The Impact of Positive Psychology on the Well-being of Australians

This literature review examines the effect of positive psychology on the well-being of Australians, exploring the concept of positive psychology, factors influencing it, and the concept of well-being itself. It delves into factors affecting both positive psychology and well-being, including social connections, emotions, genetics, and marital status. The review highlights the impact of positive psychology on Australians, referencing research on education levels and environmental indicators. The paper discusses various aspects of well-being, such as physical and mental health, social connections, and the factors that influence them. It also explores the potential of positive psychology to enhance happiness and overall quality of life in Australia, offering a comprehensive overview of the subject.

Running head: EFFECT OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY ON WELL-BEING OF
AUSTRALIANS
Effect of Positive Psychology on Well-Being of Australians
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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EFFECT OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY ON WELL-BEING OF AUSTRALIANS
Introduction
Good health can be said to be crucial and it influences the everyday living of the
people. Health does not merely indicate the absence of any kind of disease but it helps in the
incorporation of the physical, mental along with the social well-being of an individual in the
society. It was found that in the year 2014-15, there were 4 out of the 5 Australians who rated
their health as being “excellent”. The life expectancy of the Australians at the time of birth
has increased in last century. It has been found that within the year 2015-16, the Australians
had spent $ 170 billion on the aspect of the health. The life expectancy of the Australians
have increased and the people in Australia are living longer and they have more years of the
full health. The positive psychology of the people can have a good effect on the well-being of
the Australians. This literature review focusses on the positive effects of the positive
psychology on the health of the people within Australia.
Concept of Positive Psychology
Positive psychology lays focus on the positive experiences of an individual at the
three time points: past, present and the future. The past talks about the well-being along with
the satisfaction of an individual. Present lays emphasis on the concept like the happiness
along with the flow experiences. Future on the other hand lays stress on the concept of the
optimism along with hope in the society. According to Raymond et al. (2018), positive
psychology can provide the scientific community along with the society with the new
perspective in relation to the existing ideas. Socrates along with Aristotle believed in the fact
that the people pursuing virtuous life can emerge to become happy individuals (Lopez,
Pedrotti & Snyder, 2018). The Epicurus and the Utilitarians believed in the fact that
happiness can be stated to be abundance of the positive feelings along with the pressures.
Positive psychology has conceptualized idea of the authentic happiness as being the

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amalgamation of the hedonic along with the eudaimonic well-being. Hedonic happiness helps
in encompassing high level of the positive affect along with the low level of the negative
affect that is in addition to that of the high subjective life satisfaction. The aspect of the
eudaimonic well-being lays stress on creation of the meaning along with the purpose in the
life of an individual. An individual in the society can get the “authentic happiness” in the
event of leading a life that is combination of pleasurable, engaged along with the meaningful
life (Love, Moore & Warburton, 2017). Pleasurable life helps in encompassing feelings of
the positive emotions that is an integral component in the success along with the well-being
of a person. The positive emotions helps in widening the thought process of a person and it
can help in the creation of a ‘protective reservoir’ that helps a person in drawing from the
distressing times (Compton & Hoffman, 2019). According to Steve (2016), engaged life of a
person lays focus on the aspect of the engagement along with the well-being of a person.
Positive psychology refers to the positive experiences that an individual feels in the society. It
refers to the positive traits along with the states of an individual in the society. Positive
psychology deals with the topics like the optimism, gratitude along with the life satisfaction
that can prove to be crucial for an individual in the society.
Factors affecting positive psychology of a person
There are various kinds of factors that have an effect on the positive psychology of an
individual. The social connections that an individual has an effect on the aspect of the
positive psychology of an individual in the society. It has been argued by Lambert, Passmore
& Holder (2015) that the social connections can help a person in finding the simple answers
to that of the complex problems that can give rise to positive psychology for a person. The
people in the society need the company of the other people that can help them in functioning
in their best. The human beings are the social creatures in the society and they have
emotional needs in relation to the relationships in the societies. They want to build the

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positive connection with the other people that can help in building positive psychology in the
people. The families along with the schools can help in the growth of individuals and it can
help in fostering positive psychology in the people. According to Martz and Livneh (2016),
Diener in the year 1984 brought out the tripartite model of the subjective well-being that talks
about the cognitive, affective along with the contextual factors that contributes to the well-
being of a person. The subjective well-being deals with the fact that the manner of thinking
and the feeling of a person is important. Carol Ryff has talked about the Six-factor Model of
Psychological Well-being that talks about the six factors in relation to the well-being of a
person: self-acceptance, aim in life, autonomy, environmental mastery along with the positive
relations that an individual has with the other people. According to Chen and Page (2016),
the positive emotions that can give rise to positive emotions for a person includes the
emotions like the excitement, satisfaction along with the pride that an individual feels. The
emotions can give rise to the positive outcome like the longer life along with the healthier
social relationships. It has been argued by Temple and Williams (2018), that an individual
involving himself in the activities that builds upon the interests can pave the path for the
positive psychology of a person. The relationships that an individual has in the society can
fuel the positive emotions for a person. The human beings receive and spread the positivity to
the other people with the help of building of the meaningful relationships (Bradshaw, 2016).
The relationships that an individual has in life can be strengthened in the event of reacting in
a positive manner to that of the other people within the framework of the society.
Concept of well-being
Well-being refers to the positive outcome that proves to be meaningful for the people
along with the other sectors within the society. It has been found that the good living
conditions proves to be fundamental for the well-being of a person in the society. Well-being
helps in the integration of the mental health along with the physical health that helps in

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bringing about holistic approach pertaining to the disease prevention along with the
promotion of health of a person. Well-being can be stated to be valid population outcome that
can help in measuring beyond that of morbidity, mortality along with the economic status of a
person. Well-being can be said to be an outcome that can prove to be meaningful for the
public. Well-being acts as a common metric that can help in shaping the policies in the
society. The well-being of a person can be said to be related to the health, job, family along
with the economically-related-benefits. It has been found that the higher level of the well-
being can be said to be associated with that of the decreased risk of the disease along with the
illness. The individuals having the higher level of the well-being can be more productive in
the workplace and it can also contribute to the communities. The well-being of a person can
help the people in realizing the aspirations and it helps in the satisfaction of needs of a
person. Health can help in enabling the social, economic along with the personal
development that can prove to be fundamental for the wellbeing of a person. The individual
resources that can give rise to good health of a person includes the physical activity, social
ties along with the healthful diet of a person. Well-being can be nurtured in the people with
the help of various kinds of skills like the positive thinking, mindfulness along with the
emotion regulation. Exercise along with the healthy diet can help in bringing out the physical
well-being of a person. The building of the social skills can help in building positive
relationship with the other people in the society. The workplace well-being can be facilitated
with the help of the maintenance of that of the work-life balance in the society.
Factors affecting well-being of individuals
There are various kinds of factors that have an effect on the wellbeing of a person.
Research has brought out the fact that there has been decrease in the level of happiness of the
women in the society. The women in the society have the tendency of calculating positive
self-esteem, closeness in relationships along with the religion. The men on the other hand

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have the tendency of calculating the positive self-esteem along with the mental control in the
society. The women in the society have the tendency of experiencing variance in relation to
their emotions but it is generally found that they are happier as compared to the men. The
happiness that an individual feels in the society can be stated to be on the basis of their
genetics. The families that a person has prove to be significant for the emotional lives of a
person. It can help in the determination of the base emotional responsiveness of an individual
to that of the world. The happiness can be meditated with the help of the dopaminergic along
with the adrenergic metabolism of the individuals in the society. The self-determining
activities of the adolescents helps in the aspect of the identity formation. The individuals in
the society choose the activities that can help in the determination of social environment of
the adolescents. The goal directed behaviours of an individual can be developed with the help
of goal-setting that can help the individuals in working towards that of the establishment of
the identity. The adolescents recognize the passions along with the abilities that helps them in
behaving in a manner that can prove to be useful in appeasing the true self. Studies have
brought out the fact that the married couples lead a happier life when compared to those
people who are single. Research has brought out the fact that neither the good education nor
the high level of the IQ can help in increasing the aspect of the happiness in the society. It has
been found that the people having IQ that is more than that of 120 cannot give rise to the
other happiness indicators like the success.
Effect of positive psychology on the well-being of the people in Australia
Research has brought out the fact that Australia has been performing well in relation
to the various dimensions as compared to other OECD countries. It has been found that the
Australian women are at that of greater disadvantage that has an effect on that of the well-
being of the people. The advantage of that of the young people can be said to be more
pronounced as compared to the peers in that of the other countries. It has been found that the

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EFFECT OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY ON WELL-BEING OF AUSTRALIANS
Australians having a secondary level of the education have lower well-being as compared to
those people having the tertiary education. Australia faces low or that of the medium level of
the deprivation and they perform well within the environmental quality indicators
(Aihw.gov.au., 2019). Growth pertaining to positive education in Australia has helped in
ensuring the well-being of the people within Australia. It has been found that a large number
of the students are from the middle to that of the upper class families having access to the
resources that has a great effect on the well-being of the Australians. The teachers in the
schools of Australia are trained so that they can work with that of the positive psychology
intervention that has a great effect on the well-being of the Australians. It has been found that
the Australians stay mentally active that helps in the maintenance of their cognitive
functioning. It was found that in the year 2016. There were more than that of 21, 000 people
who were aged 65 and had been enrolled within the full time or that of the part-time
education courses. It was found that around 13 % of the people who are more than that of 65
years of age are engaged in the various sectors of employment, education along with the
training (Sbs.com.au., 2019). The older Australians have the social engagement that
contributes to their well-being. The Australians have someone outside that of their household
who can take care of them that is instrumental in creating the aspect of wellbeing for the
Australians. There is social engagement with the help of the community groups along with
the societies that helps in strengthening the aspect of wellbeing of the Australians.
Conclusion
Good health can be said to be an important component that can have a bearing on
everyday life of the people. Health is not indicative of absence of disease but it is indicative
of wellbeing of the individuals in the society. Positive psychology can be instrumental in
providing scientific community with that of the new perspective pertaining to existing ideas.
A life of pleasure can produce the positive emotions that can help a person in achieving

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EFFECT OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY ON WELL-BEING OF AUSTRALIANS
success in the society. Positive emotions can widen that of thought process and it can offer
help to an individual in the face of the distressing times. A person having the engaged life can
contribute to that of the well-being of an individual. The Australians who are mentally active
perform well in the arena of the cognitive functioning. In Australia, there are more than
21,000 people of the age of 65 who are enrolled in the education course that proves to be an
important factor in relation to the well-being of the Australians.

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References
Aihw.gov.au. (2019). Older Australia at a glance, Mental & social wellbeing - Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare. Retrieved from
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/older-people/older-australia-at-a-glance/contents/
healthy-ageing/mental-and-social-wellbeing
Bradshaw, J. (Ed.). (2016). The Well-being of Children in the UK. Policy Press.
Chen, X., & Page, A. (2016). Stability and instability of subjective well-being in the
transition from adolescence to young adulthood: Longitudinal evidence from 20991
young Australians. PloS one, 11(5), e0156399.
Compton, W. C., & Hoffman, E. (2019). Positive psychology: The science of happiness and
flourishing. SAGE Publications.
Lambert, L., Passmore, H. A., & Holder, M. D. (2015). Foundational frameworks of positive
psychology: Mapping well-being orientations. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie
Canadienne, 56(3), 311.
Lopez, S. J., Pedrotti, J. T., & Snyder, C. R. (2018). Positive psychology: The scientific and
practical explorations of human strengths. Sage Publications.
Love, P., Moore, M., & Warburton, J. (2017). Nurturing spiritual well‐being among older
people in A ustralia: Drawing on Indigenous and non‐Indigenous way of
knowing. Australasian journal on ageing, 36(3), 179-185.
Martz, E., & Livneh, H. (2016). Psychosocial adaptation to disability within the context of
positive psychology: findings from the literature. Journal of Occupational
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EFFECT OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY ON WELL-BEING OF AUSTRALIANS
Raymond, I. J., Iasiello, M., Jarden, A., & Kelly, D. M. (2018). Resilient futures: An
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Steve, B. (2016). Positive psychology. Pearson Education India.
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