Psychology of Happiness
Analysis of "Flow: The psychology of optimal experience" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
In the book, "Flow: the psychology of optimal experience," author Mihaly Cszikszentmihalyi offers an alternative perspective in which to view how people have re-defined the concept of happiness and changed it according to the experiences of people at present. Now that we have a relatively higher level of comfort and ease in life, we have changed the way people measure and achieve happiness: while others try to look for it through material things, others still experience it without so much effort. This is the primary difference that Mihaly sets out in the first chapter of his book, people who achieve happiness without looking for it and those who were not able to achieve it even though they tried to.
In this paper, the researcher analyzes Mihaly's discussion of what sets out the 'happy' individual from the 'unhappy' individual. In the first chapter of his book, he offered characteristics that make the happy people happy and unhappy ones as such. This paper argues that from Mihaly's standpoint, happiness should be treated not as a concept that must be sought out or discovered, but rather, as an experience that must be spontaneous, uncalled for, yet, very much appreciated though not easily recognized. The concept-versus-experience theme became the author's dominant theme in his discussion of happiness.
In the texts that follow, the researcher offers various points in which Mihaly had argued his stance concerning happiness as experience. These arguments are outlined as follows: (1) happiness as an experience must be anticipated, yet it must not also get in the way of the life of the individual, to the point where s/he would fail to recognize other experiences worth experiencing as well; (2) happiness is achieved when one is in control of his or her life -- this means s/he has a working goal, a direction, in life; and (3) happiness is achieved, finally, in changing one's perspective from being a 'realist' to a 'liberalist.'
The first argument claimed that in order to achieve happiness, it must be anticipated as an experience, and not just a simple state of feeling, as what other people tend to...
Forrest seems not to think about what he cannot do, but only what he can, and this comes from his mother's teaching and his own life experiences. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time, and this may help him in adapting to situations. He does not expect anything bad to happen, and so it usually does not. In addition, because Forrest is so
Organisational Psychology This chapter reviews the literature and research outcomes within which the current research is located. It identifies the theory currently in use and sets the theoretical context for the study. Emotions and feelings shape and lubricate social transactions and in this way emotions contribute to, and reflect, the structure and culture of organizations. Order and control, the very essence of the 'organization' of work, concern what people 'do' with their
Knowing this, Strenger points out that therapists need to consider "who can work with whom," because the therapeutic outcome may be greatly affected by the "chemistry" between therapist and client. The egalitarian principle in the therapeutic relationship gets played out further in qualitative studies (such as Gallegos, 2005 and Cohen, 2005) in which client experiences in the mental health system and subjective accounts of symptom relief from psychotherapy are
Applying Positive Psychology Principles in the Workplace Abstract At its most basic level, the field of positive psychology seeks to better understand what is right about people rather than what is wrong, and there has been a growing body of scholarship devoted to its main tenets during the quarter century since its introduction. The research to date confirms that the practice of positive psychology can produce a number of important and valuable
Fear of Success through Positive Psychology Perhaps we are blinded to the survival value of positive emotions precisely because they are so important. Like the fish who is unaware of the water in which it swims, we take for granted a certain amount of hope, love, enjoyment, and trust because these are the very conditions that allow us to go on living. They are the fundamental conditions of existence, and
Clinical Psychology Dissertation - Dream Content as a Therapeutic Approach: Ego Gratification vs. Repressed Feelings An Abstract of a Dissertation Dream Content as a Therapeutic Approach: Ego Gratification vs. Repressed Feelings This study sets out to determine how dreams can be used in a therapeutic environment to discuss feelings from a dream, and how the therapist should engage the patient to discuss them to reveal the relevance of those feelings, in their present,
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now