3 ARTICLES APPLYING POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY TO BUSINESS
DESCRIPTION
These articles are being presented this week that have a common theme: the application of Seligman’s Positive Psychology to business practices. The three articles provide examples in businesses where Positive Psychology applications have increased morale, loyalty (both customer and employee), retention of employees, greater coping skills along with better stress management and lessen sick days. “Their argument is simple. A decade of research suggests that happiness at work—defined as pleasure, engagement, and a sense of meaning—can improve revenue, profitability, staff retention, customer loyalty, and workplace safety.” (Coplan, 2009) These appeared previously but are being presented again as requested.
The best approach for teaching would be to have the students read about Positive Psychology in the textbook followed by a brief lecture about Seligman’s work which could include Maslow’s Humanistic perspective in Psychology. Following the brief lecture, the class could then be divided into small groups to discuss the concept as applied in the articles.
ALSO NOTE: The Website of the Week (April 15, 2019) and the Podcast of the Week (April 15, 2019) include Seligman’s website and an interview.
ARTICLE #1
TITLE
How Positive Psychology Can Boost Your Business
SOURCE
BloombergBusinessWeek, February 13, 2009, by Jill Hamburg Coplan
LINK TO RESOURCE
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2009-02-12/how-positive-psychology-can-boost-your-business
(Tiny URL) https://tinyurl.com/lc85nbv
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ARTICLE #2
TITLE
Ted Talk: Martin Seligman
DESCRIPTION
From the TED Site:
Students will really like this Ted Talk by Martin Seligman.
“Martin Seligman talks about psychology — as a field of study and as it works one-on-one with each patient and each practitioner. As it moves beyond a focus on disease, what can modern psychology help us to become?” (This is a 24 minute video of the Ted Talk)
SOURCE
TED TALKS
LINK TO RESOURCE
(Click on the video to watch the Ted Talk)
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ARTICLE #3
TITLE
5 Quick Ways You Can Bring Positive Psychology To Your Workplace
Forbes, August 8, 2012 by Alexa Thompson
LINK TO RESOURCE
(Tiny URL) https://tinyurl.com/n28kgzo
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CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
•What is Positive Psychology? What are it’s strengths? Weaknesses?
•Where does Positive Psychology have it’s place among the major perspectives in Psychology?
•According to the articles, what are the specifics of the application of Positive Psychology?
•For the students: can they develop a protocol to apply Positive Psychology to their own lives as students in studying, classwork, relationships, and their own work lives?
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