Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Foundations of Well-Being
Foundations of Well-Being
Knowledge check
Q1. Which term refers to the scientific study of what makes life go well, including positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment?
- A. Behavioral economics
- B. Positive psychology ✓
- C. Cognitive neuroscience
- D. Clinical psychiatry
Why: Positive psychology is the field devoted to studying human strengths and the conditions that allow individuals and communities to thrive, rather than focusing only on illness or dysfunction.
Q2. Martin Seligman's PERMA model identifies five elements that contribute to well-being. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
- A. Positive emotion
- B. Engagement
- C. Wealth ✓
- D. Relationships
Why: PERMA stands for Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. Wealth is not included, reflecting the research finding that well-being depends on more than material resources.
Q3. What is 'hedonic well-being' most closely associated with?
- A. Living according to a higher purpose
- B. Experiencing pleasure and minimizing pain ✓
- C. Contributing to the welfare of others
- D. Developing personal virtues over time
Why: Hedonic well-being focuses on the presence of pleasant feelings and the absence of unpleasant ones. It is contrasted with eudaimonic well-being, which emphasizes meaning, purpose, and self-realization.
Q4. Which philosophical concept, associated with Aristotle, is commonly linked to eudaimonic well-being?
- A. Hedonism
- B. Nihilism
- C. Eudaimonia ✓
- D. Stoic apathy
Why: Eudaimonia, often translated as 'flourishing' or 'human thriving,' describes living well in accordance with one's virtues and potential. Modern eudaimonic research draws directly on this idea.
Q5. According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which factor was the strongest predictor of long-term health and happiness?
- A. Annual income
- B. Academic test scores
- C. Quality of close relationships ✓
- D. Number of professional awards
Why: The ongoing Harvard Study of Adult Development has consistently found that warm, supportive relationships are among the strongest predictors of health and life satisfaction, more so than wealth or achievement.
Module 2
Module 2: The Science of Positive Emotion
The Science of Positive Emotion
Knowledge check
Q1. According to Barbara Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory, what is the primary function of positive emotions?
- A. To narrow attention so people can respond quickly to threats
- B. To broaden thought-action repertoires and build lasting personal resources
- C. To signal social status within a group hierarchy
- D. To reduce physiological arousal after stressful events
Q2. Which of the following is considered one of the ten positive emotions identified by Fredrickson?
- A. Anger
- B. Contentment
- C. Boredom
- D. Guilt
Q3. What is the approximate ratio of positive to negative emotions associated with flourishing in Fredrickson's research?
- A. 1:1
- B. 3:1
- C. 5:1 or higher
- D. 10:1
Q4. Which emotion is most closely associated with the urge to play, explore, and be creative?
- A. Joy
- B. Fear
- C. Sadness
- D. Disgust
Q5. Why is gratitude considered valuable for well-being in positive psychology research?
- A. It eliminates all negative emotions permanently
- B. It shifts attention toward what is good and strengthens social bonds
- C. It causes people to avoid difficult situations
- D. It increases competitiveness with others
Module 3
Module 3: Meaning, Purpose, and Growth
Meaning, Purpose, and Growth
Knowledge check
Q1. In positive psychology, which concept refers to a sense that your life has direction and that your daily activities contribute to something you consider worthwhile?
- A. Hedonic adaptation
- B. Purpose ✓
- C. Social comparison
- D. Cognitive dissonance
Why: Purpose is the sense of having goals and direction that give life meaning. Research by William Damon and others defines it as a stable intention to accomplish something that is both meaningful to the self and contributes beyond the self.
Q2. Which of the following best describes the difference between meaning and happiness, as explored in flourishing research?
- A. Meaning and happiness are identical constructs measured the same way
- B. Happiness is about feeling good in the moment, while meaning involves connecting to something larger than oneself and making sense of life ✓
- C. Meaning is only found in religious practice, while happiness is found in work
- D. Happiness is always higher than meaning in people who flourish
Why: Roy Baumeister and Laura King and other researchers distinguish the two: happiness tends to focus on present positive feelings and satisfaction of needs, whereas meaning involves coherence, purpose, and connection to a broader context, and can even coexist with suffering.
Q3. According to research on meaning in life, which practice is most consistently associated with a greater sense of purpose?
- A. Avoiding all challenges to protect emotional wellbeing
- B. Engaging in prosocial activities such as helping others and contributing to community ✓
- C. Maximizing leisure time and minimizing responsibilities
- D. Comparing oneself frequently to peers
Why: Studies show that giving to others, mentoring, and contributing to causes beyond oneself are strongly linked to perceived purpose and meaning, because they connect individuals to goals that extend past their immediate self-interest.
Q4. What is 'post-traumatic growth,' a concept studied in the science of flourishing?
- A. Physical recovery after surgery with no psychological change
- B. Positive psychological change that some people experience after struggling with highly challenging life circumstances ✓
- C. A permanent decline in wellbeing following a major loss
- D. The tendency to forget negative events over time
Why: Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun coined the term to describe growth in areas such as relationships, appreciation of life, personal strength, new possibilities, and spiritual change that can emerge from adversity, though not everyone experiences it.
Q5. Which statement best reflects the research-based view of personal growth?
- A. Growth happens automatically with age and requires no effort
- B. Growth occurs only in childhood and stops in adulthood
- C. Growth is supported by pursuing challenges, reflecting on experiences, and developing skills and values over time ✓
- D. Growth is determined entirely by genetics and cannot be influenced
Why: Flourishing research emphasizes that growth is an ongoing, effort-dependent process. Engaging with challenges, reflecting on experiences, and intentionally developing strengths and values contribute to continued development across the lifespan.
Module 4
Module 4: Relationships as a Source of Thriving
Relationships as a Source of Thriving
Knowledge check
Q1. According to research on flourishing, which factor is most consistently linked to long-term well-being and life satisfaction?
- A. Having a high income
- B. Having warm, supportive relationships with others ✓
- C. Holding a prestigious job title
- D. Living in a large city
Why: Long-term studies such as the Harvard Study of Adult Development have found that the quality of close relationships is one of the strongest predictors of health, happiness, and longevity, more so than wealth or status.
Q2. What term do psychologists use for the feeling of being valued, cared for, and connected to others?
- A. Social belonging ✓
- B. Self-efficacy
- C. Cognitive dissonance
- D. Locus of control
Why: Social belonging refers to the sense of being accepted and connected within a group or relationship. It is a core human need and a key contributor to thriving, while self-efficacy and locus of control concern beliefs about one's own abilities and control over outcomes.
Q3. Which of the following is an example of 'active constructive responding,' a behavior linked to stronger relationships?
- A. Ignoring a partner's good news while checking your phone
- B. Pointing out the risks of a partner's achievement
- C. Enthusiastically asking follow-up questions when a friend shares a success ✓
- D. Changing the subject when someone shares a problem
Why: Shelly Gable's research shows that responding actively and constructively to a partner's good news, such as showing genuine interest and enthusiasm, strengthens relationships and increases positive emotion. The other options are passive or destructive responses.
Q4. What does research on social support suggest about the timing and type of support that is most helpful?
- A. Support is only helpful when given immediately after a crisis
- B. Support works best when it matches what the person needs, whether emotional, practical, or informational ✓
- C. Only financial support significantly reduces stress
- D. Support is most effective when the helper offers unsolicited advice
Why: Effective social support is responsive to the recipient's needs. Emotional, practical, and informational support each help in different situations, and mismatched support, such as unsolicited advice when someone needs empathy, can be less helpful or even unwelcome.
Q5. Which practice is research-supported for strengthening relationships and increasing a sense of connection?
- A. Keeping a strict separation between work and personal life at all times
- B. Expressing gratitude and appreciation to the people in your life ✓
- C. Avoiding conflict entirely to keep the peace
- D. Limiting contact to only family members
Why: Studies on gratitude, such as those by Emmons and McCullough, show that expressing appreciation to others increases relationship satisfaction, feelings of connection, and prosocial behavior, benefiting both the giver and the receiver.
Module 5
Module 5: Resilience and Coping with Adversity
Resilience and Coping with Adversity
Knowledge check
Q1. Which term refers to the capacity to adapt well and bounce back after experiencing significant stress or adversity?
- A. Resilience ✓
- B. Apathy
- C. Complacency
- D. Dependence
Why: Resilience is the capacity to adapt positively and recover after stress, trauma, or adversity. It is a central concept in the science of flourishing because it helps people maintain well-being when life becomes difficult.
Q2. Research on resilience suggests that most people who experience a traumatic event:
- A. Develop lasting severe psychological disorders
- B. Become permanently unable to function normally
- C. Show resilience and recover relatively well over time
- D. Avoid all emotional distress entirely
Q3. Which coping strategy is generally considered most helpful for managing adversity?
- A. Avoiding all thoughts about the problem
- B. Using a mix of problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies
- C. Relying exclusively on substances to numb feelings
- D. Isolating oneself completely from others
Q4. Which of the following is a key factor that research links to resilience?
- A. Strong social support and close relationships
- B. Complete independence from others
- C. Avoiding any challenges in life
- D. Suppressing all emotions at all times
Q5. Reappraising a stressful situation by finding a more constructive or meaningful interpretation of it is an example of which strategy?
- A. Cognitive reappraisal
- B. Denial
- C. Rumination
- D. Withdrawal
Module 6
Module 6: Habits, Attention, and Daily Practice
Habits, Attention, and Daily Practice
Knowledge check
Q1. According to research on habit formation, which factor most strongly predicts whether a new behavior becomes automatic over time?
- A. The intensity of motivation felt on the first day
- B. Consistent repetition in a stable context
- C. Reading extensively about the behavior beforehand
- D. Setting the most ambitious goal possible from the start
Q2. What does the term 'attention restoration' most commonly refer to in the science of flourishing?
- A. Recovering from a period of intense multitasking through rest in natural settings
- B. Memorizing long lists of information in a short time
- C. Increasing the speed at which tasks are completed
- D. Focusing only on negative events to improve awareness
Q3. Which daily practice has been studied as a way to shift attention toward positive aspects of life?
- A. Gratitude journaling
- B. Skipping meals to increase alertness
- C. Avoiding all social contact for a week
- D. Rereading past mistakes each evening
Q4. Why do implementation intentions (if-then plans) help people act on their habits?
- A. They eliminate the need for any conscious effort ever again
- B. They link a specific cue to a specific action, reducing reliance on in-the-moment decisions
- C. They guarantee motivation stays high indefinitely
- D. They replace the need for sleep and rest
Q5. What is a common finding about the effect of small, daily practices compared with occasional large efforts on well-being?
- A. Occasional large efforts consistently produce greater long-term benefits
- B. Small daily practices often produce more reliable well-being gains because they are sustained
- C. Neither type of practice has any measurable effect
- D. Only practices performed in a clinical setting have benefits
Module 7
Module 7: Building Flourishing Communities
Building Flourishing Communities
Knowledge check
Q1. According to research on flourishing, which factor is most consistently linked to people's long-term well-being?
- A. High annual income
- B. Strong, supportive social relationships ✓
- C. Living in a large city
- D. Frequent exposure to news and information
Why: Longitudinal studies such as the Harvard Study of Adult Development have found that the quality of close relationships is one of the strongest predictors of health and life satisfaction, more so than income or status.
Q2. What is the term for a sense of belonging and mutual support that develops when people share common spaces and regular interactions?
- A. Social loafing
- B. Social capital ✓
- C. Groupthink
- D. Social desirability
Why: Social capital refers to the networks of relationships, norms of reciprocity, and trust that enable people in a community to cooperate and support one another. It is a central concept in building flourishing communities.
Q3. Which practice is associated with stronger community bonds according to research on neighborhoods?
- A. Keeping to oneself to avoid conflict
- B. Regular informal interactions, such as chatting with neighbors ✓
- C. Relying exclusively on online communities
- D. Minimizing shared public spaces
Why: Studies of neighborhoods show that frequent casual contact, like brief conversations with neighbors, builds familiarity and trust, which in turn strengthens community cohesion and wellbeing.
Q4. What does research suggest about the role of shared purpose in community flourishing?
- A. Shared goals tend to weaken group cohesion over time
- B. Shared goals, such as collective projects, can foster connection and a sense of meaning ✓
- C. Purpose matters only for individuals, not groups
- D. Communities with no common goals flourish most
Why: Working together toward common goals, like a community garden or local initiative, builds cooperation, identity, and meaning, all of which contribute to collective flourishing.
Q5. Which of the following best describes the concept of 'collective efficacy' in community research?
- A. Individuals working alone to maximize productivity
- B. A community's shared belief in its ability to act together to achieve common goals ✓
- C. The efficiency of government services in a city
- D. The number of community members who hold formal leadership roles
Why: Collective efficacy, studied notably by Robert Sampson, is the shared willingness and capacity of residents to intervene for the common good. It is linked to lower crime and higher community wellbeing.