Module 10: happiness activities 2 (lecture 1)
Lecture 28: Cultivating Happiness With Signature Strengths
What are Strengths?
Psychological strengths are built-in capacities for certain thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
For example, courage, optimism, perseverance, gratitude etc. The study of strengths are
foundational agenda of positive psychology, because they reflect positive side of human
functioning.
Benefits Of Understanding and Using Psychological Strengths
Boniwell (2012) summarized following values and functions of strengths-
encourages insight and perspective in life
makes one less sensitive to stress
generates optimism and resilience
provides a sense of direction
helps to develop confidence and self-esteem
generates a sense of vitality and energy
stimulates a sense of happiness and fulfilment
helps to achieve one’s goals
enables one to be more engaged at work and perform better
Development and following one’s strengths can build resilience and prevent psychological
illnesses. For example, developing optimism may buffers against depression
Strengths approach underlies most successful psychological therapies such as instilling hope,
optimism, courage etc. in clients (Boniwell, 2012).
Different Approaches To The Concept Of Strengths
There are two major approaches to the concept of strengths and their measurement:
VIA Classification of Strengths and Virtues,
Gallup’s StrengthsFinder
The VIA Classification Of Strengths And Virtues
Peterson & Seligman (2004) developed a classification system of strengths and virtues taking
cue from DSM called value in action (VIA) classification. As DSM classifies mental disorders,
VIA tries to classify character strengths and virtues.
Character strengths are those aspects of personality that are morally valued (Park & Peterson,
2009). We look for good characters as a desirable quality in all people including leaders,
teachers, students. Academic skills and abilities such as thinking critically help people to
achieve goals but without good character, individuals may lack the desire to do the right thing
(Park & Peterson, 2009).
According to Park and Peterson (2009), exercising character strengths-
-Prevent undesirable life outcomes
-specific strengths of character (hope, kindness, social intelligence, self-control, and
perspective) buffer against the negative effects of stress and trauma.
-Help people to thrive and are associated with desired outcomes such as school success,
leadership, tolerance and valuing of diversity, ability to delay gratification, kindness, and altruism
Peterson & Seligman (2004) used certain criteria to select a list of major universal strengths.
Some of these are-
A strength contributes to fulfilment of the good life for a person and others around him or
her.
A strength is morally valued in its own right, irrespective of whether or not it leads to
beneficial outcomes.
Displaying the strength does not diminish others, but may rather benefit them, causing
admiration rather than jealousy
A strength must be manifest in a range of a person’s behaviours, thoughts, feelings and
actions. It should be generalizable across situations and times.
VIA Classification
Using these criteria, Peterson and Seligman (2004) identified 24 character strengths which are
organized into 6 major virtues.
Virtues are the core universal characteristics valued by moral philosophers and religious
thinkers such as wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence (Park &
Peterson, 2009). Character strengths are the specific psychological processes or mechanisms
that define the virtues such as kindness and love are aspects of virtue of humanity.
Virtues and their corresponding character strengths are as follows-
1. WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE (this virtue incorporates strengths related to the acquisition
and use of knowledge)
• creativity: thinking of novel and productive ways to do things
• curiosity: taking an interest in all of ongoing experience
• open-mindedness: thinking things through and examining them from all sides
• love of learning: mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge
• perspective: being able to provide wise counsel to others
2. COURAGE (involve the exercise of will to accomplish goals in the face of opposition,
whether external or internal)
• honesty: speaking the truth and presenting oneself in a genuine way
• bravery: not shrinking from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain
• persistence: finishing what one starts
• zest: approaching life with excitement and energy
3. HUMANITY (includes interpersonal strengths)
• kindness: doing favors and good deeds for others
• love: valuing close relations with others
• social intelligence: being aware of the motives and feelings of self and others
4. JUSTICE (includes civic strengths)
• fairness: treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice
• leadership: organizing group activities and seeing that they happen
• teamwork: working well as member of a group or team
5. TEMPERANCE (Moderation and self-restraint; includes strengths that buffer us against
excesses.)
• forgiveness: forgiving those who have done wrong
• modesty: letting one’s accomplishments speak for themselves
• prudence: being careful about one’s choices; not saying or doing things that might later be
regretted
• self-regulation: Regulating what one feels and does
6. TRANSCENDENCE (Includes strengths that connect us to the larger universe)
• appreciation of beauty and excellence: noticing and appreciating beauty, excellence, and/or
skilled performance in all domains of life
• gratitude: being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen
• hope: expecting the best and working to achieve it
• humor: liking to laugh and joke; bringing smiles to other people
• religiousness: having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of life
Character Strengths and Well-being
Character strengths have been consistently linked to various measures of happiness and well-
being. Identifying and using signature strengths (The VIA Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS)) in
everyday life can lead to psychological fulfillment (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005).
Certain strengths are more strongly related to well-being and flourishing such as gratitude,
hope, zest, curiosity, and love have been consistently related to life satisfaction (Park &
Peterson, 2006). Research also indicate that strengths of heart such as love and gratitude
which connect people are more strongly related to well-being as compared to strengths of
head such as creativity and critical thinking (Park & Peterson, 2008) which are mostly
individual in nature. Therefore, formal education should encourage both the types of strengths
for holistic development (Park & Peterson, 2009).
The character strengths of perseverance, love, gratitude, hope, and perspective have been
linked to academic achievement (Park & Peterson, 2009).The strengths of bravery and
appreciation of beauty is connected with the successful recovery from illness (Park &
Peterson, 2009). Spirituality/religiousness is associated with a life of meaning and purpose
(Park & Peterson, 2009).
Can We Cultivate Character Strengths?
Everybody has signature strengths regardless of where he or she may stand compared to
others (Park & Peterson, 2009). Signature strengths can be cultivated as we already possess
them and easier to enhance them by exercising them in our daily life. It is much more difficult
to work on weakness as people lose interest and defensive about them.
In a study, it was observed that people who used their signature strengths for a week in novel
ways increased happiness and decreased depression at six months follow up as compared to
the control group (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005). Character strengths are
relatively stable and trait like. However, they can be influenced by both genetic and
environment factors.
Dramatic events can increase character strengths. For example-
-character strengths of faith (religiousness), hope, and love were elevated among US
respondents after 9/11 attack (Peterson & Seligman, 2003).
-increase in the strengths of bravery, kindness, and humor after recovery from physical illness
(Peterson, Park, & Seligman, 2006)
-increases in the character strengths of religiousness, gratitude, kindness, hope, and bravery
(akin to PTG dimensions) after exposure to trauma (Peterson et al. 2008).
These various notions about virtue imply that character can be cultivated by good parenting,
schooling, and socialization (Park & Peterson, 2009).
Positive role models may promote development of good character (Bandura, 1977).
People should be taught specific activities of strengths and encourage them to keep using
them in their daily lives (Park & Peterson, 2008, 2009).
An individualized program for cultivating character based on an individual’s character strength
profile may be more effective than a general for everyone (Park & Peterson, 2009).
References
Boniwell (2012). Positive Psychology In A Nutshell: The Science Of Happiness. McGraw-Hill
Education (UK)
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and
classification. American Psychological Association; Oxford University Press.
Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2009). Strengths of character in schools. In R. Gilman, E. S. Huebner,
& M. J. Furlong (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology in schools (p. 65–76).
Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Lecture 29: Cultivating Happiness With Signature Strengths 2
Gallup’s Strengths Finder/Clifton Strength Finder
Two research scientists from Gallup’s organization Clifton & Anderson (2001) attempted to
understand what makes people excel in what they do through interviewing thousands of top
performers across the globe. Out of this exercise, they came up with thirty-four most prevalent
talents/strengths displayed specifically in the work setting.
They have conceptualized strengths in different ways than VIA classification.
Talents Vs Strengths
According to Clifton and Anderson (2002), the basis of a strength is a talent. Talent is a
naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling or behaviour that can be productively applied to
multiple areas (Clifton and Anderson, 2002). It’s a capacity to do something. A strength on the
other hand is the ability to provide a consistent, high-level performance in a given activity.
Thus strengths are produced when talents are refined with knowledge and skills (Clifton and
Anderson, 2002). They further said, talents are like rough diamond and strengths are like
polished diamonds. For example, ability to make instant connection with people can be a
talent but the ability to consistently build a network of supporters who know you and are
prepared to help you is a strength.
Talents, Skills, Knowledge, and Strengths
According to Clifton and Anderson (2002)-
Knowledge consists of facts and lessons that we learn whereas skills are basic abilities that we
acquire to perform activities. Talents exists naturally within each of us. However, skills and
knowledge needs to be acquired.
Skills and knowledge are combined with talent to create a strength.
As rough diamond are naturally found in the earth, talents are naturally found within us. As
rough diamonds are refined and polished with blades and other instruments, strengths are
produced when talents are refined with knowledge and skills.
Six Principles Of Human Nature And Behavior In Strength Based Approach
According to Anderson (2004), there are six principles of human nature and behavior-
• You have a group of talents within you.
• Your greatest talents hold the key to high achievement, success, and progress at levels
of personal excellence.
• Becoming aware of your talents builds confidence and provides a basis for achievement.
• Learning how to develop and apply strengths will improve your levels of achievement.
• Each of your talents can be applied in many areas including relationships, learning,
academics, leadership, service, and careers.
• As you develop and apply strengths, your achievements will increase and you will
experience greater and more frequent successes.
Benefits of Developing Strengths
According to Clifton and Anderson (2002), with the development of strengths-
Achievement will follow
Lead to a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction
Enhance quality of life
Increases confidence and optimism
Individuals gain more when they expend effort to build their best talents as compared to
when they spend comparable amount of efforts to remediate their weakness.
Gallup’s Study Of Top Achievers
Clifton and Anderson (2002) reported following main findings of top achievers-
Top achievers fully recognize their talents and build on them to develop strengths.
Underachievers often fail to recognize their talents and develop strengths.
Top achievers apply their greatest talents in roles that best suit them. For achievement, it is
necessary to apply ones talents and strengths in roles and tasks that are best suited for those
talents. A proper fit between the talent and the task is essential.
Top achievers invent ways to apply their greatest talents to their achievement tasks. It is
essential to consciously invent newer ways of applying talents in various tasks one performs in
a role or position for greater achievement.
Strengthfinder Themes of Talents/Strengths
Gallup has categorized 34 talents/strengths into four main domains-
(1) Executing
(2) Influencing
(3) Relationship Building
(4) Strategic Thinking
See video lecture for the detail strengths within each of these categories
How to Develop Strengths?
Clifton and Anderson (2002) provided following strategies for developing strengths-
(1) Know your talents
To develop strengths we need to first identify our greatest talents.
talents can be identified, by spontaneous reactions, yearnings, rapid learning, and
satisfaction (Buckingham & Clifton, 2001).
spontaneous reactions are subconscious spontaneous reactions to a given situation.
Yearnings are passions for some activities and hobbies. Rapid learning in an area reflects
talents. Satisfaction and enjoyment of activities also reflects possible talents in an area.
The StrengthFinder questionnaire, can be used to identify talents.
Self reflection on thoughts and behaviours can give insights into talents.
(2) You must value your talents and assume responsibility for using them in strength
development.
One needs to invest time, energy and resources for developing strengths. This will happen only
when you value your talents.
(3) Talents are most powerful when inspired by a personal mission.
The use of talents are used towards the mission, purpose and meaning of your life will energize
and motivate to develop and refine talents into strengths.
Without mission and purpose in life, one may not have enough motivation to develop talents into
strengths.
(4) Healthy, caring relationship facilitate the development of strengths.
Having few healthy, positive and empowering relationships facilitates development of strengths.
They may inspire to develop your strengths. You are more likely to-
-Talk about your talents
-Express about your experiences and plans to develop talents,
-Receive feedback
-Work together to form expectations about talents, where to apply and how to develop them.
(5) Reliving your success helps you develop strengths
Success generally comes with the use of our talents. Therefore, reliving them helps you to
recognize your talents and give confidence in using and building them.
(6) Practice your talents
There is no alternative to practice when we want to develop strengths.
(7) Teaching leads to learning
Teaching others about talents and sharing your experiences and insights will facilitate
developing your strengths. You will be forced gain insights by reflecting and explaining about
them.
References
Clifton, D.O., & Anderson, E. (2002). StrengthsQuest: Discover and develop your strengths in
academics, career, and beyond. Washington DC: The Gallup Organization.
Lecture 30: Cultivating Happiness With “Flow”
Background
Flow states was first discovered by a psychologists named Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who
popularized the concept through his best seller “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience”.
Csikszentmihalyi (1975) began his research on flow with the rather simple question of why
people are often highly committed to activities without obvious external rewards. He found that
such activities share a common aspect, which he labeled ‘‘flow state’’ or ‘‘flow experience’’.
He was fascinated with artists and their unwavering concentration and wanted to understand
the subjective experience (how they feel?) when people are in such state.
What is “Flow”?
According to Csikszentmihalyi, Flow can be defined as
“The intense experiential involvement in moment-to-moment activity, which can be
either physical or mental. Attention is fully invested in the task at hand and the person
functions at her/his fullest capacity.”
He further said that
“it is state of concentration so focused that it amounts to absolute absorption in an activity.
Everyone experiences flow from time to time and will recognize its characteristics: people
typically feel strong, alert, in effortless control, unselfconscious, and at the peak of their abilities.
Both a sense of time and emotional problems seem to disappear, and there is an exhilarating
feeling of transcendence” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
Athletes refer to it as "being in the zone," religious mystics as being in "ecstasy," artists and
musicians as "aesthetic rapture.“
It is the full involvement of flow, rather than happiness, that makes for excellence in life. We
can be happy experiencing the passive pleasure of a rested body, warm sunshine, or the
contentment of a serene relationship, but this kind of happiness is dependent on favorable
external circumstances. The happiness that follows flow is of our own making, and it leads to
increasing complexity and growth in consciousness.
There seems to be three common elements in all flow definitions and experiences (Kasa &
Hassan, 2013)-
• Sense of deep involvement and concentration
• feeling of ultimate enjoyment while doing the task
• Intrinsic interest in the task i.e. ding the task for its own sake and not because of external
pressure or demands.
Conditions For Flow To Happen
The state of flow happens under very specific conditions –
when we encounter a challenging task that tests our skills, that is, a task which is high on
challenge and the skills levels, stretching us almost to the limit. We may experience anxiety If
challenges exceed skills, and experience bored if skills exceed challenges, Neither of these two
cases can results in flow.
Quadrant Model of Flow (See Video lecture)
Characteristics Of Flow
Csikszentmihalyi (1992) after interviewing thousands of people from different areas such as
chess players, mountain climbers, tennis players, ballet dancers, surgeons, and so on
concluded that flow is a universal experience. It has following important characteristics:
(1) Intense and focused concentration on what one is doing in the present moment with no
room in one’s mind for any other information.
(2) Loss of reflective self-consciousness. The loss of self-consciousness can lead to self-
transcending and pushes the boundaries of our being forward. When not preoccupied with our
selves, we experience joy and a chance to expand our sense of self.
(3) The merging of action and awareness. In the state of flow the activity becomes
spontaneous and we merge with the action become almost one with the action. E.g., A painter
merges with his painting.
(4) Clear goals and immediate feedback. One should have a clear proximate goal and get
immediate feedback how he/she is doing in the task to enjoy and enter into flow.
(5) Sense of control over what one is doing. There is a sense that one can deal with the
situation and respond to whatever happens next.
(6) Distortion of temporal experience especially the sense that time has passed faster than
normal.
(7) Activities are intrinsically rewarding. Doing the activity itself is rewarding and end goal is
often an excuse for the process.
Activities that are Conducive and Non-conducive to Flow
Activities that can facilitate flow experience are called autotelic (from the Greek: auto = self,
telos = goal), because they are mostly intrinsically motivated and enjoyable and have an end
in themselves (Boniwell, 2012). Many activities can be conducive to flow experience as long
as the activity is able to activate high challenge and high skills (Della Fave & Massimini, 2004).
Activities such as sports, dancing, creative arts and other hobbies, socializing, studying,
reading and, very often, working (Boniwell, 2012). Activities in which flow is less likely to be
experienced include housework, idling and resting, watching TV etc. (Boniwell, 2012).
Consequences of Flow
Consequences of flow include-
improve subjective well-being, happiness, life satisfaction and positive affect (Chen, Wigand,
& Nilan, 1999).
Flow is found to be correlated with increase performance, higher motivation and engagement
and positive mood in organization context (Kasa & Hassan, 2013)
Few research indicated that by developing enriching and challenging working environment that
are conducive for flow may enhance employee productivity while boosting organization
productivity level as a whole (Csikszentmihalyi, 2003).
Accoring to Engeser and Rheinberg (2008), flow is correlated with better performance for two
main reasons-
• Flow is highly functional state which promotes performance by itself.
• A person experiencing flow are more motivated to perform further task to keep on
experiencing flow and will set their own challenging task.
Flow can facilitate positive mood which may further promote creativity and positive thinking but
also encourage helping behavior among employees (George & Brief, 1992)
experiencing flow encourages a person to persist and return to the activity because of the
experiential rewards it promises, and thereby fosters the growth of skills over time (Nakamura
& Csikszentmihalyi, 2009).
Flow was associated with commitment and achievement during the high school years (Carli,
Delle Fave, & Massimini, 1988; Nakamura, 1988).
longitudinal research also suggests that mastering challenges in daily life (flow experiences)
may protect against negative outcomes (Schmidt, 2000). For example, flow experience was
associated with diminished delinquency after two years of high adversity at home/school in a
sample of American adolescents.
Autotelic Personality:
Individual Differences In Flow
There are large individual differences in the frequency and intensity of flow experiences which
may be linked to both personality and situational variables. Csikszentmihalyi
(1990) hypothesized that some may have an increased likelihood of experiencing this state- he
called them as “autotelic personality”.
He suggested that autotelic personality (from the Greek words autos, meaning “self,” and
telos, meaning “end”), as exhibited by a person who enjoys life and “generally does things for
[their] own sake, rather than in order to achieve some later external goal” (Csikszentmihalyi,
1997, p. 117). Autotelic individuals have a disposition to be intrinsically motivated in high-
challenge, high-skill situations. They are least happy and motivated in apathy (low-challenge,
low-skill) situations (Hektner, 1996). Nonautotelics (those least motivated in high-challenge,
high-skill situations) on the other hand did not find the apathy condition aversive (Hektner,
1996). Rathunde (1988, 1996) demonstrated that autotelic personality is fostered in what he
has called a “complex” family environment, one that simultaneously provides support and
challenge.
Interventions To Foster Flow
Flow principles have been applied in a variety of contexts. In general two types of intervention
approaches can be applied (Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2009)-
• To shape activity structures and environments so that they foster flow or obstruct it less
and
• To assist individuals in finding flow.
One of the best application of flow principles took place in Key School in Indianapolis, where
the goal was to foster flow by influencing both environment and individual (Whalen, 1999). The
school tried to
(a) create a learning environment that fosters flow experiences and
(b) help students form interests and develop the capacity to experience flow.
In the school’s Flow Activities Center-
students are given regular opportunities to actively choose and engage in activities of their own
interests and then pursue these activities without demands or distractions, creating what has
been described as “serious play” (Csikszentmihalyi et al., 1993).
To support students’ capacity to develop and experience flow, teachers encourage students to
challenge and stretch themselves; teachers also provide new challenges to the children to foster
growth.
Similarly, principles of flow research have been applied in other settings such as organizations
(police, automobile factory, art museums) and psychotherapies (assisting individuals to find
flow)
Dangers of Flow
Flow experience can happen to both morally good as well as bad activities. It can happen to
activities such as gambling games such as bridge and poker games. Some flow activities can
become addictive such as mountain climbing. Addiction to flow can also lead to losing a larger
perspective of life (Boniwell, 2012). In this context, Csikszentmihalyi (1992) wrote-
“enjoyable activities that produce flow have a potentially negative effect: while they are capable
of improving the quality of existence by creating order in the mind, they can become addictive,
at which point the self becomes captive of a certain kind of order, and is then unwilling to cope
with the ambiguities of life.” (P. 62)
Therefore, it is important to remember-
“The issue regarding flow is not only how we can make it happen, but also how we can manage
it: using it to enhance life, yet being able to let go when necessary.” (Boniwell, 2012, p. 35).
According to Csikszentmihalyi, (1998), flow is a source of mental energy that focuses attention
and motivates action and like other forms of energy, it can be used for constructive or
destructive purpose. Therefore, he suggested that it is not enough to strive for enjoyable goals
only, one must also choose goals that will reduce the sum total of entropy in the world i.e.
constructive goals.
References
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper
and Row
Kasa, M. & Hassan, Z. (2013). Antecedent and Consequences of Flow: Lessons for Developing
Human Resources. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 97, 209-213.
10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.224.
Boniwell (2012). Positive Psychology In A Nutshell: The Science Of Happiness. McGraw-Hill
Education (UK)
Nakamura, J., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2009). Flow theory and research. In S. J. Lopez & C. R.
Snyder (Eds.), Oxford library of psychology. Oxford handbook of positive psychology (p. 195–
206). Oxford University Press.
