Positive Psychology and Character Strengths ??????????

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Dr Mark Williams Ph.D.Professor of Positive
PsychologyShenzhen University     Mobile (0011
86 755) 13480129331email markw.szu_at_gmail.comwe
b www.aappi.net

• Positive Psychology and Character
  Strengths??????????

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Questions for this Lecture ?????????

• What is Subjective Well Being (SWB) in Seligmans
  positive psychology system? ?Seligmans???????????
  ??????
• What are virtues and character strengths and why
  are they important? ??????????,????????
• How do you find out which are your top character
  strengths? ??????????????????
• How can you use your character strengths to raise
  your baseline level of happiness?
  ????????????????????????

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Seligmans Positive Psychology SystemSWB
Pleasure Engagement MP

• Subjective Well Being (SWB) is the technical term
  for happiness ?????(SWB)????????
• Subjective Well Being (Life Satisfaction
  Happiness) ?????(????????) Pleasure ?? (10)
  Engagement in life ??????? ( 40) Meaningful
  Purpose ?????? (50)
• Baseline levels of SWB happiness can be raised by
  using you major character strengths in new
  ways????????????????????,???????????.

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Seligmans Positive Psychology SystemSWB
Pleasure Engagement MP
Pleasure 10
Meaningful Purpose 50
10
50
40
Engagement in Life 40
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What determines happiness ???????? ?
(Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, Shkade, 2005)
Life circumstances ???? 10
Genetic Set Point ??? 50
10
50
40
Intentional Activities ????? 40
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Joke Time!

• Psychologist Weve had several sessions now. Do
  you have any questions? ???????????????????????
  ??
• Patient Yes doc, whats wrong with me? ??
  ??,??,????????
• Psychologist "Well, you're crazy. ?????,???.
• Patient angrilyI am not, I want another
  opinion ??????,?????????.
• OK... Youre also ugly. ?...?????.

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How do you feel right now? ????????

• Write the words that best describe how you feel
  right now, at this very moment.1. Excited
  enthusiastic interested uninterested
  bored?? - ?? ??? - ???? - ??2. Joyous
  happy - so-so sad - depressed?? - ?? - ???? -
  ?? - ??3. Peaceful relaxed unrelaxed
  agitated jealous - angry ? ?- ?? ?? ?? -
  ?? - ?? 4. Powerful confident ok timid -
  scared?? - ?? - ? - ?? - ???5. Lively
  energetic listless lazy - tired - exhausted
  ?? - ???? ???? - ?? ?-????6. Uplifted
  elevated clear unclear - confused ?? ?? -
  ?? - ??? ??

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Daily Happiness Measure?????
1 extremely unhappy ?????2 very unhappy
?????3 quite unhappy ????4 a little unhappy
?????5 Neutral ??,????????6 a little happy
???? 7 quite happy ??? 8 very happy ???? 9
extremely happy ????

• Today, Ive generally been feeling
  ???????,?????? ______
• The main reason is because ???????
  

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Weekly Happiness Measure?????
1 extremely unhappy ?????2 very unhappy
?????3 quite unhappy ????4 a little unhappy
?????5 Neutral ??,????????6 a little happy
???? 7 quite happy ??? 8 very happy ???? 9
extremely happy ????

• During the last week, Ive generally been
  feeling ???????,?????? ______
• The main reason is because ???????
  

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Yearly Happiness Measure?????
1 extremely unhappy ?????2 very unhappy
?????3 quite unhappy ????4 a little unhappy
?????5 Neutral ??,????????6 a little happy
???? 7 quite happy ??? 8 very happy ???? 9
extremely happy ????

• During the last year, Ive generally been
  feeling ???????,?????? ______
• The main reason is because ???????
  

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Ed Dieners Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)
7 Strongly agree???? 6 Agree?? 5 Slightly
agree??? 4 Neither agree nor
disagree???????? 3 Slightly disagree????? 2
Disagree??? 1 Strongly disagree?????

• In most ways my life is close to ideal.
  ???????????????? _____
• The conditions of my life are excellent.
  ?????????? _____
• I am satisfied with my life. ????????? _____
• So far I have gotten the important things I want
  in my life. ?????,?????????????????????? _____
• If I could have my life over again, I would
  change almost nothing. ????????????,??????????
  _____

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Scoring Dieners SWLS

• Add results and write down your score. 31-35
  Extremely satisfied ??????? 26-30 Satisfied
  ????? 21-25 Slightly satisfied ???? 20
  Neutral ??,???????? 15-19 Slightly
  dissatisfied ???????? 10-14 Dissatisfied
  ?????? 5-9  Extremely dissatisfied
  ????????
• You might want to do this questionnaire at
  regular intervals of your life to see if the
  results change.??????,?????????.??????????????????
  ??,???????.

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My Positive Yoga ?????? Gratitude Deep
Breaths ?????

• Come into Yoga Namaste Pose and twist your back
  and neck - feel lucky that you have a healthy
  young body. ??????????????,????????,????????????
  ???
• Sit straight, close your eyes, and start to
  smile. ??,????,?????? .
• Deep breath in and move the smile up to your
  nose, eyes, forehead, think a funny thought and
  then squeeze the smile into your brain.
  ?????,?????????,?????, ????????,?????????.
• Open your eyes and feel grateful for 3 things you
  can see or remember ????,????????????3??

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New Research ????
C. R. Snyder Shane C. Lopez

• Psychologists from several disciplines are now
  asking an intriguing question What strengths
  does a person employ to deal effectively with
  life? ?????????????????? ??????????????????????
  
• Leading positive psychologists set a research
  agenda for the scientific study of human
  strengths. ???????????????????????????

Lisa G. Aspinwall, Ursula M. Staudinger
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Virtues and Character Strengths???????

• A large American public survey (1999) found that
  the most important problem facing youth are not
  learning values. ????????(1999?)??,?????????????
  ?????
• Values education is needed in public schools.
  ?????????,?????
• What is good character? ????????
• Can it be learned, developed? (????)????,????
• What roles do parents, citizens and schools have
  in developing good character through values
  education? ??????,?????????,??,??????????????

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What are good values and character strengths
?????????????? ?

• Martin Seligman, Christopher Peterson, Ed Deiner,
  Mike Csikszentmihalyi, Kathleen Jamieson, George
  Valliant - the positive psychology steering
  committee to classify basic virtues and character
  strengths ???????????,?????????????
• They examined historical models of virtues and
  good character, instituted and surveyed current
  research, and developed selection criteria for a
  classification scheme?????????????????,??????????,
  ????????????

Peterson, C. Seligman, M.E.P. (2004). Character
Strengths and Virtues A Handbook and
Classification. Oxford University Press
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6 Human Virtues and 24 Strengths 6??????24???

• Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman - led a
  3 year study to determine human strengths and
  virtues agreed on over time and
  culture.????????,?????????????????????????? .
• They came up 24 Character Strengths grouped into
  6 Virtues ?????24????????6??? Transcendence ??
  ,Temperance ??, Humanity ??, Wisdom ??, Justice
  ??, and Courage?? .

Peterson, C., Seligman, M.E.P.
(2004). Character Strengths and Virtues A
Handbook and Classification. Oxford University
Press
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These Virtues and Strengths ???????

• Contribute to personal and community fulfillment
  ?????????
• Valued in their own right by individuals and
  groups ???????????????????
• Celebrated when present and mourned if lost
  ??????????,???????????
• Taught by parents and institutions as good things
  ????????????
• Subject of parables, religious and morality tales
  ?????,????????
• We all have our own unique mix of them
  ??????????????
• Able to be learned, taught and developed
  ?????,?????
• Prompt joyful response from others when expressed
  ??????????????

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6 Human Virtues ??

• Core human characteristics valued by all moral
  philosophies and religions??????????????????
• Universal to all peoples ???????
• Survival value to communities ????????
• All needed to be an individual of good character
  ???????????????

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24 Character Strengths Test?????24?????

• For next week, all students MUST do the free
  Brief Strengths Test at English-Chinese website
  ?????????????????????,????www.authentichappiness.s
  as.upenn.edu (middle of the home page scroll
  down click ???? - ???????).
• You also MUST do the free test at the Chinese
  Enneagram website (www.cnenn.cn ) ???????????

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Talk with your friends ???????

• This week I want you to talk with your friends,
  telling them what character strengths you have
  ??,???????????,??????????????
• They will tell you whether you are right or wrong
  ???????????????
• Sometimes our friends know us better than we know
  ourselves ???????????????

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6 Human Virtues ??

• Core human characteristics valued by all moral
  philosophies and religions???????????????????
• Universal to all peoples ????
• Survival value to communities ??????
• All needed to be an individual of good character
  ?????????????(??????,???)

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The 6 Virtues 6??

• 1. Wisdom and knowledge ?????
• 2. Courage ??
• 3. Humanity??
• 4. Justice ??
• 5. Temperance ??
• 6. Transcendence ??

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Character Strengths ????

• Psychological ingredients that define the virtues
  ?????????
• Ways of expressing one of the virtues. (e.g.
  virtue of justice displayed by strength of
  fairness)?????????(??????????????)
• Person may have only 1 or 2 strengths within a
  virtue ?????????????????
• Rarely display them all ????????

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Wisdom ??

• Wisdom and knowledge cognitive strengths that
  entail the acquisition and use of knowledge
  ???????????????????????????
• Creativity originality, ingenuity ??????,???
• Curiosity interest, novelty-seeking, openness to
  experience ?????,????,??????
• Open-mindedness judgment, critical thinking
  ???????,?????
• Love of learning ???
• Perspective wisdom ??

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Courage ??

• 2. Courage emotional strengths that involve the
  exercise of will to accomplish goals in the face
  of opposition, external or internal.
  ??????????,????????(??????)?????????
• Bravery valor ????
• Vitality zest, enthusiasm, vigor, energy
  ????,??,????,?? Persistence perseverance,
  industriousness ????,??
• Integrity authenticity, honesty ?????,??

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Humanity??

• 3. Humanityinterpersonal strengths that involve
  tending and befriending others ???????,??????????,
  ?????
• Social intelligence emotional intelligence,
  personal intelligence ????????,????
• Kindness generosity, nurturance, care,
  compassion, altruistic love, niceness
  ????,??,??,??,????,???
• Love ?

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Justice ??

• 4. Justice civic strengths that underlie healthy
  community life. ????????????
• Citizenship social responsibility, loyalty,
  teamwork ????????,??,????
• Fairness??
• Leadership??

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Temperance ??

• 5. Temperancestrengths that protect against
  excess ?? ????,??
• Self-regulation self-control ????????
• Forgiveness and mercy ?????
• Humility / Modesty ??/??
• Prudence ??

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Transcendence ??

• 6. Transcendence strengths that forge
  connections to the larger universe and provide
  meaning. ?? ??????????
• Appreciation of beauty and excellence awe,
  wonder, elevation ??????????,??,??
• Hope optimism, future-mindedness, future
  orientation ????,??,????
• Spirituality religiousness, faith, purpose
  ????,??,??
• Humor playfulness ????
• Gratitude ??

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Traditional Psychology ?????
Positive Psychology ?????
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders ???????????
Character Strengths and Virtues (Peterson
Seligman, 2004) ???????
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Peaceful
Integrity, authenticity, honesty
Perspective, Wisdom
Leadership
Open-mindedness critical thinking
Fairness, Justice
Forgiveness, mercy
Optimism
Self regulation, Self Control
Temperance
Justice
Bravery, Valor
Kindness, generosity, nurturance, compassion
The 6 Human Virtues and 24 Strengths
Humor, Playfulness
Courage
Humanity
Love
Social, Emotional, Personal Intelligence
Vitality, zest, Enthusiasm, Vigor, Energy
Persistence, Perseverance, Industriousness
Humility, Modesty, Prudence
Gratitude
Wisdom
Hope, Future Mindedness
Transcendence
Appreciation of beauty and excellence
Love of Learning
Spirituality, Awe, Wonder, Elevation
Curiosity
Creativity, Originality, Ingenuity
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Signature Strengths for Individual and Tribal
Survival and Flourishing
Integrity, authenticity, honesty
Peaceful
Perspective, Wisdom
Leadership
Open-mindedness critical thinking
Fairness, Justice
Forgiveness and mercy
Optimism
Self regulation, Self Control
9. Think clearly, negotiate, make peace from
laziness
Bravery, Valor
1. do the correct thing at the right time from
anger
Kindness, generosity, nurturance, compassion
8. challenge, fight, be strong from lust, to
dominate
Humor, Playfulness
Individual and Tribal Survival and Flourishing
Love
2. help, care, interpersonal Interaction from
manipulating
7. Seek adventure, acquire new skills from
gluttony
Social, Emotional, Personal Intelligence
Vitality, zest, Enthusiasm, Vigor, Energy
Persistence, Perseverance, Industriousness
3. win, maintain image, achieve from deceit
6. questioning to be loyal from fearfulness
Humility, Modesty, Prudence
Gratitude
4. be dramatic, sensitive to surroundings from
envy
5. observe and investigate from hoarding
Hope, Future Mindedness
Appreciation of beauty and excellence
Love of Learning
Spirituality, Awe, Wonder, Elevation
Curiosity
Creativity, Originality, Ingenuity
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24 Character Strengths Test?????24?????

• For next week, all students MUST do the free
  Brief Strengths Test at English-Chinese website
  ??,?????????????????? www.authentichappiness.sas.u
  penn.edu (middle of the home page scroll down
  click ???? - ???????).
• You also MUST do the free test at the Chinese
  Enneagram website (www.cnenn.cn ) ?????????????.

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Use your strengths to change your life!
?????,??????!
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Use your strengths to change you life! ????
?,??????!
Our signature strengths can be nurtured
throughout our lives, with benefits to our well
being, health, relationships, and careers. For
example, a woman hated her job of putting goods
into bags at the supermarket. She used her main
signature strength of social intelligence to
change her job to talk with the customer to make
that encounter the highlight of their day.
?????????????????????,???????????,???????????????,
? ????????????????????(???)??????????????????,????
?????????????,?????????????????
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Talk with your friends ?????

• This week I want you to talk with your friends,
  telling them what character strengths you have
  ??,???????,??????????????
• They will tell you whether you are right or wrong
  ??????????
• Sometimes our friends know us better than we know
  ourselves ???????????????

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Recent Important Research on Happiness
???????????

• A widely-publicized study (Fowler Christakas,
  2009), British Medical Journal, reported that
  happiness in social networks may spread from
  person to person. ????????????,(Fowler
  Christakas, 2009?)?????????????????????,????????
• Researchers followed nearly 5000 individuals for
  20 years in the long-standing Framingham Heart
  Study and found clusters of happiness and
  unhappiness that spread up to 3 degrees of
  separation (i.e. your friends friends friends).
  ???????? Framingham?????,20??????5000?,??????????
  ??,????3?????(??,???????????????????????)?

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Happiness experiment ???? Fowler Christakas,
2009

• Happiness tended to spread through close
  relationships like friends, siblings, spouses,
  and next-door neighbors. ?????????????????????????
  ??
• The researchers reported that happiness spread
  more consistently than unhappiness through the
  network. ??????,?????,????????????
• Moreover, the structure of the social network
  appeared to have an impact on happiness.
  ??,?????????????????????

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• People who were very central (with many friends
  and friends of friends) were significantly more
  likely to be happy than those on the periphery of
  the network. ????????????????????????????????????
• Overall, the results suggest that the more social
  you are the more happy you are and that happiness
  might spread through a population like a virus.
  ????,????,??????????????,???????????,???????

James H. Fowler and Nicholas A. Christakis
(2009). "Dynamic Spread of Happiness in a Large
Social Network Longitudinal Analysis Over 20
Years in the Framingham Heart Study" (PDF).
British Medical Journal 338 (768)
http//jhfowler.ucsd.edu/dynamic_spread_of_happine
ss.pdf
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References

• Ben-Shahar, Tal. (2007). Happier Learn the
  Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting
• Fulfilment. McGraw-Hill New York
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• Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow The psychology
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