OPTIMISM “Man does not need the mortar of truth to seal up the prisons of his fear.” Montaigne

Homework Spirituality and Religion in the VIA Survey – One Question – “Religion” – Spiritual Person – Purpose, Faith, Calling, Prayer – Spirituality = search or connection with the “sacred” Mindfulness and Character Strengths by Ryan M. Niemic Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification, Martin E.P. Seligman

Type A 1950 by Meyer Friedman and R.H. Rosenman Link between personality and heart attacks… Western Collaborative Group Study looked at 3154 men: Type A 1589, Type B 1565 Person’s personality type – Smoking – Cancer – Heart Disease

Type A 1994, Friedman wrote OSHA … – Type A behavior – Correlated in only 3 of 12 studies One component of a Type A personality – HOSTILITY – was related to Heart Disease Redford Williams of Duke U D.W. Johnson 1993 The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine

Positive Psychotherapy - Summary Drugs : Curative and Cosmetic Curative drugs cure and the condition does not reoccur. Cosmetic drugs are a palliative. While palliation is a good thing; it is not the goal of intervention. No curative drugs used in psychotherapy; only cosmetic drugs.

Positive Psychotherapy - Summary Active, Constructive Responding Most personality traits are inherited. Learn to deal with negative emotions.

OPTIMISM Positive emotions about the future: – Faith – Trust – Confidence – Hope – Optimism

Optimism and Hope Can be built Cause – Better resistance to depression – Better performance at work – Better physical health

EXPLANATORY STYLE A Habit Of Thought – – Your habitual way of explaining bad events – Stems from your view of your place in the world – Are you valuable and deserving, or worthless and hopeless It is whether you are an optimist or a pessimist. 2 Dimensions: PERMANENCE, & PERVASIVENESS

PERMANENCE PERMANENCE: always and never rather than sometimes and lately when explaining the causes of bad events

PERMANENCE PERMANENT (PESSIMISTIC) TEMPORARY (OPTIMISTIC) I’m all washed up.I’m exhausted. Diets never work.Diets don’t work when you eat out. You always nag.You nag when I don’t clean my room. The boss is an SOB.The boss is in a bad mood. You never talk to me.You haven’t talked to me lately.

PERMANENCE Items marked P M B (Permanent Bad), 2,7,13,14,19,22,28, and or 1Very optimistic on this dimension 2 or 3Moderately optimistic 4Average 5 or 6Quite pessimistic 7 or 8Stay awake for the changing from pessimistic to optimistic next week

PERMANENCE TEMPORARY (PESSIMISTIC) PERMANENT (OPTIMISTIC) It’s my lucky day.I’m always lucky. I try hard.I’m talented. My rival got tired.My rival is no good.

PERMANENCE Items marked P M G (Permanent Good), 1,6,8,9,16,17,26, and 27 7 or 8Very optimistic on this dimension 6Moderately optimistic 4 or 5Average 3Moderately pessimistic 0,1, or 2Very pessimistic

PERVASIVENESS PERMANENCE is about time. PERVASIVENESS is about space. PERVASIVENESS: Events are viewed as specific or universal.

PERVASIVENESS UNIVERSAL (PESSIMISTIC) SPECIFIC (OPTIMISTIC) All teachers are unfair.Professor Seligman is unfair. I’m repulsive.I’m repulsive to him. Books are useless.This book is useless.

PERVASIVENESS Items Marked P V B (Pervasiveness Bad), 5,10,11,12,15,21,30, and 32 0 or 1Very optimistic on this dimension 2 or 3Moderately optimistic 4Average 5 or 6Moderately pessimistic 7 or 8Very pessimistic

PERVASIVENESS SPECIFIC (PESSIMISTIC)UNIVERSAL (OPTIMISTIC) I’m smart at math.I’m smart. My broker knows oil stocks. My broker knows wall street. I was charming to her.I was charming.

PERVASIVENESS Items Marked P V G (Pervasiveness Good), 3,4,18,20,23,24,25, and 29 7 or 8Very optimistic on this dimension 6Moderately optimistic 4 or 5Average 3Moderately pessimistic 0, 1, or 2Very pessimistic

HOPE Bad Events HOPELESSHOPEFUL I’m stupid.I’m hung over. Men are tyrants.My husband was in a bad mood. It’s five to ten this lump is cancer. It’s five to ten this lump is nothing.

HOPE HOPE SCORE FOR BAD EVENTS: HoB = P V B total + P M B total

HOPE Good Events HOPELESSHOPEFUL I’m lucky.I’m talented. My wife charms my clients. My wife charms everyone. The U.S. will root out the terrorists. The U.S. will root out all its enemies.

HOPE HOPE SCORE FOR GOOD EVENTS: HoG = P V G + P M G total

HOPE = HoG - HoB 10 to 16You are extraordinarily hopeful 6 to 9Moderately hopeful 1 to 5Average -5 to 0Moderately hopeless Below -5Severely hopeless

Optimistic People Use Proactive Coping Strategies – to eliminate, reduce, or manage stress and negative emotions More Positive Expectancies For Success – approach difficult situations – expend energy to solve problems

Pessimistic People More Likely – to become depressed – to become physically ill – have shorter life spans