MegaMaester

Psychology · Module 7

Positive Psychology and the Good Life

For much of its history, psychology studied what goes wrong. This module explores the science of what goes right: happiness, engagement, meaning, character, and resilience — the field known as positive psychology, launched around 1998.

You will learn what research actually shows about wellbeing, and just as importantly where it is uncertain — from the science of happiness and flow to meaning, character strengths, gratitude and kindness, resilience, and how to weave these into a flourishing life.

This is educational psychology, not clinical advice, and it treats wellbeing findings honestly, including their modest and sometimes debated effect sizes.

Lessons
7 lessons
Estimated time
~6-8 hours
Assessment
Module quiz included

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Lessons

Lesson 1 · 16 min

The Science of Happiness and Wellbeing

Lesson 2 · 16 min

Flow and Engagement

Lesson 3 · 16 min

Meaning and Purpose

Lesson 4 · 16 min

Character Strengths and Virtues

Lesson 5 · 16 min

Gratitude, Kindness, and Positive Emotion

Lesson 6 · 16 min

Resilience and Growth

Lesson 7 · 16 min

Designing a Flourishing Life

Check your understanding

Finish the lessons, then test yourself. Your best score is saved on this device. You can also open this quiz on its own page.

Positive Psychology and the Good Life — Module Assessment

14 questions · pass mark 75%

  1. 1.Hedonic adaptation refers to the tendency to:
  2. 2.The 1978 study of lottery winners and accident survivors is best known for illustrating that:
  3. 3.Flow is most likely when:
  4. 4.Csikszentmihalyi's experience-sampling research suggested that people often feel their best when:
  5. 5.A key difference between meaning and happiness is that meaningful activities:
  6. 6.Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning' argued that:
  7. 7.A character strength differs from a talent in that a character strength:
  8. 8.Peterson and Seligman's 2004 'Character Strengths and Virtues' was notable as:
  9. 9.Broaden-and-build theory proposes that positive emotions:
  10. 10.An honest summary of gratitude and kindness research is that these practices:
  11. 11.Researchers call resilience 'ordinary magic' because it:
  12. 12.Which is an accurate, careful statement about post-traumatic growth?
  13. 13.Across research, including the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the standout predictor of long-term wellbeing is:
  14. 14.Which approach to wellbeing does the evidence support?
Answer every question to submit.