Enabling institutions are created by positive people who use their personal virtues and strengths not only to flourish on the inside of the institution but also allow us to build communities that work to build a better society.
According to Positive Psychologist Christopher Peterson (2006), institutions can harbor virtues just as people can. Institutional-level virtues identified by Peterson include: purpose, safety, fairness, humanity, and dignity.
Reflect on a group or organization with a mission you believe in. This could be a school, workplace, political party, church, youth group, sports league, or charity.
Please answer the following: How do the five virtues identified by Peterson characterize your selected group or organization?
Now, consider the following perspective. “Are you,” as Peterson once asked, “doing what you can do to make this group a better one, thereby strengthening the institution and the goals it endorses?” (Peterson, 2006, p 301).
What do you currently do to make this group a better one? What could you improve in yourself to make this group a better one?
How will the field of Positive Psychology develop over the next 10 years? What questions need to be answered in order for scientists to improve the lives of future generations? In this learning activity, you will adopt the persona of a researcher in Positive Psychology and reflect on your next direction of scientific inquiry.
Please address the following items.
1. Describe three findings from research in Positive Psychology. Which finding do you perceive to be most beneficial to society and why?
2. Generate some questions that you would like to see tested by researchers in Positive Psychology. Next, in two to three paragraphs, write a brief research proposal that focuses on a hypothesis you would like to test. In your proposal, describe the technique or techniques you could use to empirically test that hypothesis.