According to Seligman, positive psychology contains three principles. First, positive psychology looks at the positive perception or emotions of experiences from the past, present and future. For example, one can think of optimism and gratitude. Secondly, positive psychology looks at positive qualities of people, namely their strengths and virtues. This concerns, for example, courage and perseverance. Third, positive psychology focuses on positive institutions and communities and their influence on human life. An example can be given of an organization or society that scores high on happiness. These three principles influence people’s well-being. The principles are examined in more detail below.
Positive experience/emotion of the past, present and future.
Positive emotion can relate to the past, present and future. According to Seligman, positive emotions about the future include optimism, hope, trust and faith. Those of the present include joy, ecstasy, tranquility, enthusiasm, elation, pleasure and flow. Positive emotions of the past include contentment, fulfillment, fulfillment, pride, and serenity (Seligman E., 2002).
The positive emotions mentioned regarding the past, present and future are important aspects in positive psychology. Positive psychology always tries to improve and strengthen the strengths mentioned by working on the emotions mentioned.
What is important when classifying emotions into the past, present and future is that these three clusters of emotions differ and are not necessarily closely related. It is desirable to experience happiness in all cases, but not necessary. For example, it is possible to be proud of the past and to think back on it with satisfaction, while feeling bad about the present (Seligman E., 2002).
Some definitions
An emotion can be defined as a psychological state defined by subjective feelings, but also characteristic patterns of psychological arousal, thinking and behavior (Peterson, 2006). Emotions focus on a specific event or circumstance during the past, present or future. However, they are short-lived and we are only aware of them at the moment of occurrence.
Moods are distinct from emotions, moods are defined as follows: They are more free-floating or objectless, longer lasting, and more likely to occupy the background of consciousness (Fredrickson & Losada, 2005).
Moods, unlike emotions, are therefore unfocused and rather long-lasting.
Basic emotions
Ekman (2008), a leading researcher of human emotions, states that there are six basic universal human emotions. These emotions are anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness and surprise. However, Seligman (2002) uses more specific emotions when classifying emotions into the past, present and future.
Positive qualities
In his book Being happy, you can learn talents and competencies, Seligman (2002) mentions talents and competencies as a second important topic in positive psychology. There are many similarities between competencies and talents, but the main difference is that a competency is a moral quality, while a talent is not moral. In addition, a talent is generally less malleable than a competency. A talent can improve by training it, but the basis is rather innate. Competencies, on the other hand, can be acquired with sufficient time, effort and perseverance.
To be a virtuous person, one must voluntarily demonstrate all or at least most of the six virtues generally recognized: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, moderation, and transcendence. According to Seligman (2002), these virtues can be achieved by developing competencies that lead to these virtues. Seligman (2002) speaks of 24 competencies, divided into six virtues:
Wisdom and knowledge
The first virtue, namely wisdom and knowledge, consists of six competencies. A first described competency is curiosity and interest in the world . This competency requires being open to experiences and can be both specific, for example only looking at flowers, or general. The second competency concerns the love of learning . A third competency then describes having judgment, critical thinking and open-mindedness . This competency relates to being able to think about things and investigate them. The competency of ingenuity and originality is described in competency four. This competency is sometimes called common sense or common sense. Competency five then describes possessing social intelligence , personal intelligence and emotional intelligence. Social intelligence is the ability to notice differences between others, especially in terms of their mood, temperament, motivation, and intentions, and then act on that information. Personal intelligence involves access to one’s own feelings and the ability to use that knowledge to understand and direct one’s behavior. Daniel Goleman (1999) collected these two types of competencies under the term emotional intelligence. The sixth competency described under the virtue of wisdom and knowledge concerns the competency perspective . This term is used by Seligman to describe the most mature competence in this category, the power closest to wisdom itself. It is about the sensible way in which someone views the world (Seligman, 2002).
Courage
The second virtue, namely courage, consists of only three competencies. To this end, bravery is described as the first competence. People who are brave do not shy away from threats, challenges, pain or difficulties. This competence is not only necessary in threatening situations, but it is also necessary to take intellectual and emotional positions that are not very popular. A second competency is perseverance . Finally, the third competency is sincerity and honesty . Honest people not only speak the truth, but live their lives in a sincere and authentic way (Seligman, 2002).
Humanity and love
A third virtue, described by Seligman (2002), concerns the virtues of humanity and love. This virtue has two competencies, namely kindness and giving and receiving love .
Justice
A fourth virtue, namely justice, has three competencies. A first competency, duty and teamwork , focuses on being loyal and committed in a team. The second competency, honesty and fairness , then focuses on not letting your own personal feelings influence your decisions about others. Finally, the third competency, leadership , stands for being able to properly organize activities and ensure that they are carried out.
Moderation
The fifth virtue, moderation, again describes three competencies, namely self-control , discretion and humility/modesty . These competencies indicate being able to control desires, needs and impulses, being discreet and not putting oneself in the foreground.
Transcendence
The last virtue, virtue 6, concerns the virtue of transcendence. This virtue includes seven competencies. A first competency concerns the competency of appreciation for beauty . This competence can relate to nature, to art, to mathematics and science and other everyday things. A second competency is gratitude . Gratitude is a way to express your appreciation for something someone else does. The next competency is hope, optimism and future orientation . Hope, optimism and future orientation form a cluster of competencies with a positive attitude towards the future. A fourth competency, namely spirituality , concerns coherent views about the meaning of the universe. The fifth competency concerns forgiveness . Then playfulness and humor belong to the sixth competency. The last competency, namely fire/passion/enthusiasm, concerns being energetic and carrying out activities with heart and soul.
Positive institutions and communities
Third, positive psychology focuses on positive institutions and communities and their influence on human life. Seligman (2002) mainly emphasizes the work and the experience of personal satisfaction while working, he indicates that applying the characteristic competencies discussed above ensures maximizing job satisfaction. According to Seligman, these competencies can also be applied to the family and relationships. Seligman discusses only a few institutions and communities, but the Institute for Positive Psychology discusses several institutions and communities that are not discussed by Seligman (ivpp, 2012).