ENHANCING EDUCATION - California State University Stanislaus · Natalie Faria California State...
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Offering a complete positive psychology course • Maybury (2013) • A small sample of students were taught positive psychology concepts and were given related assignments, thus applying the techniques to their lives. • Significant increases by the end of the course: ENHANCING EDUCATION: POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED IN ACADEMIC SETTINGS Natalie Faria California State University, Stanislaus INTRODUCTION Introduced by Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000), positive psychology is a new field of study that encompasses research at three levels: • Subjective • Individual • Group Positive psychology is a rejection of current perspectives in psychology. • Negative-bias • Sheldon and King (2001) explain how psychology’s negative bias has hindered the study of the positive characteristics of human life, thus providing an incomplete view of individuals that the study of positive psychology may fulfill. Studying positive psychological theories has led to studying the applicability of these theories in various settings, including education. CONTACT Natalie Faria CSU, Stanislaus Email: [email protected] ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to thank Dr. Ross Avilla for providing direction over this project. LITERATURE REVIEW RESEARCH QUESTION Analyzing these concepts will provide a simpler approach to analyzing the field in general and will provide a greater opportunity to connect research and theory to application. Looking at college students, I would like to analyze students’ natural experiences of flow, mindfulness, and hope in school settings. My research questions include: • Is it beneficial to incorporate positive psychology in schools? • Is the experience of all three concepts equally beneficial? • Is experiencing one concept more advantageous than experiencing the others? • Do students experience one concept naturally more or less so than the others? EXPECTED RESULTS SIGNIFICANCE REFERENCES Flow • Rogatko (2009) • Studied how high or low flow activities can influence positive affect; positive affect was increased significantly in the high flow group. • Students who experienced higher flow levels, regardless of their assigned group, had increased positive affect and decreased negative affect. • Experience of flow differs between people: General Positive Psychology Interventions in Education Three Specific Positive Psychology Concepts Applied in Education Survey current students, 18 years or older, that attend CSU, Stanislaus Surveys will be used to measure students’ current levels of experience in education of each of the concepts: • average level of flow • average mindfulness • experience of hope Self-report responses will be used to measure each student’s current level of success in various aspects of their lives: • Academic success: current and overall GPA • Success of personal relationships (with family, friends, and/or significant other) • Perceived happiness METHODS Three Concepts Flow • Csikszentmihalyi (1990) • state of flow; “optimal experience” • goal-oriented • increased concentration • decreased self-consciousness • intrinsically satisfying Mindfulness • Kabat-Zinn (2003) • "the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment” (p. 145). Hope • Snyder, Harris, Anderson, Holleran, Irving, Sigmon, . . . Harney (1991) • Two elements: • Agency - determination to reach goals • Pathways - plans of how to attain goals It is expected that positive relationships should be found between higher levels of either one, two, or all of the three experiences in relation to the students’ perceived success. The more a student experiences either of these concepts, the more successful the student will be regarding their academic achievement, personal relationships, and overall happiness. Analyzing these three concepts is beneficial in understanding several positive psychology concepts in a single setting. While primarily looking at students’ experiences in school, success in school may generalize to overall success in other aspects of the students’ lives. Looking at students’ experience of these three concepts may provide an understanding of how to enable students to be more successful throughout their academic career. Furthermore, if benefits of any of these concepts are further found, then more support will be provided to the development, potential, and adequacy of this field. Hope • Feldman and Dreher (2012) • Assigned college students to three different groups: one that manipulated hope, a relaxation group to compare, and a no treatment group. • The hope group: • experienced increased hope concerning their goal, but effects did not last one month later • was most successful in advancing toward their goal one month after the short activity had taken place Caldwell, K., Harrison, M., Adams, M., Quin, R. H., & Greeson, J. (2010). Developing mindfulness in college students through movement-based courses: Effects on self-regulatory self-efficacy, mood, stress, and sleep quality. Journal of American College Health, 58(5), 433-442. doi:10.1080/07448480903540481 Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper & Row. Feldman, D. B., & Dreher, D. E. (2012). Can hope be changed in 90 minutes? Testing the efficacy of a single- session goal-pursuit intervention for college students. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(4), 745-759. doi: 10.1007/s10902-011-9292-4 Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156. doi:10.1093/clipsy.bpg016 Maybury, K. K. (2013). The influence of a positive psychology course on student well-being. Teaching of Psychology, 40(1), 62-65. doi:10.1177/0098628312465868 Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2008). Positive psychology and character strengths: Application to strengths-based school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 12(2), 85-92. doi:10.5330/PSC.n.2010-12.85 Rogatko, T. P. (2009). The influence of flow on positive affect in college students. Journal of Happiness Studies, 10(2), 133-148. doi:10.1007/s10902-007-9069-y Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5-14. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5 Seligman, M. E. P., Ernst, R. M., Gillham, J., Reivich, K., & Linkins, M. (2009). Positive education: Positive psychology and classroom interventions. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 293-311. doi: 10.1080/03054980902934563 Sheldon, K. M., & King, L. (2001). Why positive psychology is necessary. American Psychologist, 56(3), 216-217. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.216 Snyder, C. R., Harris, C., Anderson, J. R., Holleran, S. A., Irving, L. M., Sigmon, S. T., . . . Harney, P. (1991). The will and the ways: Development and validation of an individual-differences measure of hope. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60(4), 570-585. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.60.4.570 http://image.slidesharecdn.com/joaquinuribarri20-141030080544-conversion-gate02/95/rethinking-the-role-of-hr-using-the-science- of-positive-psychology-and-mindfulness-12-638.jpg?cb=1414656586 School counselors incorporating various positive psychology techniques • Park and Peterson (2008) • Discussed the practicality of how school psychologists can measure and emphasize individual student’s strengths. • A discussion of past empirical research provides a clear understanding of the benefits of focusing and enhancing one’s strengths: • academic achievement • health • happiness • social relationships Activites of the “Low Flow” group Watching TV 17.9% Eating 3.6% Socializing 7.1% Class / Studying 71.4% Activites of the “High Flow” group Watching TV 3.4% Daily Activities 17.2% Socializing 10.3% Class / Studying 24.1% Mean 0 14 28 42 56 70 Mindfulness Actualization Hope (agency) Hope (pathway) Happiness Pre-test Post-test Learning and integrating the concepts in classes and schools • Seligman, Ernst, Gillham, Reivich, and Linkins (2009) • A single school practiced positive psychology in the majority of students’ education. • Anecdotes suggest a positive impact in students’ education and home life. • No methodological data, yet. Exercising 44.8% Mindfulness • Caldwell, Harrison, Adams, Quin, and Greeson (2010) • Participants were students who had enrolled in three different classes that were focused on moving one’s body. • By the end of the course, students in these classes had become more mindful than when they began. • Students also experienced healthier levels of stress, mood, self-efficacy, and sleep quality. http://www.mrwallpaper.com/wallpapers/gradient-background.jpg
Transcript of ENHANCING EDUCATION - California State University Stanislaus · Natalie Faria California State...
Offering a complete positive psychology course • Maybury (2013)
• A small sample of students were taught positive psychology concepts and were given related assignments, thus applying the techniques to their lives.
• Significant increases by the end of the course: !!!!!!!!!
ENHANCING EDUCATION: POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED IN ACADEMIC SETTINGS
Natalie Faria
California State University, Stanislaus
INTRODUCTIONIntroduced by Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000), positive psychology is a new field of study that encompasses research at three levels:
• Subjective • Individual • Group
Positive psychology is a rejection of current perspectives in psychology.
• Negative-bias • Sheldon and King (2001) explain how psychology’s negative
bias has hindered the study of the positive characteristics of human life, thus providing an incomplete view of individuals that the study of positive psychology may fulfill.
!Studying positive psychological theories has led to studying the applicability of these theories in various settings, including education.
CONTACTNatalie Faria
CSU, Stanislaus Email: [email protected]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTI would like to thank Dr. Ross Avilla for providing direction over this project.
LITERATURE REVIEW
RESEARCH QUESTIONAnalyzing these concepts will provide a simpler approach to analyzing the field in general and will provide a greater opportunity to connect research and theory to application. !Looking at college students, I would like to analyze students’ natural experiences of flow, mindfulness, and hope in school settings. My research questions include: !
• Is it beneficial to incorporate positive psychology in schools? • Is the experience of all three concepts equally beneficial? • Is experiencing one concept more advantageous than
experiencing the others? • Do students experience one concept naturally more or less so than
the others?
EXPECTED RESULTS
SIGNIFICANCE
REFERENCES
Flow • Rogatko (2009)
• Studied how high or low flow activities can influence positive affect; positive affect was increased significantly in the high flow group.
• Students who experienced higher flow levels, regardless of their assigned group, had increased positive affect and decreased negative affect.
• Experience of flow differs between people:
General Positive Psychology Interventions in Education
Three Specific Positive Psychology Concepts Applied in Education
Survey current students, 18 years or older, that attend CSU, Stanislaus
Surveys will be used to measure students’ current levels of experience in education of each of the concepts: • average level of flow • average mindfulness • experience of hope
Self-report responses will be used to measure each student’s current level of success in various aspects of their lives:
• Academic success: current and overall GPA • Success of personal relationships (with family, friends, and/or
significant other) • Perceived happiness
METHODS
Three ConceptsFlow
• Csikszentmihalyi (1990) • state of flow; “optimal experience”
• goal-oriented • increased concentration • decreased self-consciousness • intrinsically satisfying
!Mindfulness
• Kabat-Zinn (2003) • "the awareness that emerges through paying attention on
purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment” (p. 145). !
Hope • Snyder, Harris, Anderson, Holleran, Irving, Sigmon, . . .
Harney (1991) • Two elements:
• Agency - determination to reach goals • Pathways - plans of how to attain goals
It is expected that positive relationships should be found between higher levels of either one, two, or all of the three experiences in relation to the students’ perceived success. !The more a student experiences either of these concepts, the more successful the student will be regarding their academic achievement, personal relationships, and overall happiness.
Analyzing these three concepts is beneficial in understanding several positive psychology concepts in a single setting. While primarily looking at students’ experiences in school, success in school may generalize to overall success in other aspects of the students’ lives. !
Looking at students’ experience of these three concepts may provide an understanding of how to enable students to be more successful throughout their academic career. !Furthermore, if benefits of any of these concepts are further found, then more support will be provided to the development, potential, and adequacy of this field.
Hope • Feldman and Dreher (2012)
• Assigned college students to three different groups: one that manipulated hope, a relaxation group to compare, and a no treatment group.
• The hope group: • experienced increased hope concerning their goal, but
effects did not last one month later • was most successful in advancing toward their goal one
month after the short activity had taken place
Caldwell, K., Harrison, M., Adams, M., Quin, R. H., & Greeson, J. (2010). Developing mindfulness in college students through movement-based courses: Effects on self-regulatory self-efficacy, mood, stress, and sleep quality. Journal of American College Health, 58(5), 433-442. doi:10.1080/07448480903540481
!Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper & Row. !Feldman, D. B., & Dreher, D. E. (2012). Can hope be changed in 90 minutes? Testing the efficacy of a single-
session goal-pursuit intervention for college students. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(4), 745-759. doi:10.1007/s10902-011-9292-4
!Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical
Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156. doi:10.1093/clipsy.bpg016 !Maybury, K. K. (2013). The influence of a positive psychology course on student well-being. Teaching of
Psychology, 40(1), 62-65. doi:10.1177/0098628312465868 !Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2008). Positive psychology and character strengths: Application to strengths-based
school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 12(2), 85-92. doi:10.5330/PSC.n.2010-12.85 !Rogatko, T. P. (2009). The influence of flow on positive affect in college students. Journal of Happiness Studies,
10(2), 133-148. doi:10.1007/s10902-007-9069-y !Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American
Psychologist, 55(1), 5-14. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5 !Seligman, M. E. P., Ernst, R. M., Gillham, J., Reivich, K., & Linkins, M. (2009). Positive education: Positive
psychology and classroom interventions. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 293-311. doi:10.1080/03054980902934563
!Sheldon, K. M., & King, L. (2001). Why positive psychology is necessary. American Psychologist, 56(3), 216-217.
doi:10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.216 !Snyder, C. R., Harris, C., Anderson, J. R., Holleran, S. A., Irving, L. M., Sigmon, S. T., . . . Harney, P. (1991). The
will and the ways: Development and validation of an individual-differences measure of hope. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60(4), 570-585. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.60.4.570
http://image.slidesharecdn.com/joaquinuribarri20-141030080544-conversion-gate02/95/rethinking-the-role-of-hr-using-the-science-of-positive-psychology-and-mindfulness-12-638.jpg?cb=1414656586
School counselors incorporating various positive psychology techniques
• Park and Peterson (2008) • Discussed the practicality of how school psychologists can
measure and emphasize individual student’s strengths. • A discussion of past empirical research provides a clear
understanding of the benefits of focusing and enhancing one’s strengths: • academic achievement • health • happiness • social relationships
Activites of the “Low Flow” group
Watching TV!17.9%
Eating!3.6%
Socializing!7.1%
Class / Studying!71.4%
Activites of the “High Flow” group
Watching TV!3.4%
Daily Activities!17.2%
Socializing!10.3%
Class / Studying!24.1%
Mea
n
0
14
28
42
56
70
Mindful
ness
Actualiz
ation
Hope (
agen
cy)
Hope (
pathw
ay)
Happin
ess
Pre-testPost-test
Learning and integrating the concepts in classes and schools • Seligman, Ernst, Gillham, Reivich, and Linkins (2009)
• A single school practiced positive psychology in the majority of students’ education.
• Anecdotes suggest a positive impact in students’ education and home life.
• No methodological data, yet.
Exercising!44.8%
Mindfulness • Caldwell, Harrison, Adams, Quin, and Greeson (2010)
• Participants were students who had enrolled in three different classes that were focused on moving one’s body.
• By the end of the course, students in these classes had become more mindful than when they began. • Students also experienced healthier levels of stress,
mood, self-efficacy, and sleep quality.
http://www.mrwallpaper.com/wallpapers/gradient-background.jpg
