Activities for Teaching Positive Psychology A Guide for Instructors

by Froh, Jeffrey; Parks, Acacia C.

• ISBN13: 9781433812361
• ISBN10: 1433812363
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-12-15
• Publisher: American Psychological Association

Summary

Positive psychology is a rapidly expanding area of study that is of great interest to students at the graduate, undergraduate, and high school levels. But the field is so broad that teachers who want to cover all the bases when designing a positive psychology course may have difficulty locating and selecting materials.

Activities for Teaching Positive Psychology addresses this problem by presenting a comprehensive set of fun, interactive classroom activities devised by contributors who are experienced teachers as well as leading scholars in their areas.

Chapters cover all the topics typically included in existing positive psychology textbooks, emphasizing the hands-on experience that makes positive psychology courses so powerful. Extensive reading lists point interested readers towards a fuller understanding of the topics.

The book is a rich source of ideas for all teachers of psychology, from novice to experienced instructors.

Author Biography

Jeffrey J. Froh, PsyD, is an associate professor of psychology at Hofstra University and a leading scholar in positive youth psychology. His research, which has been featured in mainstream media such as The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, focuses on the wellsprings, assessment, outcomes, and enhancement of gratitude in children and adolescents. He is past associate editor for the Journal of Positive Psychology, and his research has been funded by the John Templeton Foundation.
 
Acacia C. Parks, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychology at Hiram College. She received her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, where she worked under Martin Seligman at the Positive Psychology Center. Her research focuses on the efficacy of positive interventions and the psychological and behavioral characteristics of individuals who use them. She serves as an associate editor of the Journal of Positive Psychology and was recently guest editor of the special issue "Positive Psychology in Higher Education." She is also editor of a forthcoming handbook of positive psychological interventions from Wiley-Blackwell. Dr. Parks is an active teacher of positive psychology and critical writing, and maintains a blog at Psychology Today.
 

Table of Contents

Contributors

Preface

Introduction 
Jeffrey J. Froh and Acacia C. Parks

I. Conceptual Explorations

1. Courage 
   What Makes an Action Courageous? 
   Cynthia L. S. Pury
2. Humility 
   Humility, the Modest Strength 
   Robert A. Emmons
3. Strengths 
   Using a Strengths Approach to Build Perspective-Taking Capacity 
   Michelle C. Louis
4. Eudaimonia 
   Contrasting Two Conceptions of Happiness: Hedonia and Eudaimonia 
   Alan S. Waterman
5. Work 
   The Value(s) of Work 
   Christopher Michaelson
6. Culture and Identity 
   Integrating an Understanding of Cultural Context Into a Discussion of Positive Traits 
   Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti
7. Purpose 
   Understanding Purpose Through Interviews 
   Timothy S. Reilly and William Damon
8. Spirituality 
   Spiritual Struggles as a Fork in the Road to the Sacred 
   Maria R. Gear Haugen and Kenneth I. Pargament

II. Experiments

1. Positive Emotion 
   How Positive Emotions Broaden and Build 
   Bethany E. Kok and Barbara L. Fredrickson
2. Positive Health 
   Heart Rate Variation With Positive Psychology Exercises 
   Sarah D. Pressman and Tara L. Kraft
3. Relationships 
   Capitalizing on Positive Events 
   Shelly L. Gable
4. Empathy 
   Perspective Taking and Prosocial Behavior: Caring for Others Like We Care for the Self 
   Michael W. Myers and Sara D. Hodges
5. Culture and Subjective Well-Being 
   Culture Influences the Ingredients of a Good Life and Conceptualizations of Happiness 
   Christie Napa Scollon, Derrick Wirtz, and Xuan-yi Wei
6. Wealth and Subjective Well-Being 
   Spending Money on Others Leads to Higher Happiness Than Spending on Yourself 
   Lara B. Aknin and Elizabeth W. Dunn
7. Mindfulness 
   Cultivating Mindfulness Through Listening 
   Shauna L. Shapiro and Timothy R. Mariels
8. Forgiveness 
   Teaching Forgiveness in Positive Psychology 
   Everett L. Worthington Jr., Aubrey L. Gartner, David J. Jennings II, and Don E. Davis
9. Flow 
   Flow and Optimal Learning Environments 
   David J. Shernoff and Brett Anderson

III. Self-Reflections

1. Gratitude 
   Taking Care of Business With Gratitude 
   Philip C. Watkins, Amy Sparrow, and Amy C. Webber
2. Curiosity 
   Curiosity as a Social Lubricant: Transforming Conversations to Be Interesting, Engaging, and Meaningful 
   Todd B. Kashdan and Paul J. Silvia
3. Happiness Promotion 
   Using Mindful Photography to Increase Positive Emotion and Appreciation 
   Jaime L. Kurtz and Sonja Lyubomirsky
4. Hope 
   Hope Projects to One's Future Self 
   Jeana L. Magyar-Moe
5. Materialism 
   A Teaching Tool for Disengaging From Materialism: The Commercial Media Fast 
   Yuna L. Ferguson and Tim Kasser
6. Savoring 
   The Savoring Expedition: An Exercise to Cultivate Savoring 
   Patrick R. Harrison, Jennifer L. Smith, and Fred B. Bryant
7. Motivation 
   Internalized Motivation in the Classroom 
   Kennon M. Sheldon
8. Engagement 
   Civic Engagement 
   Constance Flanagan and Brian D. Christens

Index

About the Editors