What is Positive Psychology?

Hans Henrik KnoopAarhus University, Denmark

2006 Hans Henrik Knoop2006 Hans Henrik Knoop

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HAPPINESS ?

PROGRESS ?

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Short answer:

PP is the study of wellbeing and optimal

functioning in human life – and how to foster this as individuals, groups and

societies

Genes: source of 40-50 % of your happiness

This is because we are born with a kind of chemically determined basic mood called the happiness set-point

Material life-circumstances: source of 10-20 % of your happiness

The reason that it is not more is that we get used to good things which is called hedonistic adaptation

Immaterial (volitional) life-circumstances: source of 30-40 % of your happiness

Freedom to engage in joyful activity here and now Freedom to existentially and socially to engage in a bigger, more long-sighted, meaningful perspective

(Lyubomirsky, 2007)

How is your mood being produced?

Denmark: A Multiple Choice Society?

Ruut Veenhoven: People live happiest in economically well developed nations that are well governed and allow their citizens a lot of freedom, in short, in modern multiple choice society

5 mi. citizens (very few) 43.000 square kilometers (very few) World’s highest economic equality (gini-index 2000-) Very high level of personal autonomy / Very low power

distance / Very low level of blind obedience (Hofstede, 1984-) Very high level of creativity / material wealth Very high level of access to information / media+ICT - 85-

95% computer and internet access in private homes (Plovsing & Nielsen, 2009)

World’s lowest level of corruption (Transparency International, 2008)

World’s highest level of social trust (Bjørnskov, 2009) Some of the world’s happiest (Veenhoven 2010; Diener 2009)

Hans Henrik Knoop, 2010Hans Henrik Knoop, 2010

Result:Increased

competence

Result:Increased

competence

Experience:Intrinsically motivating

positive emotions

Experience:Intrinsically motivating

positive emotions

Result:Increased creativity

Result:Increased creativity

Experience: Intrinsically motivating meaning

Experience: Intrinsically motivating meaning

Experience: Intrinsically motivating

engagement

Experience: Intrinsically motivating

engagement

Experience:Intrinsically motivating

social relations

Experience:Intrinsically motivating

social relations

Preconditions: Aesthetics and

functional settings

Preconditions: Aesthetics and

functional settings

Preconditions: Positive support and

positive challenge

Preconditions: Positive support and

positive challenge

Preconditions: Autonomy, purpose, energizing goals, un-bureaucratic rules, flexible degree of challenge,

non-humiliating feedback and possibility for concentration

Preconditions: Autonomy, purpose, energizing goals, un-bureaucratic rules, flexible degree of challenge,

non-humiliating feedback and possibility for concentration

Preconditions: Usability

Good reasons

Preconditions: Usability

Good reasons

Experience: Desire to learn and

create: curiosity and entrepreneurship

Experience: Desire to learn and

create: curiosity and entrepreneurship

The desire to learn and create

Base: Unfolding individual strengths in daily life

Action:Intrinsically motivated learning and creativity

Action:Intrinsically motivated learning and creativityDesire to

learn moreDesire to

create more

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Knoop, H. H. & Lyhne, J. (red.) (2005). Et nyt læringslandskab – Flow, Intelligens og det gode læringsmiljø. København: Dansk Psykologisk Forlag.

Knoop, H. H. (2002). Leg, læring og kreativitet – hvorfor glade børn lærer mere. København: Aschehoug.

Knoop, H. H. (2006). Når lysten til at lære overlever mødet med skolen. I: Hejgaard, J. et al. Mit barn skal I skole. København: Mejeriforeningen, Rådet for Større Færdselssikkerhed og Skole & Samfund.

Knoop, H. H. (2007). Wise Creativity and Creative Wisdom. In: Craft, A., Gardner, H. & Claxton, G (eds.) Creativity, Wisdom and Trusteeship . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Knoop, H. H. (2007). Control and Responsibility: A Danish Perspective on Leadership. In: Gardner, H. (ed.). Responsibility at Work: How Leading Professionals Act (or Don't Act) Responsibly. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Knoop, H. H. & Gardner, H. (2001). Good Work in a Complex World. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University.

Lyhne, J. & Knoop, H. H. (red.) (2008). Positiv Psykologi – Positiv Pædagogik. København: Dansk Psykologisk Forlag.

Tidsskriftet Kognition & Pædagogik. Virum: Dansk Psykologisk Forlag

Test dine karakterstyrker her: www.viasurvey.org

Test din positivitetsratio her: www.positivityratio.com/single.php

Min hjemmeside på DPU / Århus Universitet: www.dpu.dk/om/knoop

5th European Conference on Positive Psychology: www.ecpp2010.dk

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