8.

Positive Psychology

Q. 1) A) Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate

words given in the bracket:
1) ……………. is the father of positive psychology.( July-2022)
a. Carver b. Masten
c. Seligman
2) Barbara Fedrickson introduced the Broaden and theory.
a. build b. emotion c.learning
3) The belief that good things will happen is called as …………..
a. pessimism b. resilience
c. optimism
4) The capacity to understand what othetrheperson is experiencing is
…………….
a. sympathy b. empathy
c. emotion
B) Match the pairs.
Group A Group B
a) Resilience(Mar-22)1) Positive aspects of life
b) Mindfulness(Mar-23)2) increase optimism
c) Positive 3) state of awareness psychology
d) Happiness 4) Overcome hurdles

Answers ( a – 4, b – 3, c – 1, d – 2 )

C) Write whether the following statements are “ True” or “False”

1. The capacity to understand what the other person is experiencing is sympathy.

(Mar—2022) -- False

2. Sign of self-neglect indicates mental wellness.(July—2023) False

D) Answer in one sentence

1. Who is called father of positive psychology ? ( Sept—2021, Mar—2022,

Mar--2023)

Ans :- Martin Seligman is called father of positive psychology

2.What is meant by “Life Above Zero”?( July--2022

Ans-- Life above zero covers a large area of positive aspects of human

behaviour like happiness, optimism, hope, trust, character strength,

 compassion, empathy, mindfulness, resilience etc.

3. What is meant by empathy?(July—2023)

Ans:- Empathy is the capacity to understand and feel what another person is

experiencing from within their frame of reference.

Q. 2) Answer the following questions in 25 to 30 words:

1) Explain the theories of happiness?
Ans :- Happiness is a positive emotional state that is subjective for each
person. There are subjective differences in experience of happiness e.g.
some people are very happy when they get sweets and there are some who
just hate sweets!
The main theories of happiness
1. Need/goal satisfaction theories :- We are happy because we have
reached our goals. For e.g, Ramesh feels happiness when he clears IIT –
JEE exams.
2. Process / activity theories :- Happiness is generated or experienced
when one engages in a particular activity . For e.g. manoj enjoys trekking.
3. Genetic/ personality theories :- Genetic and personality
characteristics are involved in the experience of happiness.
2) What is mindfulness?
Ans :- Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present,
aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or
overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Mindfulness helps to focus
on the ‘Here and Now’. Mindfulness helps to increase self regulation,
which results in growth and happiness. Mindfulness is maintaining
moment by moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily
sensation and surrounding environment.
3) What is resilience?
Ans :- . According to the American Psychological Association, resilience is
the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy,
threats or significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship
problems, serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors. .
Resilience is the act of “bouncing back” or resisting cracking under
pressure.
4)Explain any two building blocks of resilience.Mar--2023
Ans:- According to Ann Masten resilience is ‘Ordinary Magic’ which
involves behaviour that can be easily learnt and developed by any one.--- 7
C’s of resilience are essential building blocks –( Explanation of any two
points) 1.Competence 2. Confidence 3. Connection 4. Character
 5. Contribution 6. Coping 7. Control
1.Competence :- Competence is the ability or know-how to handle
situations effectively. Competence is acquired through actual experience.
2. Confidence :- True confidence is a strong belief in one’s own abili- ties.
Confidence is gained by demonstrating competence in real life situations.
5.Explain any two determinants of happiness that you have
experienced. Mar---2023
Ans:- Happiness is a positive emotional state that is subjective for each
person. The definition makes it clear that there are subjective differences in
experience of happiness.
Some factors are better predictors of long lasting happiness.
a) Strong and intimate social relationships

b) Optimism
c) Self Esteem
d) Achieving challenging goals
e)Perceiving meaning in life
f) Perspective of looking at the world as an opportunity rather than a
threat

a) Strong and intimate social relationships

– Strong and intimate relationships within as well as outside the family help
an individual to build better support system to rely on at the time of
difficulties.
b) Optimism – When a person is more hopeful about the future, he/she will
experience more positive emotions thereby reducing negative emotions like
stress and anxiety.
c) Self Esteem –Self esteem enhances the confidence level of the
individual and their ability to approach challenges more constructively.
6. Mindfulness Meditation ( July—2022)
In mindfulness meditation you sit in a comfortable position with eyes
closed. Maintain your focus on your breath. If the thoughts try to pull
your attention, simply notice them without passing any judgment
about it. Do not get obsessed over the content of the thoughts or do
not go along with it. Do not even struggle to stop them. Rather gently
return your focus on the breath again.
 7.Explain how perceiving meaning in life can lead to long lasting
happiness ?
Ans:- Perceiving meaning in life – Research shows that an individual who
does not experience meaning in life tends to experience more
negative emotions like boredom, frustration, depression, loneliness
etc. Therefore it is the responsibility of each individual to create a
unique meaning and have a purpose in his own life to ensure
happiness.
Q.3) Write short notes on the following topic in 50 to 60 words :
1) Life above zero/ What is meant by life above zero? ( Sept.—2021,July-
2022 )
Ans :- Traditional psychology has focused on life at and below zero, that
is, illness, pain and frustration. Life below zero indicates life which contains
stress, problems in life, physical and mental diseases, unhealthy social
relations etc. These factors negatively influence human life. The concept of
life above zero is explained through the following continuum . Draw
diagram

4 Mental well being

0 Neutral point

-1

-2

-3

-4 Mental Illness

In above diagram, the upper section indicates positive characteristics, In the

lower section there are negative characteristics which are called
characteristics below zero.
-1 to +1 indicates neutral characteristics. According to DSM classification as
we go down below zero, we see disorders and dysfunction. Life above zero
covers a large area of positive aspects of human behaviour like happiness,
optimism, hope, trust, character strength, compassion, empathy,
 mindfulness, resilience etc. these are the areas that positive psychology
focuses on.
2) Determinants of happiness
Ans:- Happiness is a positive emotional state that is subjective for each
person. The definition makes it clear that there are subjective differences in
experience of happiness.
Some factors are better predictors of long lasting happiness.
a) Strong and intimate social relationships
– Strong and intimate relationships within as well as outside the family help
an individual to build better support system to rely on at the time of
difficulties.
b) Optimism – When a person is more hopeful about the future, he/she will
experience more positive emotions thereby reducing negative emotions like
stress and anxiety.
c) Self Esteem –Self esteem enhances the confidence level of the
individual and their ability to approach challenges more constructively.
d) Achieving challenging goals – if the goals are too easy to achieve it
may lead to boredom. On the contrary if the goals are much higher than
the capacity of the individual to reach, it leads to frustration and stress.
Thus the trick to maintain happiness level is to find out and achieve a goal
which is neither too easy nor too difficult.
e)Perceiving meaning in life – Research shows that an individual who
does not experience meaning in life tends to experience more negative
emotions like boredom, frustration, depression, loneliness etc.
f) Perspective of looking at the world as an opportunity rather than
a threat – Each individual can look at the challenges of life either as an
opportunity to develop his potentials or as setbacks creating damage in
his life.
3) Characteristics of an optimist
Ans :- Optimism is a mental attitude that includes feelings of hopefulness
and a belief that the future will be positive, favourable and desirable and
that negative events are temporary setbacks to be overcome.
Characteristics of an optimist
1. They Choose best options or result from the available conditions.
2. They tend to have High self confidence
3. They have Positive approach towards the challenges and difficulties
4. They see difficulties as an opportunity for the person to become strong
 5.They are hopeful about the future

4) Methods to promote empathy( Sept.—2021, Mar—2022 )

Ans :- Empathy is the capacity to understand and feel what another person
is experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is the capacity to
place oneself in another’s position.
According to Simon Baron- Cohen there are of three components of
empathy. like cognitive empathy, emotional reactivity, and social skills.

Empathy builds trust and increases feeling of safety. It is also a key to

successful relationships.

Empathy can be promoted by using the following methods.

1. Increase social interactions: Simple method is to have a person

interact more frequently with people who need help. With such frequent
contacts the individual truly begins to understand the perspectives and
motives of the people who are being helped.

2. Connecting through similarities: point out similarities with another

person e.g same type of work, hobbies, having same type of problem or
goals, growing up in the same part of country, etc.
3. Understanding what you are feeling: The first step towards
understanding others is understanding yourself. Those people who are
more accurate in judging their own motives and emotions are able to
empathize better.
5.Types of Resilience( Sept--2021
There are Four types of resilience, they are, Psychological, Emotional,
Physical, and Community.
1. Psychological Resilience( Mar-2022) Psychological resilience refers to
the ability to mentally withstand or adapt to uncertainty, challenges, and
adversity. People who show psychological resilience develop coping
strategies and capabilities that enable them to remain calm and focused
during stressful situations and move on without prolonged negative
consequences.
2. Emotional Resilience: Emotional resilience refers to the ability to cope
emotionally with stress and adversity. It is a person’s
ability to understand what he / she is feeling and why? Managing their
emotions by using internal and external
Resources rationally.
3. Physical Resilience: It is the body’s ability to adapt to challenges, maintain
the stamina and strength, and recover quickly and efficiently. It’s a person’s
ability to function and recover when faced with illness, accidents, or other
physical demands.
4. Community Resilience: Community resilience refers to the ability of
groups of people to respond to and recover from adverse situations, such as
natural disasters, acts of violence, economic hardship, and other challenges to
their community.
Q. 5) Explain the following concepts:
1) Positive psychology
Positive Psychology is a newly emerging branch of Psychology.,
Martin Seligman officially introduced Positive as a subfield. Seligman
defined positive psychology as "The scientific study of positive human
functioning and flourishing on multiple levels that include the biological,
personal, relational, institutional, cultural and global dimensions of life".
Positive psychology is a branch of psychology gives importance to
studying things like joy, courage, happiness rather than stress, anxiety,
illness, disorders, conflicts, frustrations etc.

2) Half glass full and half glass empty

Optimism is a mental attitude that includes feelings of hopefulness and
a belief that the future will be positive, favourable and desirable and that
negative events are temporary setbacks to be overcome. Seligman
explained about optimism in the book ‘Learned optimism’. Our
perspective determines whether or not we will show optimism.
A glass which has water up to it’s mid level may be perceived as half full
(optimism) or as half empty ( Pessimism ). This is described as ‘Half
glass and half glass empty’.
3) Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to understand and feel what another person is
experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is the capacity to
place oneself in another’s position.
According to Simon Baron- Cohen there are of three components of
empathy. like cognitive empathy, emotional reactivity, and social skills.
Empathy builds trust and increases feeling of safety. It is also a key to
successful relationships.

4) Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of
where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or
overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Mindfulness refers to
mental awareness that helps to focus on the ‘Here and Now’. It helps to
increase Self-regulation and self control of our behaviour increases due
 to mindfulness. This results in growth and happiness. . Mindfulness is
maintaining moment by moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings,
bodily sensation and surrounding environment.
5. Physical Resilience:( Mar-2023) It is the body’s ability to adapt to
challenges, maintain the stamina and strength, and recover quickly
and efficiently. It’s a person’s ability to function and recover when faced
with illness, accidents, or other physical demands.

Self Study Question 7, 8

Q. 7) Answer the following question --- Just Study
1) What are the essential building blocks of resilience?
- According to the American Psychological Association, resilience is the
process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats
or significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship
problems, serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors.
Resilience helps us recover from setbacks and move ahead with our
life.Individuals who are resilience tend to
(i) They regain their confidence after a period of emotional disturbances.
(ii) They are able to maintain their psychological wellbeing.
The types of resilience are physical, psychological, emotional and
community resilience.
According to Ann Masten resilience is ‘Ordinary Magic’ which involves
behaviour that can be easily learnt. The 7 C’s of resilience are
1.Competence :- Competence is the ability or know-how to handle situa-
tions effectively. Competence is acquired through actual experience.
2. Confidence :- True confidence is a strong belief in one’s own abili- ties.
Confidence is gained by demonstrating competence in real life situations.
3. Connection :- Family is the central force in an individual’s life. Con-
nections with other people, schools and communities gives the
individual a sense.
4. Character :- Clear sense of right and wrong and a commitment to
integrity. An individual with character has a strong sense of self-worth
and confidence.
of security that allows him to be independent and develop creative
solutions.
 5. Contribution :- An individuals who understands the importance of
personal contribution develops a sense of purpose that can motivate
him / her, further leading to his / her psychological well-being.
6. Coping :- A person who learns to cope effectively with stress is better
prepared to overcome life’s challenges.
7. Control :- When an individual realizes that he can control the out-
comes of his decisions and actions, he is more likely to know that he
has the ability to bounce back.
Q. 8) Find out the positive aspects of behaviour from the example given below and
answer in one word.
i) Mahesh studies so attentively that he never gets distracted.
Ans :- Mindfullness
ii) Sujata lost her hands in an accident. Now she has learned to write with
her leg.
Ans :- Resilience
iii) Vasanta’s daughter died by cancer. He has opened a rehabilitation
center for cancer patients.
Ans :- Empathy
Q 9) Case Study
Anurag was a software engineer working in one of the leading company’s
in the USA for almost 5 years. He was in a stable relationship and he had plans to
start a family and to settle there. Unfortunately due to the poor economy in USA he
lost his job and had to return back to India. He felt distressed as he
realized that he had lost everything he had worked so hard to build. This made
him feel like a failure.
i) How do you think Anurag can apply the 7 C’s of resilience to overcome the
difficult situation he is in?
i) As Anurag’s friend how will you empathise with him and help him deal with
this challenge?
ii) Anurag has developed a very pessimistic approach after these setbacks,
how will you guide him to stay happy and optimistic?
Ans :- According to the American Psychological Association, resilience is the
process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or
significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship problems,
serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors. Resilience is
the act of “bouncing back” or resisting cracking under pressure.
Resilience helps us recover from setbacks and move ahead with our life.
Individuals who are resilient tend to –
(i) Regain their confidence after a period of emotional disturbances.
(ii) Maintain their psychological well-being.
Anurag can apply the 7 C’s of resilience as follows.
1. He has already worked in a reputed firm successfully. Hence he has the
competence and confidence in his own abilities. Although he is feeling a
sense of hopelessness and failure. He must live in the “Here and Now’ by
taking stock of the situation. Character will provide Anurag self worth and
provide a sense of purpose and motivation. That is contribution. When he
realizes that he can still succeed in life by applying for a similar job here and
accepting the situation, that is, control he can use effective coping
mechanisms. Besides, he should not forget social support of family and
friends that is, connection.
2. As Anurag’s friend, I can understand and feel what he is going through,
from his frame of reference. Since, he is feeling distressed and like a failure
due to loss of job. Iwill empathize with him by being encouraging and
supportive. I will try to make him understand that with his own competence
and experience, he can easily find a well paying job in India. I will also
encourage him to improve his professional skills and seek social support
from family and friends.
3. It seems natural for a person who was in a good job, stable relationship
and successful position to feel pessimistic and like a failure when all of these
no longer exist in his life. I will help Anurag to have a positive approach
towards the challenges and difficulties in his life, that is , view all setbacks ,
that is loss of job, being sent back from the USA etc., as opportunities not as
obstacles. This will help him to gain a better perspective.