1. Lesson 2 - Introduction to Positive Psychology: Learning by Doing
2. Road Map
3. The Main Goal of PSYCH 243
4. The History of PSYCH 243
5. The History of Positive Psychology
6. Do Positive Psychologists Know More than Sunday School Teachers?
7. The Three Pillars of Positive Psychology
8. Active Learning
9. The Meaning of Free Choice
10. How Do We Achieve Freedom?
11. The Importance of Realism
12. Are You Ready for Change?
13. What Will You Change?
14. Lesson Activity

Introduction

Did you know that the opposite of sadness is not happiness?

The opposite of sadness is actually...the absence of sadness. What this means is that if you could get rid of everything that is making you sad, you still would not be happy. You would simply be not sad. Psychological research has discovered that our negative emotions such as sadness, fear, anger, anxiety, and our positive emotions such as joy, excitement, adoration, and serenity exist as two independent systems. That is why, if you want to be a truly happy person, it is not enough to deal with the negative feelings in your life. You also need to know how to create positive feelings. This lesson explains how the new field of positive psychology, "the scientific study of what goes right in life" (Peterson, 2006, p. 23) emerged from the older psychology of adjustment, which emphasized overcoming problems and dealing with stress. This lesson will introduce you to the qualities you need to cultivate in order to construct a positive life. These qualities include being an active learner, being realistic, and being a critical thinker as you explore avenues of self-improvement and personal growth.

Objectives

By the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

• explain how the course readings are designed to provide food for thought toward an action plan for improving your life;
• contrast the psychology of adjustment with positive psychology;
• describe the ancient and recent history of positive psychology;
• compare and contrast humanistic psychology and positive psychology;
• define the three pillars of positive psychology;
• explain what is meant by active learning;
• explain how awareness leads to freedom;
• explain what it means to be realistic about options for achieving life satisfaction;
• describe the skeptical attitude and why it is useful;
• list some factors that can interfere with making positive changes in life;
• list some positive changes you are considering working toward in this course.