The Moral Self: Obedience, Learned Helplessness and

Positive Psychology

Department of Social RelationsHarvard University

• Formed in 1946• Interdisciplinary: Social and Clinical

Psychology, Social Anthropology and Sociology

• Gordon Allport (Social Psychology)• Henry Murray (Head of Harvard Psychological

Clinic)• Clyde Kluckhohn (social anthropologist)• Talcott Parsons (sociologist)

Stanley Milgram (1933-1984)

(1974)

German Jewish Philosopher, Hannah Arendt, had been imprisoned and then fled Germany for the US. Attended Eichmann’s trial in 1961, wrote updates of the trial in the New Yorker, later published as a book.

(1963)

Milgram’s Shock Machine

Obedience Experiments 1961

• Remote Condition (heard but couldn’t see learner) 65% compliance

• Voice Feedback Condition (vocal complaints “get me out of here” ) 62.5% compliance

• Proximity Condition (learner right next to teacher) 40% compliance

• Touch-Proximity Condition (teacher put learner’s hand on electric plate to shock) 30% compliance

Milgram’s Experimental ConditionsObedience Studies of 1961

“The social psychology of this century reveals a major lesson: Often it is not so much the kind of person a man is as the kind of situation in which he finds himself that determines how he will act.”

Milgram, as cited in Blass, p. 101

Ethics in Human Experimentation

• 1973, APA “Ethical Principles in the Conduct of Research with Human Participants”

• 1975, Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare: new regulations on human subject research—mandatory review by an institutional review board (IRB), committee created to ensure well-being of subjects, and informed consent.

Learned Helplessness- Martin Seligman (1967)

Positive Psychology

• Seligman, Martin E. P. (1991). Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life.

• Seligman, Martin E. P. (1993). What You Can Change and What You Can't: The Complete Guide to Successful Self-Improvement.

• Seligman, Martin E. P. (2002). Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment.

Martin Seligman Director, Positive Psychology Center,

Prof. Psychology University of Pennsylvania

President of APA, 1998

Happiness:a) positive emotion or pleasureb) engagementc) meaning

CSV: Character Strengths and Virtues (Peterson & Seligman, 2004)

• Wisdom and Knowledge; creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, lover of learning, perspective

• Courage: authenticity, bravery, persistence, zest• Humanity: kindness, love, social intelligence• Justice: Fairness, leadership, teamwork• Temperance: forgiveness, modesty, patience,

self-regulation• Transcendence: appreciation of beauty,

excellence, gratitude, hope, humor religiousness.

Harvard's crowded course to happiness'Positive psychology' draws students in drovesMore than 800 students fill the lecture hall for Tal Ben-Shahar's 'Positive Psychology' at Harvard this semester.By Carey Goldberg, Globe Staff | March 10, 2006

CAMBRIDGE -- The most popular course at Harvard this semester teaches happiness.

The final numbers came in this week: Positive Psychology, a class whose content resembles that of many a self-help book but is grounded in serious psychological research, has enrolled 855 students, beating out even Introductory Economics.

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:30 a.m., students crowd into Sanders Theatre to learn about creating, as the course description puts it, ''a fulfilling and flourishing life," courtesy of the booming new area of psychology that focuses on what makes people feel good rather than the pathologies that can make them feel miserable.

Exercises• Daily Gratitude Journal – every night write down

at least five things that made or make you happy – things for which you are grateful.

• Meditating on Happiness• Mapping Life—charting time doing activities, and

how much meaning or pleasure taken from it• Setting Self-Concordant Goals-those we pursue

out of deep personal conviction or strong interest – one’s choice, linked to self-expression

• Happiness Board – set up a group a people that will check in with you, to see if your own goals and keep you accountable

• Letters of Gratitude – to those in your life that have had a positive impact

Sentence Completion

• The things that make me happy are…

• To bring 5% more happiness to my life…

• If I take more responsibility for fulfilling my wants…

• If I bring 5% more integrity to my life..

• If I were willing to say yes when I want to say yes and no when I want to say no…

• I am becoming aware…

…because positive psychology bridges the ivory tower and Main Street, advice given by positive psychologists – whether in book form, in lectures, or on a website- can sometimes sound like the advice that self-help gurus offer.”

Tal Ben-Shahar, Happier, p. xi.

January 17, 2005