Positive ThinkingPositive ThinkingMartin Seligman’s Theory Martin Seligman’s Theory

of of Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

&&Learned OptimisimLearned Optimisim

   

Team MembersTeam Members Gaurav Jain (8051)Gaurav Jain (8051) Wasim (8157)Wasim (8157) Anish Jojan (8053)Anish Jojan (8053) Jaya Pandey (8146)Jaya Pandey (8146) Kashmira Jain (8052)Kashmira Jain (8052) Shashank Pandey (8151)Shashank Pandey (8151) Rahul Ramteke (8155)Rahul Ramteke (8155) Rahul Kashyap (8154)Rahul Kashyap (8154)

Positive Thinking

WHAT IS POSITIVE WHAT IS POSITIVE THINKING?THINKING?

Positive Thinking

Positive thinking is Positive thinking is ““the practice or the practice or result of concentrating oneresult of concentrating one’’s mind s mind affirmatively on what is constructive affirmatively on what is constructive and good, thereby eliminating from it and good, thereby eliminating from it negative or destructive thoughts and negative or destructive thoughts and emotionsemotions””

Positive Thinking

Positive thinking is internally driven Positive thinking is internally driven by oneby one’’s purpose.s purpose.

Positive thinking is based in a faith Positive thinking is based in a faith that everything in life happens for a that everything in life happens for a reason.reason.

Positive thinking is aided by religious Positive thinking is aided by religious faith.faith.

Positive thinking is aided by onePositive thinking is aided by one’’s s relationship with oneself, onerelationship with oneself, one’’s God, s God, and oneand one’’s ohanas ohana

Positive Thinking

Positive Thinking

A Starting PaceA Starting Pace Born:Born: August 12, 1942, August 12, 1942,

in Albany, New Yorkin Albany, New York

Career: Career: Assistant Assistant Professor,Professor,

Director of Clinical Director of Clinical Training Program, Training Program, President of APA, President of APA, Master of Applied Master of Applied Positive Psychology Positive Psychology Program (MAPP)Program (MAPP)

Positive Thinking

MARTIN SELIGMAN

Nikki and the weedsNikki and the weeds SeligmanSeligman’’s inspiration.s inspiration. Weeding garden.Weeding garden. 5-year old daughter throwing weeds.5-year old daughter throwing weeds. Seligman irritated, yelled at Nikki.Seligman irritated, yelled at Nikki. ““Daddy. From when I was 3 until I was Daddy. From when I was 3 until I was

5, I was a whiner. I whined every day. 5, I was a whiner. I whined every day. On my 5On my 5thth birthday, I decided I wasn birthday, I decided I wasn’’t t going to whine anymore. That was going to whine anymore. That was the hardest thing Ithe hardest thing I’’ve ever done. If I ve ever done. If I can stop whining, you can stop being can stop whining, you can stop being such a grouch.such a grouch.””

Positive Thinking

Founder of Positive Founder of Positive Psychology Psychology

Seligman has written about positive Seligman has written about positive psychology topic such as psychology topic such as Learned helplessnessLearned helplessness

Pessimistic to optimisticPessimistic to optimistic

Learned optimismLearned optimism

Positive Thinking

Seligman Experiment: part Seligman Experiment: part 11

Positive Thinking

Escapable Escapable shock.shock.

Had Had coping coping mechanismechanism.m.

Press nose Press nose button to button to terminate terminate shock.shock.

““ActiveActive””

Inescapable shock.Inescapable shock. Got shock.Got shock. No coping No coping

mechanism.mechanism. No way to No way to

terminate shock.terminate shock. ““PassivePassive

Seligman Experiment: part Seligman Experiment: part 22

All groups received All groups received the same condition: the same condition: escapable shock.escapable shock.

Put in shuttle box.Put in shuttle box. Light dimmed.Light dimmed. 10 second later got 10 second later got

shock unless they shock unless they jumped to safe jumped to safe side.side.

Positive Thinking

Shuttle box behaviorShuttle box behavior Dogs in the Dogs in the escapableescapable shock shock

quickly learned to jump to safe side.quickly learned to jump to safe side. Dogs in Dogs in inescapableinescapable shock did not shock did not

jump to safe side. Agitated at first jump to safe side. Agitated at first but later laid down and took the but later laid down and took the shock.shock.

Dogs in Dogs in inescapableinescapable shock group shock group learned helplessnesslearned helplessness

Positive Thinking

Parallels with Parallels with Reactive Reactive

DepressionDepression Triggered by traumatic life Triggered by traumatic life

event (ex. death of loved one).event (ex. death of loved one). PassivityPassivity Difficulty in learning responses Difficulty in learning responses

that bring relief.that bring relief. Physical symptoms.Physical symptoms. Stress related disordersStress related disorders..

Positive Thinking

Directive TherapyDirective Therapy

Dogs that had been Dogs that had been exposed to exposed to inescapable shock.inescapable shock.

Remove barrier and Remove barrier and push them to safe push them to safe side.side.

Reinstall barrier and Reinstall barrier and force them over it.force them over it.

Eventually learn to Eventually learn to jump. jump.

Positive Thinking

Parallels to Treating PeopleParallels to Treating People Encourage depressed people to get back Encourage depressed people to get back

into life. Ex: not willing to leave home.into life. Ex: not willing to leave home. Small steps. (Go out to movie, then Small steps. (Go out to movie, then

mall.)mall.) Increase difficulty.Increase difficulty. Show them they do have control over Show them they do have control over

their lives.their lives. Motivational, learning and emotional Motivational, learning and emotional

gains.gains.

Positive Thinking

Prevention of HelplessnessPrevention of Helplessness Seligman suggests the best Seligman suggests the best

prevention for helplessness is prevention for helplessness is early experience with mastery.early experience with mastery.

Based on life histories of people Based on life histories of people who were resilient in situations who were resilient in situations likely to cure helplessness.likely to cure helplessness.

Self-efficacy, competence already Self-efficacy, competence already in existence. Served as a buffer.in existence. Served as a buffer.

Positive Thinking

Human strengths Human strengths Despite all the difficulties of life, Despite all the difficulties of life,

majority of people manage to live majority of people manage to live with dignity and purpose.with dignity and purpose.

Positive psychology adopts a more Positive psychology adopts a more optimistic perspective on human optimistic perspective on human potential, motives, and capacities.potential, motives, and capacities.

Positive Thinking

Positive subjective statesPositive subjective states Positive emotions.Positive emotions. Happiness.Happiness. Satisfaction with Satisfaction with

life.life. Optimism and Optimism and

hope.hope. Sources of energy Sources of energy

and confidence.and confidence.

Positive Thinking

Explanatory StyleExplanatory Style

PersonalPersonal

PermanentPermanent

PervasivePervasive

Positive Thinking

Attribution TheoryAttribution TheoryPositive Thinking

HOW DO PEOPLE MAKE HOW DO PEOPLE MAKE ATTRIBUTIONS?ATTRIBUTIONS?

Kelley said people consider 3 factorsKelley said people consider 3 factors INTERNAL : personalINTERNAL : personal EXTERNAL : situationalEXTERNAL : situational STABLE : same outcomeSTABLE : same outcome UNSTABLE : different outcomeUNSTABLE : different outcome CONTROLLABLE : can be altered easilyCONTROLLABLE : can be altered easily eg : effortseg : efforts UNCONTROLLABLE : cannot be altered easilyUNCONTROLLABLE : cannot be altered easily eg : intelligence eg : intelligence

Positive Thinking

ATTRIBUTION IN ACTION ATTRIBUTION IN ACTION

Positive Thinking

EG - LITTERING

ATTRIBUTION IN HEALTHATTRIBUTION IN HEALTH EG : MAMMOGRAPHYEG : MAMMOGRAPHY WOMEN IN TWO GROUPS WERE WOMEN IN TWO GROUPS WERE

SHOWN TWO VIDEOSSHOWN TWO VIDEOSONE EMPHASISING ON ONE EMPHASISING ON “ “YOU”YOU”OTHER EMPHASISING ON OTHER EMPHASISING ON “ “YOUR DOCTOR”YOUR DOCTOR”

Positive Thinking

Attribution In Education Attribution In Education MotivationMotivation

LUCK - external unstableLUCK - external unstable ABILITY - internal stableABILITY - internal stable TASK DIFFICULTY - external stableTASK DIFFICULTY - external stable EFFORT - internal unstableEFFORT - internal unstable

Positive Thinking

ATTRIBUTIONAL STYLEATTRIBUTIONAL STYLE PESSIMISTIC EXPLANATORY STYLE PESSIMISTIC EXPLANATORY STYLE

OPTIMISTIC EXPLANATORY STYLEOPTIMISTIC EXPLANATORY STYLE

Positive Thinking

Pessimistic Explanatory Pessimistic Explanatory StyleStyle

When a bad event happens to a person When a bad event happens to a person he believes that nothing ever goes right he believes that nothing ever goes right for himfor him

Eg : I can’t draw animal I can’t draw Eg : I can’t draw animal I can’t draw anything (pessimistic)anything (pessimistic)

This results in feeling helpless and that This results in feeling helpless and that you are unable to influence the event you are unable to influence the event

Positive Thinking

Optimistic Explanatory StyleOptimistic Explanatory Style When a bad event happens to a When a bad event happens to a

person he believes that the bad event person he believes that the bad event was temporary and that it has no was temporary and that it has no influence on future event influence on future event

Eg : I am not good in drawing horse but I Eg : I am not good in drawing horse but I am good in drawing people (optimistic)am good in drawing people (optimistic)

This results in feeling hope and you are This results in feeling hope and you are able to influence the eventable to influence the event

Positive Thinking

Positive Thinking

Explaining Misfortune Explaining Misfortune 

Ultimate Pessimism Ultimate Pessimism 

  How You ThinkHow You Think

How You Feel ! How You Feel ! 

The Realms of Life  The Realms of Life   SUCCESS AT WORKSUCCESS AT WORK     1.1. APTITUDEAPTITUDE2.2. MOTIVATIONMOTIVATION3.3. OPTIMISMOPTIMISM The Value of PessimismThe Value of Pessimism    

Positive Thinking

Children and Parents: the Children and Parents: the Origins of OptimismOrigins of Optimism

1.1. Mother's Explanatory StyleMother's Explanatory Style

2.2. Adult Criticism : Teachers and Adult Criticism : Teachers and Parents Parents

3.3. ChildrenChildren’’s Life Crisis s Life Crisis

Positive Thinking

SchoolSchool

SportsSports

HealthHealth

Positive Thinking

Positive Thinking

Changing: from Pessimism Changing: from Pessimism to Optimismto Optimism““ABCDEABCDE”” Theory Theory

A = Adverse event or situationA = Adverse event or situation B = Beliefs about that eventB = Beliefs about that event C = Consequences of those beliefsC = Consequences of those beliefs D = Disputation and DistractionD = Disputation and Distraction E = Energization E = Energization

Positive Thinking

Flexible optimism is tendency to face Flexible optimism is tendency to face reality with a positive outlook without reality with a positive outlook without dwelling unduly on the negatives. It dwelling unduly on the negatives. It involves anticipating the best involves anticipating the best possible outcome in any situation.possible outcome in any situation.

Flexible OptimismFlexible OptimismPositive Thinking

BENEFITS OF FLEXIBLE BENEFITS OF FLEXIBLE OPTIMISM OPTIMISM

Sense of control Sense of control Realistic goalsRealistic goals Level of stress Level of stress Builds resilienceBuilds resilience SatisfactionSatisfaction Positive relationshipsPositive relationships Positive anticipation Positive anticipation PatiencePatience Self esteemSelf esteem

Positive Thinking

Sir Winston Churchill Sir Winston Churchill ““A pessimist A pessimist sees the difficulty in every sees the difficulty in every opportunity an optimist sees the opportunity an optimist sees the opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficultyopportunity in every difficulty””

Positive Thinking

Recommendations for LeadersRecommendations for Leaders

Encourage employees to find purpose Encourage employees to find purpose within the organizationwithin the organization

Allow and encourage employees to show Allow and encourage employees to show spirituality/faith at workspirituality/faith at work

Promote an open Promote an open ““ohanaohana”” feeling at work feeling at work by having an by having an ““open dooropen door”” policy policy

Show interest in employeesShow interest in employees’’ ohanas ohanas

Leadership And Positive Leadership And Positive ThinkingThinking

Positive Thinking

Leadership And Positive Leadership And Positive ThinkingThinking Make organizational goals and visually Make organizational goals and visually

post them for all employees to seepost them for all employees to see Be an optimist and greet every person at Be an optimist and greet every person at

work with a smilework with a smile Always remember that you have three Always remember that you have three

choices: you can chose to be positive, you choices: you can chose to be positive, you can chose to be negative, or you can can chose to be negative, or you can chose not to chose and let others chose chose not to chose and let others chose for youfor you

Positive Thinking

ANY QUERIESANY QUERIES

It takes but one positive It takes but one positive thought when given a chance thought when given a chance

to survive and thrive to to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of overpower an entire army of

negative thoughtsnegative thoughts-- Robert H. Schuller -- Robert H. Schuller

Positive Thinking

People deal too much with the People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong...Why negative, with what is wrong...Why not try and see positive things, to not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make just touch those things and make them bloom?them bloom?””

----Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese ----Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese Monk)Monk)

Positive Thinking