Positive Psychology Essay

Words: 3097
Pages: 13

HP310 Individual project
Naomi chua

According to World Health Organization (WHO)’s definition, health is a state of complete physical, psychological well-being, optimal psychological functioning and social well-being. And health is “not merely the absence of diseases or infirmity” (WHO, 2000). Contrary to typical understanding of the psychology fields, positive psychology is a science of positive subjective experiences and positive traits, positive institution that promise to improve the quality of life and prevent pathologies (Csikszentmihalyi and Seligman, 2000). There are 3 levels of analysis for positive psychology; subjective level refers to the subjective experiences such as well-being, contentment, and
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In addition, many other classifications of coping strategies or techniques are subsets of Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional framework of stress-coping model. The 2 coping strategies from Folkman and Lazarus are Problem-focused coping and Emotion-focused coping. Problem-focused coping approaches refer to the efforts made by the individual to change the stressful situation or even reducing the stressor(s). For example leaving an utterly stressful work environment, or even communicating with the person who is the source of the stress/problem. Emotion-focused coping approaches refer to the efforts made by the individual to manage the emotional impact of a stressful situation (Lazarus, Monat, Reevy, 2007, p. xxix). For example avoiding the problematic person by not being near that person, using substances such as cigarettes and alcohol, being involved in intensive exercises or throwing temper at other people. There are many community studies conducted by Lazarus et al. to investigate on coping. In one of the studies, they found out that those participants who indicated an experience of a satisfied resolution of a life challenge, usually coped by maintaining their composure and devising plans to solve the life challenge. In addition, they also perceive life challenges as an opportunity for personal development. Hence this is a form of positive appraisal which aids the individuals to lead