What are you wearing right now? How does it make you feel? Does what you wear affect your behavior?

Researchers at Northwestern University have found that the clothing we wear affects our psychological states, as well as our performance levels. Given their findings, individuals can intentionally choose to wear clothing that will induce more desirable psychological states and enhance task-related performance.

Humans invented clothing at least 100,000 years ago. How do we know? That’s about the time, according to molecular biologists, when body lice that lived in clothing seams diverged genetically from head lice that lived on hairs.

While clothing continues to serve the purpose of protecting human beings from adverse environmental circumstances (think parkas for cold weather, hats for sunburns, chain link bodysuits when swimming with sharks), the functions of clothing are vast and varied. Clothing styles (and sometimes, requirements) vary across geographical regions, between religions, genders, age groups, and professions. In our western culture, one large purpose of clothing is aesthetic style. What we wear can be an implicit non-verbal way to express our unique personalities.

Enclothed Cognition

Embodied cognition experts have discovered that our thought processes are based on physical experiences that set off associated abstract concepts, including those generated by the clothing we wear. Clothing can enhance our psychological states, and it can improve our performance on tasks. Let’s get a closer look at how and why the functions of clothing extend beyond covering and protecting our bodies, as well as ways people might use the findings to benefit their experiences in daily life.

The Tale of 3 Studies

Adam and Galinsky conducted three studies, controlling for possible characteristics across participants that could inhibit the findings. In their first study, they had two groups of participants. One group was instructed to put on a white lab coat, while members of the other group wore street clothes. Then the participants were given a test for selective attention that measured their abilities to notice incongruities. The participants who wore the white lab coats made almost half as many errors as those participants who wore street clothes.

    Doctor or Painter?

In their last study, Adam and Galinsky wanted to discover if simply looking at a physical item, like a coat, would affect behavior. Some participants wore what was described to them as either a doctor’s coat or a painter’s coat (again, the same exact coat). Others were instructed to look at a doctor’s lab coat that lay in front of them during the entire session. Each group’s participants were asked to write essays about their thoughts on the coats. Then using the same visual search task as experiment 2, the group that wore the doctor’s coat showed the highest sustained attention.

So what, exactly, is going on when people have different behaviors when they wear the same article of clothing but are told it belongs to different professions? Or when they wear the clothing instead of just looking at it? These researchers believe that clothing holds symbolic meaning. They claim that the influence of clothes depends both on wearing the clothing and the meaning it invokes in their psychological schemas. People must ascribe a symbolic meaning to the article of clothing and actually wear it, for that clothing to have any measurable effect.

For example, doctors (who wear coats) are generally thought to be highly intelligent, precise, and scientific thinkers. Artistic painters are generally thought to be creative, free-spirited types. Ergo, when a person ascribes a symbolic stereotype to an article of clothing while wearing that article of clothing, then the characteristic, strength, and/or ability symbolized by the clothing itself actually seems to have measurable effects on psychological states and performance.

So, how can we use the enclothed cognition findings to our benefit?

What kind of symbolic meaning does each article of clothing in your closet hold for you? Do your loafers remind you of a logical, erudite lawyer? Do your 4-inch high heels make you think of a confident woman walking down Wall Street? Does your leather bomber jacket make you think of a rebel?

Perhaps you can choose to make the monotonous daily task of getting dressed more fun and work to your advantage. Try mindfully incorporating the findings discovered from the enclothed cognition experiments to intentionally shape your subjective psychological experience and performance each day, or on special days say, when you have a job interview, a date, or need to take a test.

Here’s one way to go about it: Upon waking up in the morning, take a moment to check-in with yourself and ask, “What do I want to feel like today?” Once you name the intended feeling state or adjective (e.g., friendly, fierce, confident, sexy, composed, loving, and so on), you’re halfway there.

    All dressed up...

Once you’ve identified the article(s) of clothing that symbolizes the desired psychological state, march on over to your closet (no doubt, you’ll have a new pep to your step) and pull out those pieces. If you’re a girl, don’t stop with just your clothes. Go all out: do your makeup, hair, and adorn yourself with the accessories that accurately match–for you–the desired feeling state that you chose.

Men, maybe the tie you choose is the key article that will enhance your day? Or, perhaps it’s your comfy Levi’s?

Try this, and let me know how your intentional, enclothed cognition experiment evolves. Do you notice any behavioral changes? Or, is getting dressed simply, more fun? Either way looks good!
 

Adam, H. & Galinsky, A. D. (In Press). Enclothed Cognition. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

Kittler, R., Kayser, M. & Stoneking, M. (2003). Molecular evolution of Pediculus humanus and the origin of clothing. Current Biology, 13, 1414-1417.

Toups, M. A., Kitchen, A., Light, J. & Reed, D. (2008). Origin of Clothing Lice Indicates Early Clothing Use by Anatomically Modern Humans in Africa. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 28, 29-32.

Images
Streamers and folds for nighttime courtesy of Allison Marchant
Modern Weekly China courtesy of Please visit Kampoll.com
White coat courtesy of Stuart Cale
My Pops courtesy of Joseph Vasquez
Formal wear – Ed Nockles courtesy of Chris Becket

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.

Curtains up! Light the lights! July 20-21 and the Canadian Positive Psychology Conference will soon be upon us!

The Canadian Positive Psychology Association (CPPA) is bringing together over 45 expert speakers in positive psychology including researchers, practitioners, and coaches from fields ranging from education and clinical practice to applying positive psychology in business. The conference will feature highlights of current research in the field, but we will also be hearing from practitioners who have successfully applied positive psychology in their practices. We are anticipating a rich dialogue between research and practice. Weaving components of Appreciative Inquiry into the design of the conference, the event is gearing up to be a positive experience for all in attendance.

With only two months left to go in the planning, work is continuing at a fast and furious pace. Are we hitting all of the pillars of well-being? Let’s see how we stack up.

Positive Emotions

Our opening Keynote speaker, Dr. Robert Vallerand, will be discussing the role of passion in positive psychology. Dr. Vallerand is the President of the International Positive Psychology Association and is a Full Professor of Social Psychology and Director of the Laboratoire de Recherchesur le Comportement Social in the Department of Psychology at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Adam Anderson

Dr. Adam Anderson will also be a guest speaker. Dr. Anderson is the Canada Research Chair in Affective Neuroscience and recipient of a Templeton Positive Neuroscience award spearheaded by the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center for his research on the neural and genetic bases of positivity and resilience. His research findings are sure to fascinate.

Charles Walker

We also have speakers who will be addressing this topic in a variety of contexts. For example, MAPP graduate Louis Alloro will be presenting his SOMO Leadership Labs taking place in Cleveland – a real-life experiment in bringing the science of well-being to groups and individuals for the benefit of an entire community.

We look forward to hearing from Dr. Charles Walker from St. Bonaventure University who will share his research into student well-being, including social forms of flow and engagement with learning.

Victoria College, Toronto:
The Truth Shall Make You Free

It has been said that if you want to test your marriage, you should either go camping or cooking with your spouse. We might add “plan a conference” to that list. The CPPA Board continues to work well together, and we are definitely increasing our well-being through the power of relationships. The CPPA is also creating new positive relationships with other aligned organizations within Canada to promote the science and application of positive psychology for the benefit of all Canadians.

Naturally, relationships are foundational to strong coaching, and so Dr. Marie-Helene Budworth (and her graduate student from York University) will be sharing the linkages of two powerful components of positive psychology: coaching and Appreciative Inquiry.

Ruth Farber looks at the well-being of mothers with multiple sclerosis.

Gina Ko will examine the impact of forgiveness on relationships.

Meaning

   Marsha Huber

Meaning can be found and created in many aspects of life, including work, and we’re fortunate to have Dr. Marsha Huber present her findings on meaning at work, specifically in the accounting field. You thought that linking well-being and lawyers was a stretch! (Well, actually, we have that talk too…)

Meaning will also be discussed as an element in the counseling field, as a facet of self-determination theory, as a possible outcome of positive emotions and as an important part of relationship with nature.

Accomplishment

We are thrilled to have Dr. Gary Latham speak to the entire conference delegation on his work on goal setting (yes, he’s “the” Latham of Locke & Latham) as well as his work on evidence-based management and making work meaningful. Dr. Latham is always an entertaining speaker, and we look forward to hearing more from him.

Jacqueline Synard will also share her review on accomplishments in the field of positive psychology.

Hsiang-Yi Wu comes from Taiwan to share insights from work done in collaboration with UPENN’s Dr. Angela Duckworth on the effect of self-control on academic achievement.

Toronto Arches

Of course, our biggest and most powerful accomplishment will be the achievement of the conference itself, and we invite all PPND readers to join us. We will also incorporate physical well-being as you walk (dance walk?) from room to room, as the conference venue is strikingly beautiful and inspiring. Please join us July 20-21 in Toronto. We’ve got nothing to hit but the heights!

Author’s note: My thanks to Louisa Jewell who helped me pull together this conference announcement.

We have a twitter hashtag #CPPA2012 in case anyone wants to learn more before, during, or after the conference.

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.

Shame resilience theory (SRT) was developed by researcher and author Brené Brown in 2006. She popularized her theory with her book, I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t) and broadened her research beyond shame to what she calls, “WholeHearted living” in a second book, The Gifts of Imperfection in 2010.

Brené Brown

But it was her TED talk on vulnerability in Houston in December 2010 that vaulted Brown into internet viral celebrity status, with over 5 million views on TED and YouTube. See my review in January 2011.

Given that Brown’s follow-up TED talk called Listening to Shame, just out in March 2012, has already been viewed nearly one million times, I thought this would be a good time to take a closer look at the theory behind the phenomenon. Shame and vulnerability are topics nearly nobody wants to discuss, yet there’s something that deeply resonates with Brown’s work.

What is the Theory?

Shying Away

1. Recognizing and accepting personal vulnerability: All of us are vulnerable to experiences of shame, our shame triggers. When we recognize the emotional and physical signs of shame, we have the chance to understand what’s happening and why, and to seek help. Conversely, when we fail to acknowledge shame, we are taken off-guard, we are flooded with overwhelming emotions, and we fail to recognize what we are feeling.
    
2. Raising critical awareness regarding social/cultural expectations: Critical awareness surrounding shame is the ability to link how we are personally feeling with society’s sometimes conflicting and shaming expectations of us as individuals. We see the big picture (we contextualize).
    


Reaching Out

3. Forming mutually empathetic relationships that facilitate reaching out to others: When we reach out for support, we may receive empathy, which is incompatible with shame and judgment. We recognize that our most isolating experiences are also the most universal. We recognize that we are not defective or alone in our experiences (we normalize).
    
4. “Speaking shame,” possessing the language and emotional competence to discuss and deconstruct shame: By learning the language of shame, we learn to draw distinctions between shame, guilt, embarrassment, and humiliation. We can “name shame” by separating it from secondary emotions such as anger, fear, and isolation. We learn to ask for what we need. We learn and share what we know with others (we demystify).
    

Shame Screens

Lion Fountain, Wellesley

Brown asserts that empathy and shame are on opposite ends of a continuum. Shame results in fear, blame (of self or others), and disconnection. Empathy is cultivated by courage, compassion, and connection, and is the most powerful antidote to shame.

Brown references Theresa Wiseman’s four defining attributes of empathy:

1. to be able to see the world as others see it
2. to be nonjudgmental
3. to understand another person’s feelings
4. to communicate your understanding of that person’s feelings

Brown defines empathy as a skill, and so she stresses actively practicing giving and receiving empathy.

    How different are we?

Brown formulated her shame resilience theory by studying women only. Brown explains that many researchers believe that men and women’s experience of shame is different. Brown has also studied men since her original research was published. Her findings were that men and women do not experience shame differently. However, the societal expectations that fuel shame are different for men and women. She asserts, “women experience shame as a web of layered, conflicting and competing expectations and messages… Men don’t have the same web of conflicting or competing expectations. Men have one weighty, huge expectation, which is the small box of being seen as strong/not weak.”

My personal belief is that Brown has oversimplified men’s shame. To say that for men, shame is one thing is to take a ‘big-box’ approach and say that everything fits into that box. Brown wrote that a man can be anyone, anything, or any way so long as he’s not perceived as weak. I believe this statement denies the suffocating societal expectations placed on men in virtually all areas of their lives. See my PPND article, Positive Male Identity: What Is a Real Man Anyway? My article draws heavily from concepts presented in a book by Chris Blazina that describes societal expectations placed on men in fuller detail. While men and women may have different expectations placed on them by society, I believe those expectations are equally diverse, competing, and conflicting.

Empathy Picture

Although Brown’s research started with shame, she found herself “personally and professionally transformed” by the positive qualities of shame resilience, what she calls “WholeHearted Living.” Brown asserts that WholeHearted living is the idea that our deepest search is for a life lived with three elements:

1. authenticity
2. love and belonging
3. a resilient spirit

Shame tells us that we are unworthy, unlovable, and incapable of change. Shame tells us that our imperfections make us inadequate and that our vulnerabilities are weaknesses. From the viewpoint of WholeHearted living, our imperfections do not make us inadequate; they are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we’re all in this together.

Shame separates and isolates. Practicing shame resilience reconnects us, where we find courage, empathy, and compassion.
 

Blazina, C. (2008). The Secret Lives of Men: What Men Want You to Know About Love, Sex, and Relationships. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications.

Brown, B. (2007). I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power. Gotham.

Brown, B. (2007/2009). Connections Curriculum: A 12 Session Psycho-educational Shame Resilience Curriculum. Center City, MN: Hazelden.

Brown, B. (2010a). The power of vulnerability. TED Talk.

Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Hazelden Publishing.

Brown, B. (2012). Brené Brown: Listening to Shame. TED Talk

Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. Gotham Press. To be released in September. Announcement.

Hartling, L. M., Rosen, W., Walker, M., Jordan, J. V. (2000). Shame and Humiliation: From Isolation to Relational Transformation. Working paper 88. Wellesley, MA: The Stone Center, Wellesley College.

Safigan, S. (2011). Whole-hearted living. Positive Psychology News Daily,

Safigan, S. (2012). Positive male identity: What is a real man anyway? Positive Psychology News Daily.

Wiseman, T. (1996). A concept analysis of empathy. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 23, 1162-1167. Abstract.

Images
Shying away courtesy of peregrine blue
Take my hand courtesy of Jasleen Kaur
Lion Fountain at Wellesley courtesy of FrozenCapybara
Liverpool Street Station Blur courtesy of David Sim
Empathy picture courtesy of The Shopping Sherpa

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.

“It’s the movies that have really been running things in American ever since they were invented. They show you what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and how to feel about it.” – Andy Warhol

    At the movies

The Power of Cinema

Why is this? Our drive to seek out and soak up movies can be explained by recent theories of learning and creativity, which suggest that we have seven intelligences. Researchers Davis and colleagues explain that the more these intelligences are accessed, the more easily and proficiently we learn. Unsurprisingly, movies activate every one of the seven intelligences: the logical (plot), the linguistic (dialogue), the visual-spatial (images), the musical (soundtrack), the interpersonal (storytelling), the intra-psychic (inner guidance), and even sometimes the kinesthetic (moving) as we tense up or move to the music.

Watching together

Keeping a Watchful Eye on Power

With influence comes power, and with power comes the need for a watchful eye. According to Kobau and colleagues, the health of a nation can increase when its citizens join in groups and seek to promote healthy, rather than unhealthy (or solely profitable) objectives in its industries. It is in the spirit of promoting research on this sort of societal well-being that I introduce the Media Watch Committee (MWC) of the American Psychological Association.

We at the MWC track, examine, and disseminate information about films that make significant comments on psychological issues. We note the themes of mental illness and positive psychology that exist in the narrative, particularly portraits of mental health figures, and we discuss the accuracy and value of these ideas. We seek to applaud high-quality films that accurately provide insights into such phenomena, while providing a reality-check on films that relay stigmatizing or misleading information.

Contrasting Two Presentations of the Same Subject

Let me illustrate. The following is an excerpt from an article in my blog, Reel Therapy, about the realistic and complex portrait of Borderline Personality Disorder in the film Young Adult:

“What’s the most significant thing about “Fatal Attraction?” I would argue it’s not the memorable ending when Glenn Close leaps out of the bathroom and almost kills Michael Douglass. It’s the associative link that audience members began to make between Glenn Close’s character, Alex Forrest, and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

This is problematic, because Glenn played a crazed stalker much more than she played a nuanced, plausible sufferer of BPD. Fortunately, the recently-released to DVD (very much under the radar) “Young Adult” provides an incrementally more sensitive, specific and fairer portrait of BPD, and shows us a chapter in the psychologically painful life of Mavis.”

Please visit the full article in my blog for more on the ways in which Mavis’ story reflects the personality structure and diagnostic criteria of BPD.

What's worth collecting?

According to Sharp and colleagues the collective experience reflected in these reader comments is not uncommon, as psychological growth through identification with a protagonist on the silver screen has emerged as a strong theme in theoretical research.

Mission of the Media Watch Committee

Given the likely impact that movies have on the mind of the average individual living in 21st century America, it seems important to examine and discuss the healthfulness and truthfulness of the ideas behind the larger-than-life images. The MWC is an organization dedicated to routing the far-reaching effects of cinema down a healthy, adaptive path, so that audience members exiting theaters will be more likely to put down the cigarettes and pick up an enlightened perspective.

Please stay tuned for future PPND articles on the MWC, including reviews of films that reflect important ideas in positive psychology.
 

Davis, K., Christodoulou, J., Seider, S., & Gardner, H. (2011). The theory of multiple intelligences. In R. J. Sternberg & S. B. Kaufman (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Intelligence, (pp. 485-503). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Distefan, J. M., Gilpin, E. A., Sargent, J. D., & Pierce, J. P. (1999). Do movie stars encourage adolescents to start smoking? Evidence from California. Preventive Medicine: An International Journal Devoted to Practice and Theory, 28(1), 1-11. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1998.0409

Kobau, R., Seligman, M. E. P., Peterson, C., Diener, E., Zack, M. M., Chapman, D., & Thompson, W. (2011). Mental health promotion in public health: Perspectives and strategies from positive psychology. American Journal of Public Health, 101(8), e1-e9. doi: 10.2105/ajph.2010.300083. Abstract.

Sharp, C., Smith, J. V., & Cole, A. (2002). Cinematherapy: metaphorically promoting therapeutic change. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 15(3), 269-276. doi: 10.1080/09515070210140221. Abstract.

Images
At the movies courtesy of James Emery
Movie crowd courtesy of Sam Javanrouh
DVD collection courtesy of Dave Campbell

Edited by Natasha Utevsky

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.

Did you know that you are a storyteller?  Or that you are just one story away from what you really want?

Most of us don’t realize that we have a few central narratives running through our lives because the stories we tell ourselves are so familiar that we don’t even realize they are stories.   The easiest way to see this is to notice other people’s stories.  It’s ironic that even when you can’t see your own story clearly, you can easily see the story a friend, employee, or student is telling herself.

While the story details often differ, there are common threads that run through them.  Here are some story threads I’ve heard from  clients recently:

Storyteller

“I can’t trust others,”

“I’m not smart,”

“I have to take control or things won’t work out for me,”

“I have to grind away at work in order to be a decent person,”

“I’m not lovable,”

“People don’t perform the way I want them to,”

“I tend to get depressed,”

“Popular people don’t usually like me,”

“I have to worry about and try to control someone else’s behavior or things won’t get better.”

“I get left out,”

“If I were a good __________  [husband, wife, daughter, son, friend], I would do what s/he wants me to do.”

“I can’t have what I want,”

“I’m not appreciated,”

“I’m not good enough.”

Why does your story matter?

It could be a matter of life and death.  In a study of nuns chosen because they had to write a short autobiography as they entered the convent at age 18,   Deborah Danner and her colleagues discovered that the teens who told their life stories most positively were 2.5 times more likely to be alive six decades later than those who told their life stories in the most negative light.

Another storyteller: Harlan Ellis

As we looked at elements of Steve’s story, he realized that he has several stories  he’s telling himself for which the themes are: “I work for a boss who’s not good at making decisions…. I’m working away, but not making much progress…. I’m competing with my peers for scarce investment resources… and several of my peers are pretty stodgy– they don’t like big changes.”  As we looked at these themes, Steve realized that these are stories he has told himself in other ways, with other people, for years.  And he came to realize that this combination of stories left him feeling stuck.

So here was Steve, feeling stuck as an individual and as a leader.  How do you imagine his employees felt, even though Steve didn’t explicitly tell them what was going on?  Not only do you affect yourself with your stories, you affect the people around you, whether you tell them the stories or not.

We have listened to stories all our lives...

Create a New Story in 3 Steps

I’ve discovered that it’s not the events of my life that allow or prevent my success in love, work and happiness, it’s the story I’m telling myself– and I can change my story.   Here’s how you can tell a story that boosts success and passion:

1. Start by naming your old story. Ask yourself, how would I summarize the story of my life, my work, or my family in one sentence?
    
2. Ask yourself, how can I tell a different story about where I want to be in the future? Write a few paragraphs with your new story, as you’d like your future to be and (this is the most important part): feel how good it feels to be in that new story.
    
3. Pick out one phrase you can say to yourself that reminds you of your new story and start saying it. Hint: make sure it’s something that actually feels good when you say it.

Spring lessons, sowing seeds

First we  identified some of Steve’s story themes (Step 1).

Then he thought about how he could change one of his stories so that he could feel relieved and start to build new optimism (Step 2).  He changed his story about working away without much progress into one that felt better: “I like throwing myself into my work, and what I’m doing now is sowing seeds, some of which will take root and grow into exciting new growth.”

Steve chose, “Sowing seeds of growth” as the phrase he would repeat to remind himself of his new story (Step 3).   “Once I got out of my own head and could change what I was telling myself, I felt like I had new energy,” Steve said.    

What’s your better story?
 
 
Author’s note: This article is an outgrowth of an article that was originally published here on www.christineduvivier.com on February 21, 2012.

Editor’s note: Christine’s article draws on practices of Narrative Therapy, as described on the Dulwich Centre web site:

Danner, D.,  Snowdon, D., & Friesen, W. (2001). Positive Emotions in Early Life and Longevity: Findings from the Nun Study.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(5), 804-813.

Duvivier, C. (2007). Appreciating Beauty in the Bottom 80™. Philadelphia: Capstone Study. University of Pennsylvania.

Duvivier, C. (2010). No Worries, Andy! Immunize Yourself Against Job Anxiety

Hicks, J. & Hicks, E. (2007). The Astonishing Power of Emotions: Let Your Feelings Be Your Guide.   New York: Hay House.

Kotter, J. (2006, April 12). The Power Of Stories Forbes.com

Kotter, J. & Cohen, D. (2002). The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations. Harvard Business Review Press.

Morgan, A. (2000). What Is Narrative Therapy? (Gecko 2000). Gecko Press.

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.

Hyatt Regency in Denver

A “Confluence of Epistemologies”

The first keynote speaker was Jon Kabat-Zinn. While sitting in meditation posture on stage, he guided the audience members and many others streaming live from their homes through a brief but profound meditation. Then he noted that the conference represented the union of dharma and science. Remarking on the surge of research on mindfulness in recent years, he emphasized the necessity of grounding mindfulness work in experiential data.

An Early Start

The conference began each morning at 7am with yoga taught by Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, followed by a group meditation guided by various spiritual teachers, including Brother David Steindl-Rast, Barry Kerzin, and Sharon Salzberg.

Keynote Speeches

On Friday, the keynote speaker was Diana Chapman Walsh, former president of Wellesley College. She conveyed the benefits that contemplative practices had brought to her presidency, such as fueling mindful leadership, inspiring creativity, and building resilience through setbacks. Furthermore, she called for “scientific vigor and rigor” in the field and for a new generation of leaders who act with equanimity, compassion, and love.

Marsha Linehan Keynote

That evening, Evan Thompson, Wolf Singer, and Matthieu Ricard offered respectively philosophical, neurological, and Buddhist perspectives on the nature of consciousness. Thompson pointed out that we talk about consciousness without being able to remove ourselves from it; nothing is non-experiential. Singer stated, “All that we can perceive, imagine, and deduce depends on the function of our brain.” Ricard upheld that consciousness, akin to material objects, is void of intrinsic existence. This multifaceted debate revealed a seeming incompatibility of the viewpoints for understanding consciousness.

Master Lectures

Each morning, attendees chose to join one of three concurrent master lectures, which brimmed with erudite content and incited lively conversations.

Mark Greenberg and Barbara Fredrickson’s master lecture

On Saturday, Tania Singer, Brother David Steindl-Rast, and Sharon Salzberg tied together neuroscience and contemplative practice; Kathleen McCartney, Jerry Murphy, and Carolyn Jacobs covered education; and John Teasedale and John Dunne discoursed on clinical science and humanities.

On Sunday, Amishi Jha and Arthur Zajonc discussed the intersection of neuroscience and education; Mark Greenberg and Barbara Fredrickson talked about education and positive psychology; and Lorenzo Cohen, Richard Freeman, and Stephen Phillips deliberated on yoga as contemplative practice.

Panel Presentations

The afternoons featured concurrent panel discussions and platform presentations by researchers from around the world. Following each session, audience members asked questions and engaged with the researchers.

Jon Kabat-Zinn

• The benefits of mindfulness meditation, empathy, and compassion for pain, anxiety disorders, depression, substance use disorders, smoking cessation, and stress regulation
   
• Various programs that foster mindfulness, compassion, insight, and awareness in populations of all ages, including among clinicians, armed forces, and children
   
• Ethical issues and methodological considerations
   
• Neurological underpinnings
   
• Contemplative studies in partnership with other disciplines

Poster Sessions

The three poster sessions indicated how much contemplative science has propelled research in recent years. With 122 posters in total, attendees got a sense of the many unique investigations and applications of contemplative practices.

Closing Address

Richard Davidson and Congressman Tim Ryan spoke at the end of the conference.

Davidson talked about the past and present statuses of contemplative studies, and he projected how the field may expand in upcoming years. First, he portrayed his initial publications on contemplative practices as black sheep in the scientific literature. Then, Davidson highlighted recent pioneering findings and identified neglected areas of research, such as epigenetic studies, interventions for children, and translational work for mainstream literature. Finally, he emphasized that contemplative science is at an exciting point, while advising that the field has a long road ahead.

Ryan, who recently authored A Mindful Nation, offered an uplifting perspective on the role that contemplative practices can play in education and government, nationally and even globally. For example, he proposed building a mindful society rooted in science, just as railroads and other infrastructure have been instituted, with establishments like regional wellness centers. His speech ended the conference on a very positive note.

Message for Positive Psychology

I asked Barbara Fredrickson her thoughts on the role of contemplative studies in positive psychology. She noted that, although they represent different communities, both aim for the same goals of self-change and betterment. She also recommended more crosstalk between the two fields, especially to incorporate the high quality of contemplative science research into positive psychology discourse.

Furthermore, while mindfulness was mentioned by almost every speaker, many other positive psychology themes emerged throughout the conference. For instance:

• Gratitude was a theme of Brother David Steindl-Rast and Sharon Salzberg’s meditations. In particular, Brother David suggested that we consider everything as a gift, both what we offer and receive, and Salzberg led us to reflect on all the people who have influenced our lives and contributed to our attending the conference.
   
• Leadership strengths were discussed by Diana Chapman Walsh.
   
• Compassion and Empathy were themes of Roshi Joan Halifax’s master lecture. Notably, she quoted His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who said, “Compassion is not a luxury; it is a necessity for human beings to survive.”
   
• Wisdom showed up in Marsha Linehan’s keynote address. For example, she described “a well within each of us that opens to the ocean” of universal wisdom.

Conclusions

Although the attendees buzzed with enthusiasm and dedication, the tone of many commentaries was also cautionary. Supporting the endorsement of contemplative practices with empirical evidence is essential for the advancement of the field.

Overall, the conference was rich with insight and inspiration. Diana Chapman Walsh said, “I expect to be a whole lot smarter by Sunday afternoon,” and I think everyone left feeling intellectually stimulated, if not a whole lot smarter.

Particularly striking was the sheer number of people who were passionate about integrating contemplative studies into their work and personal lives. I was also struck by the observation that the attendees largely came from countries other than the United States.

But perhaps my strongest impression of the conference was that everyone I passed made eye contact and smiled. I wonder, are contemplative practitioners natural positive psychologists?
 

The Mind’s Own Physician: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama on the Healing Power of Meditation edited by Jon Kabat-Zinn and Richard Davidson:

Fredrickson, B. L. (2013). Love 2.0. To be released in February 2013 by Hudson Street Press

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2011). The Healing Power of Mindfulness. 2-hour lecture given to Dartmouth.

Ryan, T. (2012). A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit. Hay House.

Varela, F., Thompson, E. & Rosch, E. (1992). The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience. MIT Press.

 
Images
All pictures except the picture of Jon Kabat-Zinn were taken by the author and are used with permission. The picture of Jon Kabat-Zinn is from the All Things Healing web site.

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.

Singapore

In the interest of bringing you, our readers, a perspective from another part of the world, I interviewed Sha-en.
 

Amanda: Since you completed MAPP what have you been working on?

Sha-en: I have started my own educational consultancy business. My focus is on how to make positive psychology tools and research accessible to the general public. I do this by giving talks, workshops and seminars for teachers and parents. After a workshop, they are not only armed with key research from the field, they are also empowered with many research-based interventions and strategies to work with their students and children. Currently, I am looking towards designing a curriculum for schools to equip more children with the skills for psychological well-being.

This work has inspired me to think of innovative ways of delivering the research in digestible pieces to help people experience positive psychology, rather than just know the textbook definition. I challenge myself to present the research in the form of a puzzle, game, or hands-on activity so that participants not only cognitively understand the rationale, but they also feel it in the heart and in the body. Inspired by that, they find it much easier to share what they’ve learned with others, and they are more likely to practice it afterwards.

Positive Collages

Amanda: Can you share an example of one of your creative exercises?

Sha-en: One of the fun exercises I do with schools is called the Positive Collage, a variation on Barbara Fredrickson’s Positive Portfolio. I bring out a stack of old magazines and then ask teachers to identify a positive emotion that they wish to cultivate. Students look through the magazines to find pictures that capture that emotion. For each picture, they write descriptive one-liners. Then they share their collages with a partner, and in the process savor them further. With children, this can be very engaging because they get to choose their own pictures. It also gives us insight into the way they see certain emotions. Being visual and kinesthetic in nature, most children enjoy this activity.

Amanda: Do you use some of these activities with your daughter and how has positive psychology affected your parenting style?

Sha-en: With my 3-year old, I have started a Happy Board and a Strengths Board, which we do almost every night before going to bed. The Happy Board captures the things that make her happy. An item we put on it can be anything, for example, an activity or an object. It gives me a sense of what brings her joy, and in the process, she also learns how to spell the word and we spiral into a very joyful mood before bed.

The Strengths Board is more for us as parents to share with her what we think are her strengths and collect examples of when she displayed a strength. We don’t limit it to the 24 character strengths but include all kinds of things we observe. For instance, one of her strengths is generosity. I noticed that she willingly shared her chocolate with her aunt and father without prompting. After I name her strength, though she might not immediately grasp the concept, it is still a moment of praise and affirmation for her.

Sherrie with the Boards

Amanda: What was your assessment of the positive education theme at the Australian Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Conference?

Sha-en: The conference provided a comprehensive overview about the way forward in positive education. The schools that shared were passionate about using the research and concrete tools of positive education in the classroom as well as throughout the organization in order to create a culture-wide shift toward flourishing. Researchers and practitioners came together to provide insight about how research can influence application and how it is necessary to have a good conversation between both groups so that educational practices can continually be reformed.

Amanda: What inspired you, and what did you learn at the conference?

Sha-en Yeo

The research presented was robust. It made a very convincing case for building on what works, and it provided concrete information on HOW to do it.

I learned a lot from Paul Wong’s work on acceptance because it is a topic often skirted over, and his honest, humorous delivery allowed people to be comfortable with the topic. Acceptance, to some people, represents giving up, and its extreme form, resignation, is not altogether helpful. However, acceptance of certain uncontrollable events can mean that a person can move from a state of helplessness towards a state of action, and that action can bring about meaningful change and growth. Personally, being able to practice Wong’s 5 pathways to acceptance was the most important thing I learned at the conference.

Amanda: And how might acceptance ideas influence your work?

Sha-en: I have not yet begun to use acceptance explicitly, but I do convey the message that there are some things we have to acknowledge we cannot change, while there are other areas where we can take action. Then I encourage participants to focus on the actionable parts and devise a rough plan to move forwards. I think in the future, I will share the 5 pathways to acceptance and begin a discussion with participants about where they are and what they hope to do to work towards a deeper level of acceptance. This will greatly enhance the section on meaning that I include in my workshops.

Amanda: How did the conference help you with your work in Singapore?

Sha-en: Throughout the conference, I was reminded of the need to provide a balanced view to people new to Positive Psychology. Also, it allowed me to re-examine some of the approaches I take towards Positive Education in Singapore and ask myself if I am presenting the most current and comprehensive approach to help teachers and parents raise flourishing children.

Serenity Collage

Amanda: Finally, what are your views about the future of positive education?

Sha-en: The future of positive education is bright. I think it is still a young field with much potential to grow. Particularly, working in an Asian country, I think there is much space to explore whether the concepts of positive psychology apply well in various cultural contexts. For instance, are strengths in Asian culture viewed with the same perspective as in a Western culture?

When we can address the idea of cultural relevance, I think positive education can evolve and have a wider reach. Also, there is a need to design more interventions that are specific not only to culture, but also for children so that we can help them build a foundation from early years. This is an exciting place to be working!

References

Sha-en Yeo’s website, Positive Education

Positive 2012: Spotlight on the Future, 3rd Australian Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Conference

Wong, P. (2012). Meaning-centered approach to positive management. Keynote address at the 3rd Australian Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Conference. We have included the abstract below from the conference brochure because it lists the 5 levels of acceptance mentioned by Sha-en Yeo.

“After differentiating between adaptive and maladaptive acceptance, the paper identifies five pathways of adaptive acceptance: (a) Accepting one’s self, (b) Accepting others, (c) Accepting death and other existential givens, (d) Accepting situations beyond one’s control, and (e) Accepting the here and now. These pathways represent five major domains of human life—personal growth, building relationships, living with existential anxiety, coping with stress, and enjoying the present moment. The paper then examines how these pathways can be applied to healing and flourishing. It concludes that a meaning-management perspective, which incorporates the growth and mindfulness mindsets, offers a coherent framework for the adaptive functions of acceptance and well-being.”

Wong, P. T. (2012). The Human Quest for Meaning: Theories, Research, and Applications (Personality and Clinical Psychology). (2nd edition). Routledge.

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.

Aaron Jarden has written a 130-page e-book, Positive Psychologists on Positive Psychology that explores topics that all positive psychologists, experienced or novice, researcher or practitioner, will find interesting.

• When, where and how did positive psychology develop? The answers to this one are a great lesson in how to do change management effectively, by the way.
   
• Who is doing cutting edge positive psychology research?
   
• Where is the field heading in the next five years?
   
• What kinds of positive psychology research are being applied in the real world?

The Usual Suspects?

The book consists of the transcripts of interviews which Aaron Jarden carried out with thirteen positive psychologists between July and October 2011, one chapter per person. If you’re not well versed in positive psychology, you will not have heard of all of them. In my view, that’s not a weakness but a great strength – it gives us diversity and breadth we wouldn’t otherwise have and (if I can paraphrase Todd Kashdan) it’s important because there’s a great deal more to positive psychology than what you usually hear about in media-friendly sound-bites about positive emotions, strengths, and gratitude.

Aaron Jarden

Dr Aaron Jarden is a senior lecturer in psychology at the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand and president of the New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology (NZAPP). He is also lead investigator of the International Well-being Study, co-editor of the International Journal of Well-being and director of GROW International. Aaron Jarden describes his goals as “complete understanding of human well-being, why it is as it is, and how it can be improved.” With this pedigree I’m sure I’m not the only reader who wishes he’d also provided answers to the questions he put to the other positive psychologists in the book.

Working on the coal face

Positive Psychologists on Positive Psychology has been written primarily for those who are new to positive psychology or are thinking of entering the field. I think it’s a great resource for that purpose. Hearing what positive psychology means to the experts who are right there, working at the coal face every day, is invaluable. But even if you’re a relatively old hand in the positive psychology world, this book has much to offer.

You get a lot of personal insights which you wouldn’t otherwise hear. It’s well-balanced. The downsides are spelled out too, including emerging concerns that research is being applied too quickly, and even misapplied. Acacia Parks suggests testing the effectiveness of positive psychology books written for the general public against non-science based ‘quackery’ such as The Secret. All this is useful material for those of us who’ve been working in the field on an applied basis.

Common Questions

1. What are the distinctive features of positive psychology?
   

   A simple question for experts to answer, you might think! We get three different types of response. Some refer to the importance of positive psychology’s scientific grounding, and its focus on the positive and on optimal human functioning. Others refer to a clear split between research and application. The third group answers in terms of specific positive psychology content, such as strengths and positive emotions.

   If you’re an experienced positive psychologist, how would you answer this question?



Acacia Parks

2. What are some of the most valid criticisms of positive psychology?
   

   In the early days of positive psychology our old friend, optimism, took most of the flak. Now the loudest criticisms focus on the speed and manner in which positive psychology is making its way into practice, and the way it’s communicated. According to Acacia Parks, “…in some ways we’re not as careful as we could be about the sound bites we release into the ether, or about maintaining the integrity of those sound bites so that they are accurate.” Nic Marks supports this: “There have been far too many claims made far too quickly about certain interventions. …We need to be able to communicate things better…”

   A further criticism concerns cultural applicability. Nic Marks disputes any claim that positive psychology interventions are universally applicable. Todd Kashdan goes deeper and refers to the overriding importance of the situational context of research and applications. While there’s a lot to be learned from positive psychology’s strengths, there is much we can learn from its weaknesses.



Michael Steger

3. What are some of positive psychology’s achievements?
   

   There’s consistency here in the thrust of responses. They revolve around how positive psychology is communicated and disseminated, for example Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi mentions getting the subject of positive human activity to be taken seriously, Sonja Lyubomirsky mentions gaining traction within the wider field of psychology, Michael Steger mentions gaining traction in other disciplines, Barbara Fredrickson mentions getting it on the public radar, and Csikszentmihalyi mentions creating a vocabulary.

   What is evident from reading this book is that the positive psychology field is so much wider than strengths and positive emotions, although these dominate because they make good sound-bites. The book suggests that we need to work harder to raise awareness about the importance to well-being of other, less glamorous, topics such as meaning, mindfulness, self-regulation, and time perspectives.

Why should you read this book?

The aim of the book is to enrich our understanding of positive psychology as it currently stands. It succeeds very well, but it does much, much more. It provides the inside track on what positive psychology experts really think about positive psychology, where positive psychology is going next, what are the hot topics for the next five years, who are the upcoming positive psychology researchers to watch, as well as giving valuable advice for aspiring positive psychology researchers and practitioners.

Ilona Boniwell

If you want to find out more then you’re going to have to read the book!

Recommendation

This book is original, it’s a quick and easy read, it provides inside information but at the same time challenges your understanding of what positive psychology is, how to apply it and how it’s developing. The concept is very straightforward – transcripts of thirteen personal interviews with an assortment of positive psychology experts on their favorite topic – but don’t let that simplicity fool you.

The only real downside is that the book (like most others) is biased in favor of a traditional western perspective. All of those interviewed are from, have been educated in, or work primarily in, USA, Canada, the UK, and New Zealand. It’s true that the cultural weakness of positive psychology as it stands is raised several times. I do wonder whether the presence of more European and eastern researchers and practitioners would have enhanced the book.

While you’d expect a lot of agreement, there’s sufficient diversity in the knowledge and opinions to ensure that you can’t just take everything as read. You have to assess it yourself, assimilate it and make up your own mind. That, I think, is the power of a good book. This one gives you a foundation on which to craft your own positive psychology path. I wish it had been available when I did my MAPP program in 2007. I highly recommend it.

Where can you buy it?

Positive Psychologists on Positive Psychology is currently available as a Kindle download for $3 (less than the price of a cup of coffee) for the next month or so. After that is will be available via the International Journal of Well-being as a special edition for free.

All profits (100%) raised from this book go to the
International Journal of Wellbeing
to further wellbeing research.

Stop-press 1: Positive Psychologists on Positive Psychology is being translated into Spanish and Czech, and there are plans for Chinese, Russian, and Portuguese translations in the pipeline.

Stop-press 2: Aaron Jarden is already working on another edition, featuring different positive psychologists, which will bring a cultural dimension to the discussion.

Images
Images of contributors have been taken from their personal or professional web sites. Click on the pictures to learn more about them.

Working on the coal face courtesy of Thiophene_Guy

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.

Resilient Growth -
Conference Symbol

Emotional Alchemy

Todd Kashdan

“It’s time we dip outside the field of what we call positive psychology into related, scientifically-informed disciplines,” he urged.

Kashdan presented some experience sampling research conducted by his Laboratory for the Study of Social Anxiety, Character Strengths, and Related Phenomena, showing that having sex the night before can lower levels of social anxiety by up to 25% the next day. “We have natural interventions: people,” he said. “No therapists needed.”

Kashdan spoke of a concept he calls emotional alchemy as a way to build emotional intelligence, a skill he says we are conditioned to believe we finished learning in kindergarten. His definition of social anxiety is our need to belong gone awry, plus an avoidance-focused lifestyle that results in an erosion of positive experiences.

Struggling Well

Chris Peterson and Nansook Park gave the lunchtime keynote and spoke of resilience as “struggling well.” As an example of emotional alchemy that takes us away from the old “bounce back using your own boot straps” mentality and gives us permission to be human, they closed with the following video, showing Derek Redmond achieving real-time resilience with the help of his father.

 


 

Rick Hanson

Rick Hanson’s talk, “Taking in the Good,” addressed the notion of self-directed neuroplasticity: changing the mind to change the brain to change the mind. Our minds are our experience (thinking, feeling, sensing), and our brains are the organismal totality of our nervous systems.

A simple experience of focusing attention on the feeling (not just the thought) of something good has enormous impact, activating the insula, a part of our brains used for knowing ourselves and having empathy for others. Focusing this way has been shown to lessen cortical thinning, thus reducing the cognitive decline that often comes with aging.

Nance Lucas (L), Beth Cabrera, & Pam Patterson (R)

The conference included many sessions on the practical applications of positive psychology in the world, including Beth Cabrera’s session on good transitions, secrets of resilient entrepreneurs, and positive leadership strategies. Beth Cabrera is a positive psychology practitioner and wife of Angel Cabrera, incoming president of George Mason University.

I gave a talk on SOcial-eMOtional Leadership, an intervention I’m facilitating in partnership with the Center for Consciousness and Transformation (CCT). I was delighted to be joined at the conference by one of the first partners of SOMO Cleveland, Adele DiMarco-Kious.

Co-Chairs of MasonLeads, Nance Lucas (Dean, New Century College and Interim Director of CCT) and Pam Patterson (Asst. Vice President, University Life and Dean of Students) are thrilled with this year’s turnout. “A magical day of inquiry, scholarship, and practice,” Patterson says.

Some references for keynote speakers:

Pressman, S.D., & Cohen, S. (2007). The Use of Social Words in Autobiographies and Longevity. Psychosomatic Medicine, 69, 262-269.

Publications by Todd Kashdan, including several written with students and many with links to the article online

Publications by Nansook Park, many with Chris Peterson

Hanson, R. (2009). Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom. New Harbinger Publications.

Cameron, K. & Spreitzer, G. (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Positive Organizational Scholarship. Oxford University Press.

Images
Resilient Growth was the logo image for the 2012 Living and Leading with Resilience Conference.
Todd Kashdan image from the CCT scholars web site.
Other images courtesy of Louis Alloro

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.

Lisa: To prepare for our interview, I asked my children for their questions about courage. My 10-year-old wanted to know, “How do you measure courage? What would be a unit of courage?”

Robert Biswas-Diener

Lisa: The VIA strengths assessment includes courage. How does your definition differ?

Robert: One of the six universal virtues in the VIA assessment is Bravery, and it has been subdivided into smaller pieces, like authenticity. But when I was looking at the work that others have done on courage, I realized that there were certain hallmark features of courage: there has to be perceived personal risk, the presence of fear, and an uncertain outcome. Those are the three critical components. That’s a very psychological definition which is different from what the VIA might say. Courage is an action that takes place despite the fear, the risk, and the uncertainty.

Lisa: Your initial examples of courage are what people might expect, typical stories about physical courage. What was the most unusual example you came across in writing your book?

Alex Linley - after cold swim
to raise money for hospital
that saved daughter's life

Starting a new family

Lisa: Are there ranges also within the day-to-day?

Robert: This starts to get to one of my favorite topics about courage, which is the notion of courage blindness. We tend to write off our own history of bravery by saying, “Oh I just did what anyone would have done,” or “If I were really brave, I would have…” But these comparisons belittle valid acts of bravery.

Lisa: What benefit would people get from honoring their own courageous stories?

Robert: Essentially, the same benefits that they would derive from understanding their strengths in general: self-regard, self-esteem, more energy, and perseverance towards difficult tasks. This helps people see themselves in their own best light.

Lisa: What would you say is really important about courage overall?

Robert: When I inscribe the book for people, I’ve been writing, “Courage is the shortest route to the good life.” I think courage is synonymous with the good life. Fears are all very normal and rational, but fear holds us back from actions that would make life rich and rewarding. People who live a fully engaged life are exhibiting some measure of courage. Courage indicates a willingness to try.

However fear is also a gift, and self-doubt is a gift with enormous signaling value. Sometimes we are doubtful because it’s healthy to question ourselves. That sort of reflection is important in coaching and a great process to engage in. But you don’t want that fear to hold you back, unless it should. There is definitely a balancing act. Courage is also wisdom: knowing when to act and when not to act.

Lisa: Some people say that courage only emerges when you need it. Is it an actual character trait that exemplifies people over time?

   Into the fire

It doesn’t mean that you will be courageous in every situation all of the time. Even a minor situational change, like a few more seconds to think and act, could make a big difference. Think of the person who won the courage prize. If any one of several things had been different, she might have acted in a different way.

Lisa: Would you offer the courage prize again?

Robert: Well as you saw it wasn’t a great success! I had very few nominations. The winner exhibited courage blindness, and some people were highly critical of me for it!

Lisa: Would you encourage people to increase their courage quotients?

Robert: I do. If you recognize that your willingness to act has to outweigh your fear, and that life is a series of actions, then yes, people should increase their courage quotients. Unless you think you’re already optimally courageous, but most of us are not optimally courageous across all domains all of the time. Some people are over-confident, or too courageous.

Lisa: What is the most misunderstood aspect of courage?

Robert: It’s a common misconception that courage is only physical. Also, people believe that courage is a trait and can’t be learned. People also wrongly believe that courage is something that other people have, and they don’t. I defy you to show me someone who hasn’t shown courage at some point.

Lisa: Were most nominees in your courage prize for physical courage?

I also make the argument in the book that kids aren’t brave, and people freak out about that. But Chris Peterson did studies asking parents what character strengths they think their children have, and only a few selected Courage. Kids are generally fearful. When I wrote this, I thought that it was pretty uncontroversial. Courage is about self-regulation, and so children won’t be as self-regulated as adults – duh! But it hit such a button in people.

Lisa: But if we say children are more fearful, are they being courageous by children standards, where it might not be courageous by adult standards?

Robert: Well sure, but kids are generally held back by fears: new foods, going into the basement, jumping into the pool. Of course kids can be brave, but it’s not their defining characteristic.

Lisa: Who is the most courageous person you know?

Robert:That’s a great question. Among intellectual pioneers, I know a number of very courageous people, including my father. But that’s an easy answer.

   Jon Haidt

Lisa: When Seligman started the field of positive psychology, he said he didn’t want to see a journal of positive psychology, but we now have that and more. Would you ever want to see a journal dedicated to courage?

Robert: I’ve never been asked that before. What a great question. Do I think that courage is a broad enough umbrella that it would merit continued research and assessment? Yes, I do. But it’s interesting how little there is on courage. If you do a PsycInfo search, there isn’t much out there. Everyone has a book on happiness, and there is lots of research on happiness. There are a gazillion books on every possible slant on happiness. It’s a concern that touches us all, of course. And I think that courage is every bit as important as happiness. Without courage, you can’t have a good or full life. Courage is a topic that deserves not just my book, but twenty best-selling books.

Biswas-Diener, R. (2012). The Courage Quotient. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Haidt, J. (2012). The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. Pantheon Press.

Haidt, J. & Graham, J. (2007). When Morality Opposes Justice: Conservatives Have Moral Intuitions that Liberals may not Recognize. Social Justice Research, 20(1), 98-116.

Images
Professor Alex Linley, picture from report of his swim across Britain’s coldest lake to raise £12,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital, which saved his daughter’s life.
Getting married and starting a new family courtesy of Sally Crossthwaite
Into the fire! courtesy of James Hernandez
Your tile matters – tiles by cancer patients, adult and children courtesy of William Hutton
Jon Haidt picture from Ethical Systems

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.