MODULE 3
• Psychological effects of
happiness
• Flow experiences
• Preventing mental distress
• Psychological wellbeing is the state of mind where people are satisfied in, psychological, psychosocial and
psychophysiological day to day life.
• Happiness is a pleasurable and satisfying experience or it is a state of well being characterized by emotions ranging from
contentment to intense joy. Happiness may produce a pleasant mood, positive emotions, well being and positive attitudes
towards self and other.
• The most common word of Mental Health confined with free of stress, Depression, Anxiety and other form of Neurotic and
psychotic disorders. Numbers of studies already proved the association between negative emotion, negative affective
behavior and its relationship with different mental disorders. In other words it can be said that negative emotions and
negative affective behavioral components are the main cause of different mental health problems/disorders.
• Mental health refers to the state of well-being in which an individual can realize their potential, cope with everyday
stressors, and contribute to their community
Dr Carol Diane Ryff, an American academic and psychologist, has
been studying psychological well-being and psychological resilience
for decades. Based on her research, she created the Six-factor
Model of Psychological Well-being, a theory that outlines the key
factors to our happiness.
Happiness and Its Relations with Depression
➢ The study of Seligman's (2002) can be illustrated. The study was conducted on 577 people where
happiness exercises were provided to the participants. In the present study it is found that happiness
exercise decreases the level of depression among participants.
➢ Similarly the study of Phillips (1967) also stated that people suffering mental disorders are definitely
unhappy in nature. Further the researcher stated that persons reporting mental disturbances as
restlessness, inability to sleep, sour stomachs, and the like, would also report feelings of
unhappiness. In this regard Phillips (1967) also suggested that social participation
increase the happiness and happiness reduces the depression level of people suffering
mental disorders.
• Psychologists have begun using experimental and longitudinal studies to determine whether positive
affect plays a role in future positive outcomes. These studies provide evidence that happy people are
more sociable and cooperative than unhappy people, are healthier than unhappy people, and earn
more money than unhappy people. A number of studies have even shown that happy people live
longer than unhappy people (and this is not just due to the fact that happy people tend to be
healthy).
• Qualities that help promote psychological well-being (e.g., having meaning and purpose in life, a
sense of autonomy, positive emotions, and satisfaction with life) are linked with a range of favorable
health outcomes (especially improved cardiovascular health) mainly through their relationships with
biological functions and health behaviors (such as diet, physical activity, and sleep quality) (Boehm &
Kubzansky, 2012). The quality that has received attention is positive affect, which refers to
pleasurable engagement with the environment, such as happiness, joy, enthusiasm, alertness, and
excitement (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988). The characteristics of positive affect, as with negative
affect (discussed earlier), can be brief, long-lasting, or trait-like (Pressman & Cohen, 2005).
Independent of age, gender, and income, positive affect is associated with greater social
connectedness, emotional and practical support, adaptive coping efforts, and lower depression; it is
also associated with longevity and favorable physiological functioning (Steptoe, O’Donnell, Marmot,
& Wardle, 2008).
Happiness and Its Relations with Anxiety
• The common definition of anxiety is feelings of tension and worried thoughts.
• Therefore, it is found that, people suffering any type of anxiety disorders are not
happy in their day to day life.
• In a study by Clark, and Watson, (1991) also found the effect of happiness as
a treatment for anxiety and depression disorders. Further in another study
intervention study used happiness as an intervention technique conducted by
O’connor, Dinan, and Cryan, (2011) also revealed that there is a positive effecst
of happiness in treatment of anxiety disorders.
Stress and its Relation to Happiness
• The concept of happiness for the people suffering stress is quite unnatural.
• Stress due to work place, family hassles, increasing day to day demands are
some of the common reason which interfering the human happiness.
• KiecoltGlaser, Preacher, MacCallum, Malarkey, and Glaser, (2003) stated that
those
who are physically overwhelmed, mentally overwhelmed, or both by the
needs of
others do experience a stressful or burden that can have significant negative
health consequences such as cardiac disorders, respiratory
disorders and gastrointestinal disorders.
• The study of Sheldon, and Niemiec, (2006) also indicates that happiness
develop self
concept and self efficacy among the people and indirectly reduce the
chances
of psychological disorders
So how happy you are feeling today?
Cognitive Effects
• Happiness has been shown to enhance cognitive flexibility and creativity.
• Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory (1998): Positive emotions like happiness broaden an individual's
thought-action repertoire, enhancing creativity, problem-solving skills, and resilience. Barbara Fredrickson
proposed that positive emotions such as happiness "broaden" one's awareness, allowing for a more
expansive range of thoughts and actions. Over time, this broadening leads to the "building" of enduring
personal resources like resilience and social support. For example, when someone is in a happy state, they
are more likely to think creatively, explore new ideas, and consider a wide range of solutions to problems. This
contrasts with negative emotions, which often narrow focus, as individuals are more concerned with
immediate threats.
• Research by Isen et al. (1987) showed that happy individuals are better at tasks requiring creative problem-
solving.
Emotional Effects
• Emotion Regulation:
• Tugade & Fredrickson (2004): Positive emotions can help people recover more quickly from negative
emotional experiences, building resilience over time.
Social Effects
• Happiness fosters social relationships, which in turn increase feelings of belonging and well-being.
• Research by Diener and Seligman (2002) found that happy people tend to have more robust social
networks, contributing to their overall well-being.
Health Effects
• Happiness has profound effects on physical health. Research shows that happy individuals have
lower levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, leading to better immune function and reduced risk
of chronic diseases.
• Danner, Snowdon, & Friesen (2001) conducted a study on nuns, which found that the more
positive emotions the nuns expressed in early life (as written in their autobiographies), the longer
they lived. This suggests that happiness might be linked to longevity.
• Happy individuals tend to have better cardiovascular health. Studies show that happiness can lower
blood pressure and improve heart rate variability.
• Positive emotions associated with happiness are linked to better physical health and longevity.
• A longitudinal study by Danner, Snowdon, & Friesen (2001) found that positive emotional content in
early life autobiographies predicted longevity 60 years later.
Workplace Effects
• Shawn Achor (2010) in his book The Happiness Advantage demonstrated that positive emotions fuel
success at work, not the other way around. Happy employees are more likely to perform better, achieve
more, and stay motivated in their jobs.
• Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener (2005) reviewed evidence that happiness leads to success in various
domains of life, including relationships, work, and health. Their research shows that happy individuals
are more successful across various life domains due to their positive mindset, higher energy levels, and
better social skills.
• The Nun Study (Danner, Snowdon, & Friesen, 2001)- This famous study followed a group of nuns for
over six decades. Researchers analyzed the content of their autobiographies written in early life and
found a strong correlation between the positive emotional content and the length of their lives. The
happier nuns, as expressed through positive language in their writing, tended to live longer than their
less emotionally positive counterparts.
• Harvard Study of Adult Development- This 75-year longitudinal study examined what factors contribute most
to happiness and well-being. One of its key findings was that close, meaningful relationships are the most
important predictor of happiness and longevity. The study found that those who had strong connections with
family, friends, and community experienced better mental and physical health over the course of their lives.
• Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory- Fredrickson's research on positive emotions, including happiness, has
shown that these emotions do not only provide temporary pleasure but also build lasting resources. Over time,
positive emotions help people develop cognitive, social, and psychological skills that increase their well-being
and resilience.
Measuring Happiness
• Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS): This is a widely used measure that asks individuals to rate their overall
satisfaction with life. Developed by Diener et al., it assesses the cognitive component of happiness.
• Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS): This tool measures the emotional component of happiness by
evaluating the balance of positive and negative emotions a person experiences over time.
[Link]
Flow experiences
• The term “flow state” describes a mental state in which a person is completely focused on a single task or activity. They
are directing all of their attention toward the task, and they do not experience many thoughts about themselves or their
performance. Some people refer to this informally as being “in the zone.”
• Csikszentmihalyi (1975) introduced the concept of “flow” years ago in his groundbreaking book Beyond Boredom and
Anxiety. Aristotle coined eudaimonia in Greek, which is sometimes translated as “human flourishing”.
• Flow is described as a particular experience that is so engaging and engrossing that it becomes worth doing for its own
sake (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997). It is usually related to creative endeavors and leisure activities, but it can also be
experienced by workers who like their jobs or students who love studying (Csikszentmihalyi, 1999).
• When people experience flow, they become involved in an activity to the point where they feel they lose themselves in
the activity. They effortlessly maintain their concentration and focus, they feel as though they have complete control of
their actions, and time seems to pass more quickly than usual (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997).
• Flow is considered a pleasurable experience, and it typically occurs when people are engaged in challenging activities
that require skills and knowledge they know they possess. For example, people would be more likely report flow
experiences in relation to their work or hobbies than in relation to eating. When asked the question, “Do you ever get
involved in something so deeply that nothing else seems to matter, and you lose track of time?” about 20% of Americans
and Europeans report having these flow-like experiences regularly (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997).
• Flow is often associated with athletes, artists, or scientists who are fully task-absorbed in order to
achieve peak performance. Yet, flow-like states also occur in more mundane situations, such as when
engaging in certain tasks during work or leisure time (Bakker, 2008; Demerouti et al., 2012;
Csikszentmihalyi, 2014).
• An example is a gamer spending hours behind the computer without feeling bored, fatigued, or
hungry. Experiencing flow is accompanied with sense of accomplishment, meaningfulness, and
positive mood states (Csikszentmihalyi and Nakamura, 2010), and as such, flow also plays a role in
well-being.
• Although neuroscientific research on flow is limited, already in 2004, Dietrich suggested that during
flow, the frontal lobes may be less active, indicating that much of the behavioral regulation is bottom-
up (i.e., automatic).
Dimension sof flow
• It has been established that, in order to experience flow, a key dimension is the match between a
person's skills and the task challenges (Keller, 2016). A too easy task more likely leads to boredom,
rather than flow. A too difficult task often leads to frustration, stress or lack of interest, which are all
states that are largely incompatible with flow (Bakker and Oerlemans, 2011).
• Defining flow characteristic is the strong attentional focus, sometimes referred to as task engagement
or absorption (Martin and Jackson, 2008).
• Low levels of self-referential thinking are a third hallmark of flow (Nakamura and
Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). During flow, stress levels are low and so are worries and self-reflective
thinking.
• People who experienced flow frequently reported feeling in control, having a clear sense of
direction (i.e., objectives), and a compressed impression of time (Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). In fact,
when individuals are in a flow, time seems to fly by (Hancock et al. 2019). Van der Linden et al.
(2021) hypothesized that flow-related alterations in time perception might be connected to a
decreased sense of self, which is mediated by insular cortex components
Characteristics of a flow state
Tasks that tend to encourage a state of flow often share similar characteristics. These tasks may be:
• Challneging but not impossible
• rewarding, meaning that a person gets a sense of pleasure or purpose from doing it
• in-depth, involving an investment of some time or energy to make progress
Signs that a person is in a state of flow include
• Focus: It is not easy to distract people in flow from their task. They may not be thinking about anything
else. If a person or event interrupts someone in flow, they may feel annoyed.
• Lack of self-consciousness: Flow is associated with a decrease in “self-referential thinking,” which means
that a person in this state is unlikely to be thinking about themselves, their performance, or how others
might see them.
• Enjoyment: People may enjoy the task, encouraging them to immerse themselves in it.
• Persistence: Some evidence suggests that being in flow can offset the frustration of a difficult task,
allowing people to keep going.
Some examples of activities that might induce a flow state
include:
• playing sports
• playing games
• reading
• creative hobbies, such as playing an instrument or drawing
• doing crafts and making things
• solving puzzles
• gardening
Hyperfocus VS Flow
HYPERFOCUS FLOW
• The term “hyperfocus” describes a state that can sound • Flow is generally a beneficial state
similar to flow. In the context of conditions such as • People can enter a state of flow during any type of
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), task, as long as it is challenging or meaningful
hyperfocus refers to intense attention, or fixation, on a enough. Such tasks could include work or chores.
task that a person finds interesting. Some experts
consider the two terms to be interchangeable.
• Hyperfocus usually occurs because someone is
personally interested in a task or topic.
Brain during flow
• During a state of flow, several changes take place in the brain.
Studies have shown that the dopamine reward system plays an
important role. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that supports
feelings of motivation, pleasure, and reward. It can also help
suppress bodily sensations, such as hunger. People in a state of
flow have higher levels of dopamine, which could explain why
they might not notice that they are hungry or tired.A 2021 mini
review argues that the brain’s locus coeruleus-norepinephrine
(LC-NE) system is also involved in flow. This brain system helps
regulate decision making and engagement with tasks. During
flow, a person must have high levels of engagement with a
challenging task that matches their skill level for this system to
regulate task engagement properly.
• It is unclear whether entering a state of flow causes these
changes or whether these brain changes cause or enable flow. It
is possible that both are true.
• For example, activating the dopamine system might enable flow.
Flow might then further stimulate dopamine, creating a cycle.
Benefits of a flow state
Being in flow can be enjoyable in its own right. A person may enjoy flow
because they are working on something that is meaningful to them or
because it is satisfying to see the project take shape.
Research has also linked a flow state to:
• better performance
• fewer distractions
• less self-judgment
• greater motivation to complete tasks
• the ability to spend a longer time on tasks
• more practice, allowing someone to gain skill and competence
In positive psychology, theorists believe that flow is also important for
psychological health and well-being.
Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and
Happiness
• Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and regulate emotions—both in oneself and in others.
This capacity to handle emotions effectively has been shown to play a crucial role in fostering subjective well-being or happiness.
• Emotional Intelligence, as defined by Salovey and Mayer (1990) and later popularized by Daniel Goleman (1995), involves several
key skills:
➢ Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding one's emotions. People with high self-awareness are more attuned to their
emotional states. They can accurately identify what makes them happy or unhappy, allowing them to engage in activities that
enhance their happiness and avoid situations that lead to stress or dissatisfaction.
➢ Self-regulation: Managing and modulating emotions, especially in stressful situations. Those with strong self-regulation skills are
better able to handle negative emotions, preventing them from spiraling into prolonged stress or unhappiness. By regulating their
emotions, such individuals maintain a balanced emotional state, fostering emotional stability.
➢ Motivation: Using emotions to stay motivated and achieve personal goals. Emotional intelligence involves the ability to use
emotions to motivate oneself. Intrinsically motivated individuals—those who engage in activities because they find them enjoyable
or meaningful—are often happier because they pursue goals that align with their values and interests, leading to eudaimonic
happiness.
➢ Empathy: Understanding and responding to the emotions of others. Empathy enhances relationships by fostering understanding
and emotional connection. People who are empathetic are better able to build and maintain strong social relationships, which are a
key determinant of happiness.
➢ Social skills: Managing relationships and influencing others positively. Emotional intelligence includes the ability to communicate
effectively and manage interpersonal relationships. Individuals with good social skills are better able to resolve conflicts, nurture
social bonds, and experience the positive effects of social support, all of which are crucial for maintaining happiness.
Broaden and Build theory
• The broaden-and-build theory suggests that experiencing positive
emotions helps people expand their immediate, momentary thoughts
to help strengthen their psychological, social, cognitive, and physical
resources.
• Barbara Frederickson first proposed the broaden-and-build theory as
a way to address the lack of research on positive emotions and the
greater emphasis on negative ones.
• Premise of the broaden-and-build theory is that both types of
emotions must co-exist and that positive emotions build resources to
cope with negative emotions.
• Broaden-and-build theory posits that positive emotions lead to a
broadening of experience and the building of resources, improve
psychological resilience and improve quality of life.
The Hedonic Treadmill Theory and
Sustainable Happiness
• The hedonic treadmill theory suggests that people quickly adapt
to positive changes, but intentional activities like gratitude and
kindness can prevent habituation, sustaining happiness.
• By focusing on adaptive activities rather than external changes,
individuals can maintain higher levels of happiness and mitigate
distress.
• Research by Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade (2005)
highlights that intentional activities (rather than circumstances)
are more likely to result in long-lasting changes in happiness.
Preventing mental distress
• Prevention in mental health aims to reduce the incidence, prevalence, and recurrence of mental health disorders
and their associated disability. Preventive interventions are based on modifying risk exposure and strengthening
the coping mechanisms of the individual.
• George Vaillant (2009), a pioneer in the field of positive psychology, pointed out that old research articles on
psychiatry and mental health have a myriad of discussions on anxiety, depression, stress, anger, and fear, but
very little about affection, compassion, or forgiveness.
• Positive psychology promotes health-supportive behaviors, enhances coping skills, and reduces stress, all of
which contribute to lower susceptibility to various illnesses, including chronic conditions like cardiovascular
disease and depression.
• Some practices o prevent mental distress are-
• Gratitude Practice
➢ Gratitude involves recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of life. Practicing gratitude regularly has
been shown to increase positive emotions, reduce stress, and improve sleep quality.
➢ A common approach is keeping a gratitude journal where individuals write down three things they are grateful
for each day.
➢ Studies, such as one by Emmons and McCullough (2003), have shown that regular gratitude practice increases
happiness and reduces symptoms of physical illness.
• Mindfulness involves focusing on the present moment and accepting it without judgment. It reduces
stress, improves emotional regulation, and can lower blood pressure and boost immune function.
Mindfulness practices can include breathing exercises, body scans, and guided meditations.
• Positive reappraisal, a cognitive-behavioral technique, involves finding a constructive perspective on
challenging events. It helps individuals manage stress and fosters resilience.
• Strength-based approaches involve identifying and building upon one’s existing strengths, leading to
improved self-efficacy and motivation to engage in health-promoting behaviors.
• Optimism involves expecting positive outcomes in the future, which can improve immune function,
reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and enhance psychological resilience.
• Positive psychology has a growing body of evidence suggesting that cultivating positive emotions can
lead to measurable health benefits:
➢ Enhanced Immune Function: Positive emotions boost immune responses, making individuals less
susceptible to infections and chronic illness (e.g., Cohen & Pressman, 2006).
➢ Reduced Inflammation: Stress reduction practices like gratitude and mindfulness are associated with
lower levels of inflammatory markers, which are implicated in many chronic diseases.
➢ Cardiovascular Health: Positive psychological interventions have been shown to lower blood pressure,
improve heart rate variability, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (Kubzansky et al., 2001).
Measures to Boost Your Happiness
Engage in any activity, utilizing all your senses
Create meaning in whatever you are doing, this will help you to be more
engaged in it.
Show kindness towards others
Express gratitude towards others
Share with others and care for others
Practice meditation
Engage in hobbies
Do relaxation exercise
Take life as it is.
Cultivate a sense of acceptance
Decide on your life priorities.
References
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Positive Psychology (Kate Hefferon & Ilona Boniwell)
THANKS
