The Plight of Haiti
January 12, 2010
Earthquake – 7.0 magnitude struck Haiti
Reflections on Haiti – CNN
Choice and Change
Autonomy – acting with a sense of true choice
Entity theory – belief that characteristics are fixed
Incremental theory – belief that characteristics can change
Control
Internal locus of control – belief that you control your destiny or future
External locus of control – belief that your fate is controlled by chance or by others
Constraints
Biology – genes contributing to differences
Environment – learning through our situations, family, culture, etc.
Positive Psychology
Derived from humanistic approach
Founded by Martin Seligman
Focuses on human strengths vs. weaknesses
Explores areas such as love, wisdom, commitment, and hope
Overview We are creators of our worlds
We are creatures of our worlds
Psychology can help sort facts from falsehoods
People have a long history of looking at strengths
We can evaluate and measure our strengths
In the Real World…
Improving child education (motivation, mood, creativity)
Improving psychotherapy (hope, meaning, & self-healing)
Improving family life (love, concern, & commitment)
In the Real World… Improving work satisfaction (involvement, flow, & contributions)
Improving organizations and societies (trust, communication, & altruism)
Improving the moral character of society (spirituality)
You at Your Best!Think of a time when you were at your best, a time when you may have felt productive or happy.
What were you doing?
Who were you with?
What strengths did you use?