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PS4555: POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK (2022-2023)

Last modified: 31 Jul 2023 11:19


Course Overview

Positive psychology is “the scientific study of what goes right in life” and “what makes life most worth living” (Peterson, 2006). Focusing on what is right with people is increasing being successfully applied to the world of work thus creating work settings which provide the greatest satisfaction amongst workers and where people, teams and organisations flourish and thrive. This course considers how the application of positive psychology theory and models can help overcome organisational challenges such as change management, motivation and effective leadership.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 4
Session Second Sub Session Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Ms Linda O'donnell
  • Dr Jason Bohan

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Psychology (PS)
  • Programme Level 4
  • Any Undergraduate Programme

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

  • PS4055 Positive Psychology at Work (Passed)

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

In exploring current challenges which impact on workplace performance and productivity, students will consider how insights from positive psychology to understand and evaluation these challenges for organisations.

The main tenets of positive psychology theory include:

  • How positive psychology focuses on the individual being fulfilled, the community thriving and creating work settings which provides the greatest satisfaction amongst workers.
  • Focus on strengths and aligning these with our career choices and goals.
  • Having valued subjective experiences: wellbeing, contentment, satisfaction (in the past), hope, optimism (for the future) and flow and happiness (in the present).
  • Moves away from the disease model: i.e. focuses on what is right rather than what is wrong.

We will consider how the PERMA model can help increase resilience by increasing positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning and accomplishment.

We will analyse the strengths-based approach and consider its advantages and disadvantages. We will reflect on the value of allocating work-based tasks on the basis of strengths and what impact this has on performance and productivity.

We will consider how developing psychological capital can help us to respond to challenges and develop problem-solving skills and the role that developing and sustaining high quality connections in the workplace can play in collaboration and problem-solving, for instance. We will analyse the positive psychology approaches to leadership and explore their effectiveness in informing and overcoming key workplace challenges such as organisational change.

We will also explore emotional intelligence and how it helps individuals and leaders to understand their own emotions and those of others. It will also explore how to develop emotional intelligence and the role it has in developing leaders.

The course will also explore the use of the appreciative inquiry approach which advocates asking questions and being able to envision the future in order to foster positive workplace relationships. We will reflect on learned helplessness (Seligman and Maier, 1967) whereby individuals engage in a behaviour pattern involving a maladaptive response characterised by the avoidance of challenges, negative affect and the collapse of problem-solving strategies when obstacles arise and the impact this has in the workplace performance.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 31 August 2023 for 1st half-session courses and 22 December 2023 for 2nd half-session courses.

Summative Assessments

Discussion Boards

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 10
Assessment Weeks 2,4,6,8,10 Feedback Weeks 3,5,7,9,11

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Feedback will be delivered online on all summative assessments.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualAnalyseTo be able to analyse the effective application of positive psychology models to overcome organisational challenges.
FactualApplyTo understand and apply the main tenets of positive psychology.
FactualApplyTo describe and apply positive psychology models to solving organisational challenges.
FactualApplyTo understand the psychology of emotional intelligence and how it can be applied to develop organisational leaders.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the work-related traits and characteristics associated with positive psychology.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the benefits of applying positive psychology to the workplace to overcome common organisational challenges.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the role of strengths, virtues and appreciative inquiry.
FactualUnderstandTo understand key psychological challenges organisations face.

Presentation

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks 9 Feedback Weeks 12

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Feedback will be delivered online on all summative assessments.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualAnalyseTo be able to analyse the effective application of positive psychology models to overcome organisational challenges.
FactualApplyTo understand and apply the main tenets of positive psychology.
FactualApplyTo describe and apply positive psychology models to solving organisational challenges.
FactualApplyTo understand the psychology of emotional intelligence and how it can be applied to develop organisational leaders.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the work-related traits and characteristics associated with positive psychology.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the benefits of applying positive psychology to the workplace to overcome common organisational challenges.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the role of strengths, virtues and appreciative inquiry.
FactualUnderstandTo understand key psychological challenges organisations face.

Multiple Choice Questions

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Feedback will be delivered immediately online on all summative assessments.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualAnalyseTo be able to analyse the effective application of positive psychology models to overcome organisational challenges.
FactualApplyTo understand and apply the main tenets of positive psychology.
FactualApplyTo describe and apply positive psychology models to solving organisational challenges.
FactualApplyTo understand the psychology of emotional intelligence and how it can be applied to develop organisational leaders.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the work-related traits and characteristics associated with positive psychology.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the benefits of applying positive psychology to the workplace to overcome common organisational challenges.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the role of strengths, virtues and appreciative inquiry.
FactualUnderstandTo understand key psychological challenges organisations face.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Resubmission of Failed Element(s)

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 100
Assessment Weeks 48 Feedback Weeks 51

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Similar to first attempt, with existing pass mark carried forward so that resit is only needed for failed element(s).

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualApplyTo understand and apply the main tenets of positive psychology.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the benefits of applying positive psychology to the workplace to overcome common organisational challenges.
FactualApplyTo describe and apply positive psychology models to solving organisational challenges.
FactualUnderstandTo understand key psychological challenges organisations face.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the work-related traits and characteristics associated with positive psychology.
FactualAnalyseTo be able to analyse the effective application of positive psychology models to overcome organisational challenges.
FactualUnderstandTo understand the role of strengths, virtues and appreciative inquiry.
FactualApplyTo understand the psychology of emotional intelligence and how it can be applied to develop organisational leaders.
FactualApplyTo understand and apply the main tenets of positive psychology.

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