 | ||
| Positive management | 220 | ||
| The inner work life, the progress principle, and positive team leadership | 221 | ||
| The missing bolt in the affect–creativity yoke: Negative emotions | 223 | ||
| Parenting, teacher–student, and child–other relationships | 228 | ||
| Well-being indicators | 228 | ||
| Positive parenting | 228 | ||
| Positive teaching: Autonomy and structure | 231 | ||
| Extracurricular activities: Developmental and negative experiences | 232 | ||
| Directions for future research | 234 | ||
| Self-development and understanding exercise | 237 | ||
| Recommended web resources and further reading | 238 | ||
| Websites | 238 | ||
| Reading | 238 | ||
| 8 Positive Therapy | 239 | ||
| Introduction | 239 | ||
| Mental illness and mental health | 241 | ||
| Happiness-enhancing interventions | 244 | ||
| Positive emotions interventions | 247 | ||
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and metacognitive therapy | 248 | ||
| Directions for future research | 251 | ||
| Self-development and understanding exercise | 252 | ||
| Recommended web resources and further reading | 254 | ||
| Websites | 254 | ||
| Reading | 254 | ||
| 9 Future Directions in Positive Psychology | 255 | ||
| The three approaches to the question | 255 | ||
| The trade-offs of happiness | 256 | ||
| Negative emotions as signals | 257 | ||
| Optimal states versus optimal sequencing of states | 259 | ||
| Beyond good and bad | 259 | ||
| References | 261 | ||
| Index | 290 |