Levo and the Era of Positive Psychology
Modern research on women in the workplace has led Levo to a compelling conclusion: that positive thinking really is a game-changer in today’s business world. Amanda Pouchot considers the benefits of positive psychology. We’ll be following up with a series of deep-dives into this concept in the new year.
Considering the frightening state of the global economy and the job market here at home, the concept of an “era of good feeling” being anywhere near “around the corner” is probably not occupying beachfront real estate in your brain at the moment. But it’s occupying Martin Seligman’s brain.
In fact, it’s been occupying Martin Seligman’s brain for a while. The concept, as he names it, is Positive Psychology– and even after the dot-com bust, he was announcing that the era of Positive Psychology was at a tipping point. And it’s the lab at UPenn that Seligman directs, the Positive Psychology Center, that’s pursuing the study of “the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive” to this day. It’s hard to think about in such murky economic times, but Seligman argues that the field of psychology needs what is, in some ways, a rebranding.
Seligman and his cohort believe that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, and that part of that lies in cultivating the best parts of themselves to enhance their life experiences. There are many benefits associated with being an optimist. And it is something you can learn. Optimism is one of the more well-known psychological traits studied within the field of positive psychology.
Before you scoff at the hippie-dippy moniker, take heed: there’s no denying that the majority of study in the psychological sciences is related to disorder and dysfunction. The DSM IV is focused on steps to correct imbalances to achieve psychological normality, or neutrality, rather than creating happiness. And while it’s a helpful lens, there’s more to psychological health than achieving a baseline. More worrisome, the lens can have the side effect of casting any abnormality as a deficiency, or catalyst of psychological dysfunction. The limitation of psychology to negative psychological features can make it difficult to view the human brain as a whole. (Disclaimer: I studied social psychology and Elizabeth studied psychology and neuroscience in undergrad, so we are not trying to write off the entire field– not by a long shot. We are both very passionate about it. Just putting a view out there that’s worth consideration).
Our take at Levo? Everyone knows that happiness isn’t an objective experience (though we don’t say that objectively). But think about it: the happiness you feel in moments of deep crisis– say, if you’re hospitalized for a major health issue– can often feel significantly more meaningful than happiness you feel at a new job or a wedding or something that has (arguably) more positive value in life. Humans don’t experience happiness and sadness in a linear way. We become habituated to our standard of living and lose perspective easily. There are far more complex forces at work than “This is good” or “This is bad.” And taking the stance that the object of psychology should be at creating an ultimately positive mental outcome seems like a perfectly acceptable way to view the field– after all, it’s a field that has practical application, and the practical outcome of the study should have positive real-life value.
Positive psychology is important because it demonstrates a shift in the field of psychology to focusing on why people find happiness in their lives rather than emphasizing the things that go wrong and cause sadness. The Positive Psychology Center has three central concerns: positive emotions, positive individual traits, and positive institutions. And in an era where
Negativity spreads negativity
Emotions don’t live in a vacuum. As Fischer, Rotteveel, Evers of University of Amsterdam with Manstead of Cardiff University argue in Emotional assimilation: How we are influenced by others’ emotions, emotions do not occur in isolated contexts. They’re elicited, experienced, expressed and regulated as a result of and in ways affecting interaction with others. Social relations in the absence of emotions are difficult to conceive of, as the authors note. Several authors have written extensively of the social functions of emotions (e.g., Keltner & Haidt, 1999; Fischer, Manstead, & Zaalberg, in press; Parkinson, 1996). And as the New Yorker discussed last week, emotions and expectations have a compelling influence on health and wellness.
It stands to reason, therefore, that emotions to some extent are transmitted— related in a social context. Obviously, emotions aren’t contagious the same way a virus would be— personality differences and societal expectations have their effect on emotional transmission, as do choice and experience. But there is substantial evidence to say that our emotional states do affect one another.
How we can all use Positive Psychology to be happier people:
1. Focus on your strengths, and make them stronger. Know what you are good at and keep working to make that better. Don’t just focus on negating your weaknesses, also continue to strengthen your strengths.
2. Reframe situations for what you can learn from them/ do better next time - we all make mistakes, can always be learning, so don’t see it as a waste of time or the world’s end, learn for next time.
3. Find the positivity in others - what are your friend’s strengths? What are their weaknesses? We know the longer you spend with another person the more you like them.
4. Focus on what is going well in your organization (this doesn’t mean forget about the bad) but we tend to over-remember negative things rather than positive.
