Understanding Human Psychology: Perception to Positive Living

Sensation and Perception

Sensation: Receiving stimuli.

Perception: Understanding stimuli.

Selective attention: Focusing on a specific aspect of experience.

Selective perception: Recalling only circumstances that confirm our beliefs.

Cognitive Frameworks

Paradigms (Frames): Theoretical frameworks.

Paradigm shift: Change in the overriding theoretical framework.

Neuroplasticity: Brain's capacity to change based on experience.

Functional fixedness: Getting locked into one way of thinking.

Determinism vs. Free Will

Determinism: Belief in being governed by external forces (biological, Freudian, behavioral).

Free will: Belief in being a result of choices made.

• Internal locus of control: Taking responsibility.
• External locus of control: Blaming others.

Self-Talk and Beliefs

Self-talk: What you think of yourself.

• Catastrophizing self-talk: Magnifying and exaggerating.
• Living by fixed rules: Using "should," "ought," "must," and "can't."

Self-efficacy: Belief in your capability to produce a desired effect.

Optimism and Happiness

Optimism: Expecting the best possible outcome (external, variable, specific).

Happiness: V + S + C (Volition + Savoring + Contribution).

Broaden and build theory (Fredrickson): Positive emotions enable engagement.

• Duchenne smile: Genuine smile with eye crinkles.
• Eudaimonia: Being true to your inner self.
• Flow: Losing track of time in an activity.
• Hedonic treadmill: Pursuing things for happiness without lasting effect.

Mindfulness and Emotions

Mindfulness: Savoring moments.

Positive emotion: Understanding happiness.

Savoring: Awareness of pleasure (basking, thanksgiving, marveling, luxuriating).

Undoing: Counteracting negative emotions.

Self-Esteem

Self-esteem: Valuing and judging yourself.

Pathological critic: Negative inner voice.

• Inferiority complex: Chronically low self-esteem.
• Superiority complex: High self-esteem.

Parenting Styles

Authoritarian: Restrictive and punitive.

Authoritative: Warm, nurturing, with limits.

Permissive indifferent: Uninvolved.

Permissive indulgent: Failing to set limits.

Unconditional positive regard: Accepting a child regardless of behavior.

Conditional positive regard: Judging a child's value.

Stress and Wellness

Stress: Anything requiring an adaptive response.

• Eustress: Positive stress.
• Distress: Negative stress.

Fight or flight: Response to physical dangers.

Yerkes-Dodson Law: Moderate stress optimizes performance.

Homeostasis: Balance.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): Alarm, resistance, exhaustion.

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI): Study of stress, immune system, and health.

Wellness: Integration of mind, body, spirit.

Techniques and Concepts

Witnessing stance: Observing your life.

The 3 C's: Control, commitment, challenge.

Wishtorming: Wishing and brainstorming.

Tyranny of the shoulds: Undermining self-esteem with irrational thoughts.

Visualization: Picturing desired outcomes.

Unconscious mind: Unaware part of the mind.

PERMA: Positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment.

Transpersonal psychology: Psychology and spirituality overlap.

Observer imagery: Picturing what you want to do.

Defensive pessimism: Planning for negative outcomes.

Core Virtues

Wisdom, courage, love, justice, temperance, spirituality.