What is Positive Psychology Hans Henrik Knoop Aarhus

What is Positive Psychology? Hans Henrik Knoop Aarhus University, Denmark

2006 Hans Henrik Knoop

2008 COMPETENCE ? HAPPINESS ? Hans Henrik Knoop PROGRESS ?

Hans Henrik Knoop 2008

Hans Henrik Knoop 2008

Short answer: PP is the study of wellbeing and optimal functioning in human life – and how to foster this as individuals, groups and societies

How is your mood being produced? Genes: source of 40 -50 % of your happiness This is because we are born with a kind of chemically determined basic mood called the happiness set-point Material life-circumstances: source of 10 -20 % of your happiness The reason that it is not more is that we get used to good things which is called hedonistic adaptation Immaterial (volitional) life-circumstances: source of 30 -40 % of your happiness Freedom to engage in joyful activity here and now Freedom to existentially and socially to engage in a bigger, more long-sighted, meaningful perspective (Lyubomirsky, 2007)

Denmark: A Multiple Choice Society? q Ruut Veenhoven: People live happiest in economically well developed nations that are well governed and allow their citizens a lot of freedom, in short, in modern multiple choice society q 5 mi. citizens (very few) q 43. 000 square kilometers (very few) q World’s highest economic equality (gini-index 2000 -) q Very high level of personal autonomy / Very low power distance / Very low level of blind obedience (Hofstede, 1984 -) q Very high level of creativity / material wealth q Very high level of access to information / media+ICT - 8595% computer and internet access in private homes (Plovsing & Nielsen, 2009) q World’s lowest level of corruption (Transparency International, 2008) q World’s highest level of social trust (Bjørnskov, 2009) q Some of the world’s happiest (Veenhoven 2010; Diener 2009) Hans Henrik Knoop, 2010

Result: Increased competence Desire to learn more Action: Intrinsically motivated learning and creativity Desire to create more Experience: Desire to learn and create: curiosity and entrepreneurship Experience: Intrinsically motivating positive emotions Preconditions: Aesthetics and functional settings Result: Increased creativity Experience: Intrinsically motivating engagement Preconditions: Autonomy, purpose, energizing goals, un-bureaucratic rules, flexible degree of challenge, non-humiliating feedback and possibility for concentration Experience: Intrinsically motivating meaning Preconditions: Usability Good reasons Hans Henrik Knoop, 2010 The desire to learn and create Experience: Intrinsically motivating social relations Preconditions: Positive support and positive challenge Base: Unfolding individual strengths in daily life

READ ON Knoop, H. H. & Lyhne, J. (red. ) (2005). Et nyt læringslandskab – Flow, Intelligens og det gode læringsmiljø. København: Dansk Psykologisk Forlag. Knoop, H. H. (2002). Leg, læring og kreativitet – hvorfor glade børn lærer mere. København: Aschehoug. Knoop, H. H. (2006). Når lysten til at lære overlever mødet med skolen. I: Hejgaard, J. et al. Mit barn skal I skole. København: Mejeriforeningen, Rådet for Større Færdselssikkerhed og Skole & Samfund. Knoop, H. H. (2007). Wise Creativity and Creative Wisdom. In: Craft, A. , Gardner, H. & Claxton, G (eds. ) Creativity, Wisdom and Trusteeship. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Knoop, H. H. (2007). Control and Responsibility: A Danish Perspective on Leadership. In: Gardner, H. (ed. ). Responsibility at Work: How Leading Professionals Act (or Don't Act) Responsibly. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Knoop, H. H. & Gardner, H. (2001). Good Work in a Complex World. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University. Lyhne, J. & Knoop, H. H. (red. ) (2008). Positiv Psykologi – Positiv Pædagogik. København: Dansk Psykologisk Forlag. Tidsskriftet Kognition & Pædagogik. Virum: Dansk Psykologisk Forlag Test dine karakterstyrker her: www. viasurvey. org Test din positivitetsratio her: www. positivityratio. com/single. php Min hjemmeside på DPU / Århus Universitet: www. dpu. dk/om/knoop 5 th European Conference on Positive Psychology: www. ecpp 2010. dk

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