Positive Psychology – a Well Lived Life

What constitutes a healthful-lived support? Defining the meaning of vivification and the conditions, indications and features of a well-lived life is a question that throughout history cloaked theologians, philosophers, artists and, more recently, positive psychologists. This essay outlines findings from a selection of the literature and search to answer this question with the use up of identifying whether pleasure is the true sign and the ultimate goal and marker of a well-lived life.This study of the literature has yielded findings that possessing a disposition towards gratitude is not notwithstanding indicated to be present in a well-lived life, exclusively tidy sum compound and improve mental, physical and spi rite life outcomes. The different look into models used to explain, measure and identify the markers of a well-lived life be briefly outlined, and fin totallyy further research directions ar indicated to expand understanding closely how gratitude affects l ife merriment outcomes in specific populations.A challenge in researching this topic is that the literature sees ecstasy and well-lived in terms that are used by different researchers interchangeably and inconsistently. In this essay and in harmony with the literature reviewed, the terms cheer and the well-lived life are used synonymously. Definitions A riddle with defining a well-lived life is that the terms well-being and happiness (Frey, 2011 Kristjansson, 2010), and the penny-pinching life and happiness (Dunn & Brody, 2008) are used by researchers interchangeably.Indeed Diener (2000) notes that the very term well-being has come to be known in common usage as happiness. Seligman (2011, pp 420) notes that sometimes the terms happiness and well-being define emotions whilst at other times refer to activities. This double terminology has caused some to criticize overbearing Psychology but, as both Lazarus (2003) and Kristjansson (2010) point out, precise definitions to descr ibe a well-lived life set out also eluded philosophers and other academics for over 2,000 years.Imprecision of terminology aside, many have act to describe the conditions required to nurture a goodness or well-lived life. Some researchers have draw the good life as one in force(p) of the hedonistic pursuit of frequent positive experiences (Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade, 2005). Others have described it in terms of the result of employing unique talents to achieve abundance (Seligman, 2002), whilst still others have argued that the good life involves personal growth (Bauer, McAdams, & Sakaeda, 2005).Seligman (2002) argues that these descriptions are all valid because there are different path agencys to happiness, although it is by combine them that one lives a full or well-lived life. He describes these pathways as the pleasant life, concerned with hedonistic pursuits, the good life, concerned with gratification of desire and the pregnant life, using ones talent to serve a hig her drive (Seligman & Royzman, 2003). Research Findings And ChallengesEarly studies involved in identifying simply what elements contribute to life rapture involved field research with participant self-reported satis faction ratings recorded against a range of factors (Diener, 2000 Lazarus, 2003 Lyubomirsky et al. , 2005). Self reported satisfaction ratings are tough because they are, as noteworthy by Kristjansson (2010), by their very nature subjective. People in difficult situations goat report themselves as living a good life, whereas people who are in happier circumstances can report themselves as having low life satisfaction.Additionally the factors used to measure life satisfaction are subtle because what some would consider critical to a well-lived life whitethorn be anathema to another (Bauer et al. , 2005) or not supported by the participants culture (Diener, 2000 Peterson, Ruch, Beermann, Park & Seligman, 2007). Further research is indicated to firstly identify what factors are actually desired in a good life, rather than simply measuring and reporting happiness levels (Kristjansson, 2010). Dieners (2000) and Peterson et al. 2007) findings appear to support Kristjanssons suggestion (2010). Both research studies identified significant incubate country differences not only in the rates of life satisfaction but also the factors rated as important to life satisfaction. The findings appear to indicate that separateistic cultures, or those that place high value on individual choice and desires, and collectivist cultures, where the needs of group are paramount, prioritise factors contributing to life satisfaction differently (Diener, 2000).By way of example, Diener (2000) notes that participants from collectivist cultures may sacrifice personal desires for the common good, and this is not a prescriptive feature of individualistic cultures. Diener further notes that sacrifice in collectivist cultures may, in fact, benefit the individual by providing them with the knowledge they are performing their duty. The concept of personal sacrifice as a factor affect life satisfaction does not appear to be studied in the literature reviewed for this essay.Despite the significance of the findings in both studies, the researchers note a limitation of their design is that is that they relied upon self-selected participants who were motivated enough to complete the survey (Diener, 2000 Peterson et al. , 2007). This may have resulted in bias. Conclusions concerning differences in cross cultural impacts upon life satisfaction levels and factors are not unanimous. A study conducted by Linley, Joseph, Harrington and timberland (2006) found no significant difference in life satisfaction ratings or factors amongst participants from different cultures, ages or gender.A limitation of this research however, as noted by the authors, is that the study only included a small number of countries with participants who could speak and respond in English ( Linley et al. , 2006). It may well be that the participants who responded to the survey were Westernised. Linley et al. (2006) indicate that the study should be repeated using a multi-lingual questionnaire so that participants are drawn from a wider sample. The Social Component of a Well Lived Life Examining the literature outlining models related to a well-lived life yields important clues towards determining the ultimate signs of a well lived life.The three pathways model of a full life which includes the pleasant life of hedonistic pursuits, the good life full of desire gratification and the meaningful life (Seligman & Royzman, 2003), has been criticized because the model could be applied to the non ethical, such as drug dealers, as well as those engaged in more ethical activities alike (Kristjansson, 2010). Seligman (2000) noted this as a possibility but argues this is not problematic because accomplishment is not concerned with morality.Morality aside, anti- cordial activities do not necessarily promote relationships and research indicates that a well lived life does indeed involve actions that promote positive amicable relationships (Bauer et al. , 2005 McCullough, Kimeldorf & Cohen, 2008 Peterson et al. , 2007). One way that Kristjansson (2010) suggests that the thorny issue of morality and psychology could be overcome is by applying values to define those behaviours that slip by outside of societal norms, although this may result in other issues if these norms are restrictive.Although Kristjansson is not a psychologist, the nous that a well-lived life should involve societal norms does seem to be supported by Diener (2000) who suggests that societal pressures do have some bearing upon individual life satisfaction reporting. Building on the concept that a life satisfaction includes a social component, Bauer et al. (2005) argue that a well lived life includes social experiences and the index to ascribe those experiences to a positive meaning. They g o on to explain that in psychological terms this translates to having a balance between social interactions and having positive feelings about them (Bauer et al. 2005). These findings imply that there is indeed a social element to a life well lived which is supported by further research. Peterson et al. (2007) found that the sociable causa traits such as gratitude have strong effects upon life satisfaction. Indeed Peterson et al. (2007) note that social constituent traits such as gratitude are more strongly correlated with life satisfaction than the three pathways to happiness (Seligman & Royzman, 2003, pp 153). Gratitude As with a well-lived life, gratitude is not easily defined (Wood, Froh & Geraghty, 2010).Although gratitude is variously described as an emotion, a trait and an action, nevertheless the literature indicates that a gratifying disposition tends to be positively associated with happiness and a well-lived life (McCullough, Emmons & Tsang, 2002 McCullough et al. , 20 08 Wood, Joseph & Maltby, 2008). Typically, gratitude is described as a response that occurs after the receipt of something perceived as positive receivable to the prosocial actions of another (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).Aware of the limitations of previous field research, Emmons and McCullough (2003) attempted to apply a study design that randomly assign participants to different treatment conditions. They found a difference in mean well being gobs across gratitude treatment groups from the comparison group, although less than expected, concluding that gratitude tended to increase psychological, social and spiritual well-being. One of the limitations noted in the study design (Emmons & McCullough, 2003), however, was that the study period was only three weeks long which ay not have been long enough to identify changes in responses. This limitation has been commented upon by others (Lazarus, 2003). Indeed, Lazarus (2003) notes in particular that the pretermit of longitudinal stu dies in Positive Psychology studies concerning life satisfaction makes it difficult to identify causation and track just how different circumstances affect individuals, whatever the factors that contribute to a well lived life. Kristjansson (2010) notes that this is not a problem unique to studies of well-lived lives. Wood et al. 2010) noted that the definition of gratitude used in the Emmons and McCullough (2003) study did not include all of the things participants reported gratitude for that did not include a benefactor. He proposed that gratitude includes an eight level hierarchical life orientation course including in ascending order noticing and appreciating life could be worse, life is short, the present moment, engaging in ritual acts of thankfulness, admiring beauty, focusing on what one has, appreciating other people and reflecting upon what one has to be thankful for (Wood, et al. 2010). Using this spread out definition, Wood, linked gratitude to the Big Five traits, use d to broadly describe human temper (Watson, Clark, & Harkness, 1994) and that people who are grateful tend to be more agreeable, sociable, less neurotic, conscientious and extroverted. Commenting upon the benefits of gratitude, Lyubomirsky et al. (2005) note that an attitude of gratitude appears to be ill-sorted with negative life feelings such as greed and envy.They note that appears to encourage individuals to reflect on experiences and social relationships in a positive way. It has also been suggested that gratitude appears to protect individuals from depression (Wood et al. , 2010) and support recovery from injury (Dunn & Brody, 2008). realizable Future Research Directions The literature indicates several interesting areas for future research. The first, based on observations by Wood et al. (2010) is that there have been only a few studies studying the direct relationship between gratitude and happiness.Given the lack of longitudinal research to date as noted by Lazarus (2003 ) and alluded to by Emmons and McCullough (2003), it may well be promising to conduct intra-individual longitudinal research of the impact of gratitude on an individuals perception of happiness when experiencing the normal stressors of perfunctory living (Lazarus, 2003). It may also be useful to apply a longitudinal study to examine if the things that make one grateful change across cultures, ages and genders (Diener, 2000 Linley et al. , 2006 Peterson et al. 2007) although it would be highly recommended to stave off using self-selected participants in the study. Conclusion Defining a life well-lived and the factors associated with it is a problem that has defied easy explanation for philosophers and other academics across the ages. Much of the previous research has involved recording self-reporting by participants. Given this and the fact that the very nature of happiness and a life well lived is a subjective experience, it has been argued that a impulse for gratitude impacts o n an individuals ability to view their lives in a positive way, despite individual circumstances.It has also been argued that an attitude of gratefulness has several physical and mental benefits for the individual, although these studies have not yet examined precisely if the factors that make an individual grateful change across cultures and genders. Further research is indicated in this fascinating area, maybe using longitudinal studies to explore how gratitude enables individuals to view adverse circumstances differently over time. References Bauer, J. J. , McAdams, D. P. , & Sakaeda, A. R. (2005). 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