哈佛幸福课课件150402premises.ppt

哈佛幸福课课件150402premises Still waters run deep.流静水深流静水深,人静心深人静心深 Where there is life,there is hope。有生命必有希望。有生命必有希望The PremisesBridge building Vs.Division and separationChange is possible Vs.Change is illusiveInternal factors primarily determine happiness Vs.Happiness is primarily a function of external circumstancesHuman nature must be obeyed Vs.Human nature must be perfectedHappiness is and ought to be the ultimate end Vs.Happiness should be a secondary pursuitPREMISE 1:Bridge buildingVS.Division and separationBridging Ivory Tower and Main Street“The careful shielding of a university from the activities of the world around us is the best way to chill interest and to defeat progress.Celibacy does not suit a university.It must mate itself with action.”Alfred North WhiteheadThe Need for Practical IdealistsThe desire to make a differenceFalse stereotypesGenerous HarvardiansGenerous AmericansInfluential positionsGoodwill and idealism necessary but not sufficientPsychology Can HelpApplied researchin the classroomfor increasing self-esteembridging mind and bodyin conflict resolutionTaking research seriouslyTaking responsibility!PREMISE 2:Change is possibleVS.Change is illusive“It may be that trying to be happier is as futile as trying to be taller and is therefore counterproductive.”Lykken and Tellegan(1996)Minnesota Twin StudiesChange is PossibleCounter evidence:People do changeError of the averageException proves the ruleDetrimental researchStudying the bestGrowing-Tip Statistics“What this kind of research design means is a change in our conception of statistics,and especially of sampling theory.What I am frankly espousing here is what I have been calling growing-tip statistics,taking my title from the fact that it is at the growing tip of a plant that the greatest genetic action takes place.”Abraham Maslow“If we want to know how fast a human being can run,then it is no use to average out the speed of a good sample of the population;it is far better to collect Olympic gold medal winners and see how well they can do.If we want to know the possibilities for spiritual growth,value growth,or moral development in human beings,then I maintain that we can learn most by studying our most moral,ethical,or saintly people.On the whole I think it is fair to say that human history is a record of the ways in which human nature has been sold short.The highest possibilities of human nature have practically always been underrated.Certainly it seems more and more clear that what we call normal in psychology is really a psychopathology of the average,so undramatic and so widely spread that we dont even notice it ordinarily.”Growing-Tip StatisticsElitist?Doesnt exclude studying the averageEveryone benefitsStudy of resilienceStudy of meditationStudy of relationshipsStudy of teachingStudying Our Personal BestDescribe or prescribe“Few in number though they be,we can learn a great deal about values from the direct study of these highly evolved,most mature,psychologically healthiest individuals,and from the study of the peak moments of average individuals,moments in which they become transiently self-actualized.”Abraham MaslowChanging the World?The Cambridge-Somerville Youth StudyA five year interventionTwice-a-month caseworkers visitAcademic tutoringPsychiatric attentionBoy Scouts,YMCA,etc.Measuring OutcomeRandom assignment40 year followupShocking resultsNo difference in juvenile offensesNo difference in adult offensesNo difference on health,mortality,wellbeingSignificant difference on alcoholism and job status IN THE“WRONG”DIRECTIONIs Societal Change Possible?Exception proves the rulePractical idealists unite!“What I am suggesting is Manhattan-Project-type attacks upon what I consider to be the truly Big Problem of our time,not only for psychology but for all human beings with any sense of historical urgency.”Abraham MaslowThe Power of OneHuman networks as exponential“All history is a record of the power of minorities,and of minorities of one.”Ralph Waldo Emerson“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,committed citizens can change the world.Indeed,it is the only thing that ever has.”Margaret MeadExponential GrowthWe underestimate our capacity to effect change because we underestimate the growth of an exponential function.PREMISE 3:Internal factors primarily determine happinessVS.Happiness is primarily a function of external circumstances Subjective Well-Being ResearchAffective forecasting(Dan Gilbert)Happiness levels(Ed Diener)Income matters littleNo change across generationsPlace of residence irrelevantSubjective Well-Being ResearchAffective forecasting(Dan Gilbert)Happiness levels(Ed Diener)Income matters littleNo change across generationsPlace of residence irrelevantDemocracy/oppression matter!Our readiness and potential to experience happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind,not on our status or the state of our bank account.Is Change Illusive?Focus on trans-formationPREMISE 4:Human nature must be obeyedVS.Human nature must be perfected Constrained Unconstrained Vision VisionHuman nature immutableFlaws inevitableAcceptanceChannel nature _Can be improvedPerfectibleSolutions existChange nature“Nature to be commanded must be obeyed”Francis Bacon“It is for self-perfectioning that destiny calls us”Benjamin ConstantVision of PsychologyHuman nature immutable(constrained)Role is to understand nature and make best use of itThe Permission to be HumanUnconditional Acceptance(Rogers,1961)Rejecting our nature leads to unhappinessParadox:“Ironic Processing”(Wegner,1994)The Great DeceptionNot resignationActive acceptanceTrue to reality“God,grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,the courage to change the things I can change,and the wisdom to know the difference.”Reinhold NiebuhrPREMISE 5:Happiness is and ought to be our ultimate endVS.Happiness should be a secondary pursuitHappiness as the Highest End“Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life,the whole aim and end of human existence.”Aristotle“Whether one believes in religion or not,whether one believes in this religion or that religion,the very purpose of our life is happiness,the very motion of our life is towards happiness.”Dalai Lama“If we were to ask the question:What is human lifes chief concern?one of the answers we should receive would be:It is happiness.How to gain,how to keep,how to recover happiness,is in fact for most men at all times the secret motive of all they do,and of all they are willing to endure.”William JamesWhats Good About Positive Emotions?It feels good to feel goodBroaden and build(Fredrickson,2002)“We should work to cultivate positive emotions in ourselves and in those around us not just as end states in themselves,but also as a means to achieving psychological growth and improved psychological and physical health over time.I call this the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions because positive emotions appear to broaden peoples momentary thought-action repertoires and build their enduring personal resources.Through experiences of positive emotions people transform themselves,becoming more creative,knowledgeable,resilient,socially integrated,and healthy individuals.”Whats Good About Positive Emotions?It feels good to feel goodBroaden and build(Fredrickson,2002)Overcoming negative emotionsIncreased creativityIncreased motivation and energySuccessPhysical healthBut what about others?Better relationshipsHelping Ourselves Helping Others(Isen,2002)Helping Others Helping Ourselves(Lyubomirsky 2006)“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle,and the life of the candle will not be shortened.Happiness never decreases by being shared.”BuddhaHappiness is a positive sum gameSpreading Happiness“Be the change you want to see in the world.”GandhiThe PremisesBridge building Vs.Division and separationChange is possible Vs.Change is illusiveInternal factors primarily determine happiness Vs.Happiness is primarily a function of external circumstancesHuman nature must be obeyed Vs.Human nature must be perfectedHappiness is and ought to be the ultimate end Vs.Happiness should be a secondary pursuit Diener,E.,Suh,E.M.,Lucas,R.E.,&Smith,H.L.(1999).Subjective well-being:Three decades of progress.Psychological Bulletin,125:276-302.Gilbert,D.T.,Pinel,E.C.,Wilson,T.D.,Blumberg,S.J.,&Wheatley,T.P.(1998).Immune Neglect:A Source of Durability Bias in Affective Forecasting.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,75,617-638.Lykken,D.,&Tellegen,A.(1996).Happiness is a stochastic phenomenon.Psychological Science,7,186189.Maslow,A.H.(1993).The Farther Reaches of Human Nature.Arkana.Snyder,C.R.&Lopez,S.J.(Eds.)(2002).Handbook of Positive Psychology,528-540.Oxford University Press.Sowell,T.(2002).A Conflict of Visions:Ideological Origins of Political Struggles.Basic Books.Bibliography and Recommendations