PSY 560 Alternative Theoretical Positions

PSY 560 Alternative Theoretical Positions

Evaluation: alternative theoretical position

            The positive psychology by martin Seligman is about the issue of creating happiness in one’s life. There are alternative theories that relate to the theory, and that is from the theories in personality psychology. The alternative theory is the self-determination theory that was developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan. The theory is helpful in supporting natural or intrinsic intentions and enhances the behavior towards becoming healthy and effective. The theory helps to understand the motivation that drives the choice made by people and how they make such choices without being influenced externally and less interference (Lopez, Pedrotti, & Snyder, 2018). The other theory that is alternative and related to positive psychology is self-actualization theory that was developed by Carl Rogers. The self-actualization theory is based on one basic need in an individual’s life, to maintain, enhance, and actualize themselves.

            The personality of an individual is developed from their unconsciousness, environment, memories, wants, and hopes. The self-determination theory and the self-actualization theory are applicable in today’s life since everyone strives to ensure that their needs are met daily. People are motivated by self-determination theory to grow and change in accordance with their psychological needs (Compton, & Hoffman, 2019). Motivation to attain certain goals is the primary drive, and positive psychology `plays a key role in motivating people. The self-actualization theory is another primary drive and prepares an individual mind to attain their needs and to shift their way of thinking.

Evaluation: challenge

            The positive psychology by Seligman has various strengths as well as weaknesses that are established within the theory. Arguments about the possibility of weaknesses in the theory show that it associates the mental health issues with one personality. The theory comprises of traits that are cheerful, goal-driven, outgoing, and status-seeking extravert. Another weakness is that theory does not recognize that individuals also experience negative experiences in their life and not only positivity in life that is experienced (Park, et al. 2016). The negative and positive experiences can be intertwined in a person’s life, and that makes it hard for an individual to focus on positive thoughts separately from the negative thoughts. The weaknesses that make the theory to be inapplicable is the term scientism, which has the stand that positivist paradigm is the only way in which a research can determine the truth claims and trustworthy method to attain happiness, flourishing, and well-being of an individual.

            Such weaknesses cause a belief that people should only be guided by happiness that is guided by positive psychology. Self-actualization theory asserts all the weaknesses in positive psychology providing evidence of such weakness through science. The self-actualization shows that an individual should take full responsibility in their good deeds as well as their bad deeds. The self-determination theory, on the other hand, concentrates on the positive psychology but still focusing on an individual as a whole. The positive psychology is a one-sided focus and argues on the desirable-sounding constructs that fail to give the second account of life, and this makes the theory to be weak (Hefferon, & Boniwell, 2011). The theory also has a dialectical tension between stress and growth, making it fail in its explanation of what constitutes the other side of life. Therefore, it is understood that the theory fails to comply with nature, which is made up of positive and negative situations.

Evaluation: defend against the challenges

            Positive psychology has the ability and the potential to change many of the aspects of life and also life perception. It has strengths that give people the need to concentrate on their happiness and positive issues in life rather than focusing on negatives that will end making life hard for them. The theory has six categories comprising of 24 characteristics that if utilized well by society, can be good. The six categories are; wisdom & knowledge, justice, courage, temperance, humanity, and transcendence. People can utilize such characteristics for the benefits and transformation of lives while focusing on the positives that they possess in their life (Lopez, Pedrotti, & Snyder, 2018). The theory helps people to overcome the stresses of life since they can concentrate on the positives rather than the failures they have in their life.

            Positive psychology focuses on how thoughts can be made positive that are negative in a way. The actions by an individual can only be geared towards attaining a positive goal, which improves on the overall life of an individual. The positive psychology advocates for people to make use of positive characteristics provided under the six categories to gain a positive change in life. Various strategies can be applied by an individual depending on the characteristic that suits their situations. People are obligated to look at their potentials in life through positive psychology and make use of them well in their lives. Such leads towards achieving a life that is full of happiness. People have their emotions that control their body, and positive psychology helps people to identify the positive emotions. There should be use of instrumental approach that helps in emotion regulation and enables a stimulation towards shifting to optimal functioning. With the use of positive psychology people can overcome pleasure and pain.

Evaluation: apply

            The application of positive psychology in a real-life situation covers a wide range of issues that affects people in their life negatively. Positive psychology strives to change such situations and ensures that people achieve positivity in their lives while eliminating negativity in life. One of the applications of positive psychology in real life can be for those who have issues with depression and even anxiety as a result of hardship in their life (Kashdan, & Ciarrochi, 2013). They can adopt the positivity in every situation and ensuring that the depression and anxiety situation do not overcome them in their life. The depression and anxiety have negative energy, learned helplessness and gives an individual the mentality of focusing on their shortcomings, and this needs positive psychology to overcome them.

            The positive psychology tenets are mostly applied by counselors and psychologist in handling their clients who have depression and anxiety. The positive psychology relies mostly on the positive but as well tries to cover on the negative side as well as being neutral. The intervention from positive psychology is helpful in dealing with depression and anxiety which leads the victims to recognize the symptoms (Compton, & Hoffman, 2019). It also helps in enhancing their emotions of hope and gratitude which helps in fighting the depression symptoms. The positive psychology interventions help in developing coping skills, learning how to be calm, and ways of controlling thoughts to slow them down and achieve rationality.

            Positive psychology can be utilized by an individual to focus on their strengths. Individuals need to understand their areas of strengths and enhance them by focusing on them and creating a life by sharing them. People need to make use of positive psychology to improve their skills in dealing with other, and the theory helps them to understand the need to give gratitude to others.

Evaluation: solutions

            Positive psychology is having a different way of handling issues in life, and that cannot lead to negativity. Many alternative solutions exist that can be useful in addressing negativity in life and help deal with issues that are negative such as depression and anxiety. The most common solution is medication, which can be applied across various situations.  Medication is used to overcome the symptoms of depression and anxiety (Hefferon, & Boniwell, 2011). However, the medication has not been successful in dealing with the overall situation of an individual having depression and gives the need to understand and changes one’s world view.

Evaluation: contemporary relevance

            Positive psychology is important in our daily life and helps people to develop the ability to redirect the mind from negative thoughts towards attaining a positive thought. People can get the energy to deal with the negative symptoms by identifying the cause of depression and anxiety in life. Positive psychology helps individuals to overcome negative issues in life, and this is through the use of the 24 characteristics provided under positive psychology (Park, et al. 2016). People need to understand to utilize such characteristics to benefit themselves and to overcome mental issues they are faced with in their life. Positive psychology interventions are useful in society and help in achieving a positive life while overcoming the negative aspects of life.

PSY 560 Alternative Theoretical Positions