Positive psychology WF-PS-N-PZ
The course takes stationary.
Positive psychology is a relatively young field of psychology and its main area of interest is broadly understood good life, its conditions and the ways of achieving it. In its foundations, it draws from various other fields, such as humanistic psychology or clinical psychology.
Positive psychology assumes that a person is a productive and creative being, capable of experiencing happiness and joy, although, of course, can also experiences stress, mental disorders or negative emotions. At the same time, one of the basic assumptions of positive psychology is that not feeling and not experiencing negative emotions or disorders does not necessarily mean experiencing positive feelings, therefore psychologists, including therapists, should focus not only on minimizing negative symptoms, but also on strengthening positive dimensions (such as well-being, optimism, hope, gratitude or virtues).
Positive psychology, therefore, aims to understand the determinants of human strength and develop human potential, not only to minimize psychopathological symptoms. At the same time, positive psychologists base their theories on precise operationalization of the studied phenomena and reliable empirical verification of their hypotheses, observing all methodological standards of psychology as a science.
During the course, students will learn about the history and basic assumptions of positive psychology, try to understand its relations with other areas of psychology, and learn about various understandings of good life and its determinants proposed by positive psychology. They will get acquainted with such basic areas examined by positive psychology as: well-being, happiness, mental health, flourishing, hope, virtues, and gratitude, as well as with accompanying constructs, but also important for a good life, such as: sense of control, self-esteem, humility, hope, self-efficacy or resilience. At the same time, the subject of the course will also be the positive influence for good life postulated by psychology, including intervention programs aimed at strengthening selected aspects constituting the broadly understood good life.
The aim of this course is to familiarize students with the assumptions of contemporary positive psychology, which focuses on preventing and mitigating stress, crises, and conflicts in human life, rather than merely repairing them. The course also aims to equip students with the skills to select appropriate research tools and techniques related to the diagnosis and measurement of competencies, abilities, skills, and other dimensions of positive psychology (such as strengths, well-being, optimism, etc.). Additionally, students will acquire the competencies necessary to develop and design interventions and training programs within the framework of positive psychology.
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Term 2022/23_Z:
Positive psychology is a relatively young field of psychology and its main area of interest is broadly understood good life, its conditions and the ways of achieving it. In its foundations, it draws from various other fields, such as humanistic psychology or clinical psychology. Positive psychology, therefore, aims to understand the determinants of human strength and develop human potential, not only to minimize psychopathological symptoms. At the same time, positive psychologists base their theories on precise operationalization of the studied phenomena and reliable empirical verification of their hypotheses, observing all methodological standards of psychology as a science. During the course, students will learn about the history and basic assumptions of positive psychology, try to understand its relations with other areas of psychology, and learn about various understandings of good life and its determinants proposed by positive psychology. They will get acquainted with such basic areas examined by positive psychology as: well-being, happiness, mental health, flourishing, hope, virtues, and gratitude, as well as with accompanying constructs, but also important for a good life, such as: sense of control, self-esteem, humility, hope, self-efficacy or resilience. At the same time, the subject of the course will also be the positive influence for good life postulated by psychology, including intervention programs aimed at strengthening selected aspects constituting the broadly understood good life. |
Term 2023/24_Z:
Positive psychology is a relatively young field of psychology and its main area of interest is broadly understood good life, its conditions and the ways of achieving it. In its foundations, it draws from various other fields, such as humanistic psychology or clinical psychology. Positive psychology, therefore, aims to understand the determinants of human strength and develop human potential, not only to minimize psychopathological symptoms. At the same time, positive psychologists base their theories on precise operationalization of the studied phenomena and reliable empirical verification of their hypotheses, observing all methodological standards of psychology as a science. During the course, students will learn about the history and basic assumptions of positive psychology, try to understand its relations with other areas of psychology, and learn about various understandings of good life and its determinants proposed by positive psychology. They will get acquainted with such basic areas examined by positive psychology as: well-being, happiness, mental health, flourishing, hope, virtues, and gratitude, as well as with accompanying constructs, but also important for a good life, such as: sense of control, self-esteem, humility, hope, self-efficacy or resilience. At the same time, the subject of the course will also be the positive influence for good life postulated by psychology, including intervention programs aimed at strengthening selected aspects constituting the broadly understood good life. |
(in Polish) Dyscyplina naukowa, do której odnoszą się efekty uczenia się
(in Polish) E-Learning
(in Polish) Grupa przedmiotów ogólnouczenianych
(in Polish) Opis nakładu pracy studenta w ECTS
Term 2023/24_Z: Participation in the lecture: 30 hours
Reading texts for the lecture / preparation for the final exam / participation in consultations: 30 hours
(60 hours / 30 = 2ECTS) | Term 2024/25_Z: (in Polish) Udział w wykładzie: 30 godzin
Lektura tekstów do wykładu/przygotowanie do egzaminu/udział w konsultacjach: 30 godzin
(60 godzin/30 = 2ECTS) | Term 2022/23_Z: Participation in the lecture: 30 hours
Reading texts for the lecture / preparation for the final exam / participation in consultations: 30 hours
(60 hours / 30 = 2ECTS) |
Subject level
Learning outcome code/codes
Type of subject
Preliminary Requirements
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
PS_W07, PS_W11, PS_W13, PS_U04, PS_K04
Detailed description of the learning outcomes, i.e. knowledge, skills and competences:
Knowledge:
W1: The student is familiar with the basic assumptions and history of positive psychology.
W2: The student understands the basic concepts of happiness and well-being as developed within positive psychology and grasps their place within the broader context of psychological knowledge.
W3: The student can define and describe basic concepts in positive psychology and related concepts, and can indicate their relationship to stress and mental disorders.
W4: The student can identify and describe examples of interventions aimed at developing a broad concept of a good life and preventing stress and psychological crises.
Skills:
U1: The student can identify differences and similarities between various phenomena studied within positive psychology.
U2: The student can identify and select appropriate methods for studying well-being and other variables of interest within the field of positive psychology.
U3: The student can correctly classify and evaluate theories and methods used in positive psychology.
Competencies:
K1: The student strives to independently plan the course of a scientific study using methods proposed by positive psychology.
K2: The student maintains caution and a critical attitude towards research methods and theories, taking into account the possibility of empirical verification of hypotheses made within positive psychology.
K3: The student maintains openness to supplementing knowledge and skills in the field of positive psychology and identifying problems faced by positive psychology.
K4: The student demonstrates creativity in developing and applying positive interventions.
Assessment criteria
Assessment of Knowledge (W1-W4)
Unstatisfactory grade (2): The student has mastered less than 60% of the course material. Their definitions are incorrect or incomplete, or they do not know the basic concepts of positive psychology. They cannot identify or describe interventions based on positive psychology.
Satisfactory grade (3): The student has mastered a minimum of 60% of the course material. They demonstrate understanding of the material, but there are some gaps in their knowledge. For example, they may only know some concepts from positive psychology and selected interventions to improve well-being.
Good grade (4): The student demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of at least 80% of the course material. They can identify the main trends and concepts in positive psychology. They are familiar with selected intervention programs aimed at improving well-being and selected measurement tools.
Excellent grade (5): The student possesses a virtually complete range of knowledge covered in the course. They can present a comprehensive overview of positive psychology, identify and discuss the main trends and concepts along with their interconnections, similarities, and differences. They can present selected intervention programs aimed at improving well-being and are familiar with the most important measurement tools in positive psychology.
Assessment of Skills (U1-U3)
Unstatisfactory grade (2): The student cannot identify differences and similarities between various phenomena studied in positive psychology. They cannot identify and select appropriate methods for studying variables in the field of positive psychology. They cannot classify or incorrectly classifies theories and methods used in positive psychology.
Satisfactory grade (3): The student has mastered a minimum of 60% of the required skills: they can partially identify differences and similarities between studied phenomena, and can to some extent identify and select methods for studying well-being and related variables. They can partially correctly classify the main theories of positive psychology.
Good grade (4): The student has mastered about 80% of the skills specified in the learning outcomes. They can clearly identify differences between individual concepts and phenomena studied in positive psychology. They can identify and select appropriate methods for studying variables in the field of positive psychology in most cases, making few mistakes. The student can correctly classify and evaluate research methods in most cases.
Excellent grade (5): The student can independently and accurately distinguish between phenomena studied within positive psychology. They accurately identify and select research and measurement methods for studying variables in positive psychology. They accurately indicate similarities and differences between phenomena studied within positive psychology.
Assessment of Competencies (K1-K4)
Unstatisfactory grade (2): The student does not demonstrate independence in planning the course of scientific research using methods proposed by positive psychology. They do not maintain a critical attitude towards presented research methods and theories, and find it difficult to indicate the possibility of empirical verification of hypotheses made within positive psychology.
Satisfactorygrade (3): The student maintains a moderate degree of criticism towards presented research methods and theories, and is partially able to supplement their knowledge in the field of positive psychology and demonstrates moderate creativity in developing and applying interventions based on positive psychology.
Good grade (4): The student strives for a relatively independent process of planning scientific research and interventions based on the assumptions of positive psychology. The student maintains justified criticism and cognitive caution towards presented research methods and theories and demonstrates openness to expanding knowledge and skills, as well as the competence to identify problems faced by positive psychology. The student demonstrates creativity in applying and developing intervention programs based on the assumptions of positive psychology.
Excellent grade (5): The student has acquired virtually all the competencies described in the subject learning outcomes: they are able to strive for an independent research process based on the assumptions of positive psychology, maintain justified criticism of presented theories, and a high degree of openness in supplementing their own knowledge and skills. They are able to precisely identify the problems faced by positive psychology and demonstrate high (but justified) creativity in applying presented methods and developing and deepening intervention programs based on the assumptions of positive psychology, taking into account the latest literature and research results.
Bibliography
Diener, E. (2010). International differences in well-being. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Carr, A. (2004). Positive psychology: the science of happiness and human strengths. Hove and New York: Brunner-Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Csikszentmihalyi M., Csikszentmihalyi, I.S. (2006). A Life Worth Living: Contributions to Positive Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Czapiński, J., red. (2004/dodruk: 2015). Psychologia pozytywna: nauka o szczęściu, zdrowiu, sile i cnotach człowieka. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN S.A.
Diener E., Biswas-Diener R., (2010). Szczęście. Odkrywanie bogactwa psychicznego. Sopot: Smak Słowa.
Karaś, D. (2019). Pojęcia i koncepcje dobrostanu. Przegląd i próba uporządkowania. Studia Psychologica: Theoria et Praxis, 19(2), 5-23.
Lopez, S.J. (2009). The encyclopedia of positive psychology. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Seligman, M.E.P. (1993 i kolejne dodruki). Optymizmu można się nauczyć. Jak zmienić swoje myślenie i swoje życie. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Media Rodzina.
Seligman, M.E.P. (2011). Pełnia życia. Nowe spojrzenie na kwestię szczęścia i dobrego życia. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Media Rodzina.
Snyder, C.R., Lopez, S.J. (2009). Oxford handbook of positive psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Tatarkiewicz, W., (1985). O szczęściu. Warszawa: Państwowe Wydawnictwa Naukowe.
Trzebińska, E. (2008). Psychologia pozytywna. Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Akademickie i Profesjonalne.
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Term 2022/23_Z:
Diener, E. (2010). International differences in well-being. Oxford: Oxford University Press. |
Term 2023/24_Z:
Diener, E. (2010). International differences in well-being. Oxford: Oxford University Press. |
Additional information
Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: