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🟩 UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
🔹 Introduction to Positive Psychology
Positive Psychology is a scientific approach that studies the positive aspects of human life, such
as happiness, strengths, virtues, and optimal functioning. It emerged as a response to traditional
psychology’s focus on mental illness and dysfunction. While clinical psychology aims to fix what
is broken, positive psychology explores what makes life worth living.
Martin Seligman, one of the founders, emphasized that psychology had become too focused on
pathology and had forgotten about nurturing well-being and human potential. Positive
psychology seeks to promote mental flourishing, helping individuals thrive, not just survive.
🔹 Western and Eastern Perspectives
Western psychology traditionally emphasizes the individual, focusing on autonomy,
achievement, and rationality. In Western thought, especially from Greek philosophers like
Aristotle and Plato, a good life was equated with practicing virtues like courage, justice, and
wisdom. Christianity and Judaism promote the moral development of individuals through virtues
like hope, charity, and faith. Islamic philosophy includes deep commitments to justice, gratitude,
and helping others, such as through the practice of zakat.
In contrast, Eastern perspectives prioritize interconnectedness, spiritual growth, and harmony
with others and the universe. For example, Confucianism highlights social roles and duties,
emphasizing respect, virtue, and order. Taoism teaches the importance of balance and flowing
with nature (the Tao), while Buddhism focuses on overcoming suffering through mindfulness and
compassion. Hinduism sees life as a journey toward liberation (moksha) through dharma (duty),
karma (action), and self-realization.
Where Western views aim for happiness through external achievement, Eastern views focus on
internal peace, wisdom, and unity.
🔹 Character Strengths and Virtues
Developed by Peterson and Seligman, the Character Strengths and Virtues (CSV) framework
identifies core psychological strengths that contribute to a meaningful life. These include
qualities like perseverance, gratitude, humility, kindness, creativity, and hope. They are grouped
under larger categories known as virtues, such as wisdom, courage, humanity, and
transcendence.
These strengths are not just traits — they are habits of thought, emotion, and behavior that can
be cultivated. For example, practicing gratitude or forgiveness over time can change how a
person reacts to adversity, enhancing overall well-being. Positive psychology asserts that
building strengths is as important as treating weaknesses.
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🟩 UNIT 2: POSITIVE EMOTIONAL STATES AND PROCESSES
🔹 Happiness and Well-being
Happiness is often understood as a state of satisfaction with life and the frequent experience of
positive emotions. However, positive psychology goes beyond momentary pleasures to explore
long-term fulfillment and meaning.
Seligman’s PERMA model offers a comprehensive framework for understanding well-being:
Positive Emotions: Feeling good and optimistic
Engagement: Being deeply involved or “in flow”
Relationships: Developing meaningful, loving connections
Meaning: Belonging to something greater than oneself
Accomplishment: Pursuing success and mastery
True well-being involves cultivating these elements. It is not just about smiling more often but
also about finding purpose, connection, and achievement.
🔹 Positive Affect and Emotions
Positive affect refers to a person's tendency to experience positive moods and emotions. These
include joy, gratitude, inspiration, hope, and awe. Unlike fleeting moods, positive emotions help
shape how we think and interact with the world.
According to Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory, positive emotions do more than
just feel good. They expand our thinking, improve our problem-solving skills, and help build
psychological, physical, and social resources. For example, experiencing love can increase trust
and bonding, while awe may lead to greater curiosity and learning.
Over time, these emotions create upward spirals — they help people become more resilient,
more socially connected, and mentally healthier.
🔹 Resilience
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from stress, failure, or trauma. It's not about avoiding
difficulty but about adapting positively despite it.
Resilient individuals maintain hope, flexibility, and emotional regulation. They can reframe
challenges, find meaning in setbacks, and rely on supportive relationships.
Resilience can be built through:
Strengthening positive self-beliefs (like self-efficacy)
Practicing mindfulness and acceptance
Using humor and optimism to reframe adversity
Seeking help and fostering community support
Rather than being a fixed trait, resilience is a dynamic skill that anyone can develop, especially
through positive interventions like gratitude, optimism, and character-building.
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🟩 UNIT 3: POSITIVE COGNITIVE STATES AND PROCESSES
🔹 Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy, a concept introduced by Albert Bandura, is the belief in one’s ability to achieve
goals and overcome challenges. It influences how we feel, think, and behave. People with high
self-efficacy take on difficult tasks, persist longer, and recover more quickly from setbacks.
This belief is shaped by:
Mastery experiences (succeeding at tasks)
Observing others succeed (vicarious learning)
Encouragement from others (verbal persuasion)
Managing stress and emotional states
Self-efficacy leads to higher motivation, stronger resilience, and greater achievement across life
domains — from school to relationships to work.
🔹 Optimism
Optimism is the expectation that good things will happen and that challenges are temporary and
solvable. Seligman’s concept of “learned optimism” shows that we can shift from pessimistic
thinking to a more hopeful outlook by changing how we interpret events.
Optimists are healthier, live longer, and handle stress more effectively. They focus on solutions,
growth, and possibilities. Optimism doesn’t mean ignoring reality — it means believing that
change is possible and that actions make a difference.
🔹 Hope
Hope, as defined by Snyder, is a combination of goal-directed thinking and motivation to pursue
those goals. It involves two key components:
Pathways thinking: the ability to create strategies
Agency thinking: the belief in one's ability to act on them
High-hope individuals are better at problem-solving, persist longer in the face of obstacles, and
experience less anxiety. Hope can be nurtured by setting meaningful goals, celebrating small
wins, and visualizing success.
🔹 Wisdom
Wisdom is a deep understanding of life that integrates experience, knowledge, and compassion.
Wise individuals think before they act, consider multiple perspectives, and balance personal and
societal needs.
Wisdom involves traits like self-reflection, emotional regulation, empathy, humility, and moral
reasoning. In complex life situations, wisdom helps individuals make balanced decisions,
especially when there are competing values or long-term consequences.
🔹 Flow
Flow is a state of deep focus and immersion in an activity where time seems to disappear. It
occurs when a person’s skills perfectly match a challenging task, leading to a sense of control,
joy, and purpose.
People experience flow during activities like playing music, writing, teaching, sports, or coding.
It’s associated with intrinsic motivation, meaning the activity is rewarding in itself, not for external
rewards.
Flow is essential for productivity, creativity, and personal fulfillment. To promote flow, tasks
should have clear goals, immediate feedback, and a balance between challenge and ability.
🔹 Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It
involves observing thoughts, feelings, and sensations with curiosity and acceptance.
Regular mindfulness practice can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It enhances
self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation. Mindfulness is also used in therapy — in
approaches like MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) and MBCT (Mindfulness-Based
Cognitive Therapy).
It helps individuals respond rather than react, break negative thinking patterns, and appreciate
daily life more deeply.
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🟩 UNIT 4: PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
🔹 Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to understand and feel what others are experiencing. It comes in two
forms:
Cognitive empathy: understanding others’ perspectives
Affective empathy: emotionally resonating with others
Empathy is foundational for compassion, kindness, and cooperation. It reduces prejudice and
promotes healing. People with high empathy are more likely to help others, resolve conflicts
peacefully, and build deep connections.
🔹 Egoism vs. Altruism
Egoism refers to helping others for personal gain, while altruism is selfless concern for the
welfare of others. The Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis (Batson) suggests that true altruism arises
when we feel empathy for someone else’s suffering.
Even when helping benefits us emotionally (e.g., feeling good), positive psychology values the
intent to serve, not just the result.
🔹 Gratitude
Gratitude is recognizing the good in life and its sources, including others, circumstances, or a
higher power. Practicing gratitude shifts attention from what’s missing to what’s present and
positive.
Gratitude improves:
Relationships (people feel valued)
Physical health (better sleep, lower blood pressure)
Emotional well-being (less envy, more joy)
It can be cultivated through daily reflection, gratitude letters, or expressing thanks in
conversation.
🔹 Forgiveness
Forgiveness is the process of letting go of resentment or the desire for revenge. It does not
mean excusing the harm or forgetting it — rather, it means choosing inner peace over continued
anger.
Forgiveness benefits include:
Reduced anxiety and depression
Improved immune functioning
Greater emotional resilience and spiritual growth
It’s a powerful healing force that liberates both the forgiver and the forgiven.
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🟩 UNIT 5: APPLICATIONS OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
🔹 In Work
Positive psychology enhances workplaces by promoting engagement, purpose, and satisfaction.
When people use their strengths at work, they are more productive and fulfilled.
Practices like strength-based leadership, cultivating flow, and recognizing employees’
contributions foster loyalty and creativity. Organizations that promote psychological well-being
have higher performance and lower burnout.
🔹 In Education
Positive education combines academic learning with character development and well-being.
Students learn better when they are emotionally supported.
Strategies include:
Teaching growth mindset
Gratitude practices
Mindfulness in the classroom
Strength spotting activities
This results in greater academic success, fewer disciplinary issues, and more resilient students.
🔹 In Ageing
Older adults benefit from focusing on meaning, social connection, and legacy. Positive
psychology interventions can help them stay engaged, mentally sharp, and emotionally
satisfied.
Practices like life review, storytelling, intergenerational mentorship, and gratitude help promote
dignified and joyful ageing.
🔹 In Health
Positive psychology improves health by reducing stress and boosting the immune system.
Interventions like hope therapy, forgiveness practices, and mindfulness are shown to:
Decrease chronic pain
Improve cardiovascular health
Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety
Promote recovery from illness and surgery
A positive mindset is not just a “feel good” concept — it’s a powerful factor in healing and
longevity.
