PSY409 Final Term Questions Answers by Anmol Mehar

Psy409 Positive Psychology Questions Answers

Q1. Scenario related to attachment style

Scenario: A child avoids expressing needs to parents and prefers playing alone. Attachment style: Avoidant attachment – characterized by emotional distance and selfreliance. Impact: May develop difficulty in trusting others and forming close relationships in adulthood. Counseling implication: Therapist encourages safe emotional expression, builds trust, and promotes secure attachment behaviors.

Q2. Benefits of spirituality

1. Emotional well-being: Reduces anxiety, depression, and stress.
2. Resilience: Helps cope with adversity and chronic illness.
3. Life satisfaction: Provides purpose, meaning, and hope.
4. Health benefits: Associated with better immune function and lower blood pressure.
5. Social connection: Strengthens community and social support.

Q3. How altruism is influenced by gratitude

Mechanism: Gratitude increases awareness of others’ contributions and fosters a desire to reciprocate.

Examples:

1. Someone thanks a colleague for help → motivated to help others in return.
2. A student feels grateful to a teacher → volunteers to mentor juniors.

Impact: Enhances social bonds, well-being, and prosocial behaviors.

Q4. How a counselor can help married couples – Gottman’s work

Gottman’s approach: Focuses on strengthening friendship, managing conflict, and building shared meaning.

Counseling steps:

1. Enhance love maps: Couples understand each other’s world and preferences.
2. Turn toward each other: Encourage positive interactions and support.
3. Manage conflict: Teach healthy problem-solving and compromise.
4. Build shared meaning: Develop joint goals, rituals, and values.

Outcome: Reduces negative cycles, increases intimacy, and promotes marital satisfaction.

Q5. Describe three orientation cases of distress – with examples

1. Individual distress: Anxiety, depression, or stress due to personal issues. o Example: A student feels overwhelmed by exams; therapy teaches coping strategies.
2. Relational distress: Problems arising from conflicts with family, friends, or partners. o Example: Couple fights frequently over finances; counseling focuses on communication skills.
3. Community/social distress: Stress due to societal factors like discrimination, poverty, or natural disasters. o Example: Flood-affected families receive support groups to manage trauma.

Q6. Describe primary enhancement

Definition: Interventions aimed at enhancing strengths, well-being, and optimal functioning rather than treating pathology.

Examples:

1. Teaching resilience and coping strategies.
2. Encouraging mindfulness and gratitude practices.
3. Strength-based counseling to build character and talents.

Q7. Three pathways of spirituality – with examples

1. Religious pathway: Participation in organized religion, rituals, and prayer. o Example: Attending church or mosque services regularly.
2. Existential pathway: Seeking meaning, purpose, and connection beyond self. o Example: Volunteering to help marginalized communities.
3. Personal/spiritual pathway: Individual practices like meditation, mindfulness, or reflection. o Example: Daily meditation to foster inner peace and personal growth.

Q8. Enlist positive and negative emotions and describe Positive and Negative Emotion Schedule (PANAS)

Positive Emotions: Joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, love. Negative Emotions: Fear, sadness, anger, guilt, shame, disgust, nervousness, hostility, irritability.

Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS):

Definition: A psychological tool to measure positive and negative emotions separately. Structure: Contains two scales – Positive Affect (PA) and Negative Affect (NA), each with 10 items. Purpose: Measures frequency and intensity of experienced emotions over a given period. Use: Helps researchers assess emotional states, mood changes, and well-being

Q9. Definition of concept, teaching, and calling

1. Concept: A mental representation of a category or idea that helps organize knowledge. o Example: Concept of “happiness” includes joy, contentment, and life satisfaction.
2. Teaching: The process of facilitating learning, transferring knowledge, skills, or values to others.
3. Calling: A deep sense of purpose or vocation, often linked to meaningful work or service that aligns with one’s values.

Q10. According to Balance and Berlin theory – characteristics of wise people

Wise people exhibit:

1. Open-mindedness: Ability to consider multiple perspectives.
2. Emotional regulation: Managing emotions in challenging situations.
3. Reflective thinking: Analyzing and learning from experiences.
4. Empathy and compassion: Understanding and caring for others.
5. Practical knowledge: Applying knowledge to solve real-life problems effectively.

Q11. Define Front Four Theory

Front Four Theory: Focuses on four key traits contributing to positive functioning and well-being:

1. Conscientiousness – Being organized, responsible, and disciplined.
2. Agreeableness – Cooperativeness, kindness, and social harmony.
3. Emotional stability – Resilience and ability to handle stress.
4. Openness to experience – Curiosity, creativity, and willingness to learn.

Q12. Define a research regarding anxiety and religiosity in Pakistan in your own words

Summary: Research in Pakistan explored how religiosity influences anxiety levels among individuals.

Findings (in own words):

1. People with higher religiosity reported lower anxiety, suggesting that faith provides coping mechanisms.
2. Spiritual practices like prayer and meditation improved emotional regulation.
3. Social support from religious communities also contributed to reduced stress.

Q13. What did Blates find after analyzing cultural, historical, and psychological writings?

Blates’ findings:

1. Wisdom, virtue, and positive traits are universally valued across cultures.
2. Cultural and historical contexts shape expression of emotions and strengths.
3. Psychological literature supports that character strengths promote well-being and societal cohesion.