PSY336H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Hedonic Treadmill, Positive Psychology, Level Set
Document Summary
The ability to be happy and contented with life = central criterion of adaptation and positive mental health. Happy people gain tangible benefits in many domains of life: positive state of mind, more likely to marry, more friends, superior work outcomes. Happy people = greater self-control and self-regulatory and coping abilities, and bolstered immune system. Happy people are more cooperative, prosocial, and other-centered. 3 sources of pessimism (suggesting pursuing happiness is futile: suggest for each person, there is a chronic or characteristic level of happiness. Although there may be variation around the baseline level in the short-term: 2 traits most closely related to well-being= neuroticism and extraversion. 4 sources of optimism: some have had success in using interventions to increase happiness, amenable motivational and attitudinal factors have been linked to well-beingg. Ex. successful pursuit of life goals, have an optimistic perspective on life: older people tend to be somewhat happier than younger people.
