Positive Psychology

Course overview

This course discusses how the focus of traditional psychology has been too narrow in its efforts to understand and ameliorate mental and psychological illness and dysfunction. The course defines the positive psychology as a scientific branch and explains its efforts to correct the imbalance by addressing the opposite end of the spectrum via scientific investigation. Licensees will learn that positive psychology is not the study of hedonism or happiness. Rather it is an assessment of how social institutions, education and the attainment of long-term goals provide fulfillment. Licensees will learn about the work of well know humanistic psychologists such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. Licensees will learn about the studies and methods used in positive psychology for attaining higher pleasures, positive emotions, balancing mood and flow. Techniques on how to exercise one?s ability to savor pleasurable experiences are also outlined. This course details different theories of happiness, such as the hedonic theory and the objective list theory. In addition, this course discusses the affects of strong interpersonal relationships on one?s degree of happiness as well as theories discussing how to increase happiness. This course also outlines the relationship between positive thinking and overall health via data and theory analyses as well as the relationship between optimism and pessimism. Licensees will learn about exercises for increasing optimism as well has methods for measuring strength and values.