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Psychology Question

Post ID: 3542778

Psychology Question

Create a short newspaper or magazine reflecting on what you learned when completing a positive psychology activity, how it relates to optimal human functioning, and how you can apply it to a social issue.

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Introduction

While you can use positive psychology concepts to enhance your personal well-being, you can also use them to promote social change. For example, you could design a program to help former prisoners integrate back into society using the traits of perseverance and creativity. You could also help at-risk youth by creating a program that integrates bravery, persistence, and integrity into its curriculum.

In this assessment, you will reflect on what you learned when completing one of the positive psychology activities related to justice, temperance, or transcendence and apply that knowledge to a social issue.

Preparation

  • Step 1: Choose one of the activities you completed related to justice, temperance, or transcendence to focus on for this assessment.
  • Step 2: Choose a social issue to focus on. Here are some examples to get you thinking:
    • Wealth inequality.
    • Racism, sexism, ableism, or ageism.
    • Women's rights or LGBTQIA+ rights.
    • Poverty and/or homelessness.
    • Drug addiction.
    • Gun violence or domestic violence.
  • Step 3: Use the Capella University Library to find scholarly articles. If you aren't familiar with the library, the Bachelor's in Psychology Library Research Guide: Finding Articlespage is a great place to start your search. You are required to use a minimum of six sources: your textbook, the Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification ebook, and four peer-reviewed journal articles from the Capella library. You may use the resources from the Positive Psychology Peer-Reviewed Articles reading list for two of the four peer-reviewed journal articles, if they are applicable to your topic.

Instructions

Create a short newspaper or magazine. For each of the four areas below, write a short article. Then arrange the articles to create a newspaper or magazine. You can include graphic or visual elements if you desire. Note: Remember to pay attention to copyrights on any visuals used and to give proper credit to the source of your images.

In your Creating Newspapers and Magazines (https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Newspaper-on-Microsoft-Wordr) (https://www.canva.com/learn/how-to-recreate-a-magazine-layout-from-scratch/e) reading list, you can find resources to help you with the formatting in MS Word.

Article 1: The Social Issue

In approximately 250 words:

  • Introduce the concepts.
    • Describe the social issue and explain why this social issue is important.

Note: This article can be a sidebar or callout like publications use when highlighting background information on other topics covered.

Article 2: The Positive Psychology Concept

In 350–500 words:

  • Analyze the strengths and limitations of positive psychology.
    • Describe positive psychology.
    • Analyze the strengths of positive psychology.
    • Analyze the weaknesses of positive psychology.
    • Note: Include evidence from a source for support.
  • Explain how a positive psychology concept relates to the social issue.
    • Describe the positive psychology concept related to justice, temperance, or transcendence that you are focused on.
    • Explain how the positive psychology concept relates to the social issue.
    • Note: Include evidence from a source for support.
  • Write to inform the audience.

Article 3: The Positive Psychology-Based Strategy

In 250–350 words:

  • Explain the positive psychology-based strategy related to justice, temperance, or transcendence you've developed to facilitate social change.
    • Explain how this strategy will help to reduce discrimination.
  • Summarize the research, including future directions.
  • Write to persuade your audience.

Article 4: The Editorial

In 250–350 words:

  • Develop strategies to enhance resilience and maintain skills in response to rapid social change and related changes in the job market.
    • Explain how you can use these strategies in the workplace.
    • Explain how you can use what you learned about yourself regarding justice, temperance, or transcendence to enhance your resilience in response to rapid social change.
    • Explain how you can use what you learned about yourself regarding justice, temperance, or transcendence to maintain your skills related to changes in the job market.
  • Write in an editorial style.

Additional Requirements

Your assessment should also meet the following requirements:

  • Written communication: Written communication is in professional style with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.
  • Resources: Use a minimum of six sources: your textbook, the Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification ebook, and four peer-reviewed journal articles from the Capella library. You may use the Positive Psychology Peer-Reviewed Articles reading list for two of the four peer-reviewed journal articles, if they are applicable.
  • APA formatting: Attributes information to a source—either APA style or using footnotes. You will also be expected to provide complete references. See the Evidence and APA section of the Writing Center for guidance.
  • Length: 2–4 typed, single-spaced pages.
  • Font and font size: 10–12 point font.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

  • Competency 1: Analyze the strengths and limitations of positive psychology.
    • Introduce the concepts.
    • Analyze the strengths and limitations of positive psychology.
  • Competency 2: Apply psychology information literacy.
    • Summarize the research from peer-reviewed journal articles.
  • Competency 3: Develop positive psychology-based strategies to facilitate social changes, which diminish discriminatory practices.
    • Explain how a positive psychology concept relates to the social issue.
    • Explain the positive psychology-based strategy related to justice, temperance, or transcendence you’ve developed to facilitate social change.
  • Competency 4: Develop strategies to enhance resilience and skills in response to rapid changes in society and the job market.
    • Develop strategies to enhance resilience and maintain skills in response to rapid social change and related changes in the job market.
  • Competency 6: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
    • Attribute information to sources, including reference or footnotes.
    • Address assessment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.
    Use the resources linked below to help complete this assessment.Collapse All

    Positive Psychology Activities

  • Positive Psychology Activities.
    • Complete one of the justice, temperance, or transcendence activities in this media piece. You are encouraged to record your personal reflections (thoughts) and insights (things learned or relearned). These notes will help you complete the assessment.
      • Possible activities in Section 5 (justice).
        • 5.1 Loyola Generativity Scale.
        • 5.2 Leadership Self-Assessment.
      • Possible activities in Section 6 (temperance).
        • 6.1 Heartland Forgiveness Scale.
        • 6.2 Conflict Resolution.
        • 6.3 Relational Humility Scale.
      • Possible activities in Section 7 (transcendence).
        • 7.1 Adult Hope Scale.
        • 7.2 How Do You Use Humor?
        • 7.3 Expressing Gratitude.
        • 7.4 Gratitude Survey.

Focus on Strengths: Justice

The character strength related to the virtue of justice is also referred to as citizenship. Strengths of justice apply in a broader sense than the strengths of humanity. Humanity's strengths are interpersonal, between individuals, whereas strengths of justice are broader and among many individuals or a community. Read the following:

  • Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification.
    • Pages 357–368 further explain the components of justice—teamwork, fairness, and leadership—and how they affect individual and group interaction.

Focus on Strengths: Temperance

The positive traits and character strengths of temperance are those that protect us from excess or overdoing it. Forgiveness and mercy protect us from hatred; humility protects us from arrogance; prudence (being careful or cautious) protects us from immediate pleasures with long-term costs; and self-regulation protects us from emotional extremes (Peterson & Seligman, 2004). Review the below readings to learn more about this strength.

  • Pedrotti, J. T., Lopez, S. J., McDermott, R. C., & Snyder, C. R. (2025). Positive psychology: The scientific and practical explorations of human strengths (5th ed.). Sage.
    • Chapter 11, “Empathy and Egotism.”
      • This chapter explores elements of temperance, in particular, forgiveness and humility.
  • Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification.
    • Pages 431–444 further explain the components of temperance: forgiveness, humility, prudence, and self-regulation.

Reference

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. Oxford University Press.

Focus on Strengths: Transcendence

Transcendent (nonmaterial) aspects of life go beyond the individual and beyond social relationships to embrace a part of the universe. Appreciation of beauty connects us to excellence; gratitude connects us to goodness; hope (optimism) connects us to a dreamed-of future; humor and playfulness connect us to troubles or contradictions in a way that produces pleasure; and spirituality (faith) links us to moral values and the pursuit of goodness (Peterson & Seligman, 2004). Review the below readings to explore elements of transcendence.

  • Pedrotti, J. T., Lopez, S. J., McDermott, R. C., & Snyder, C. R. (2025). Positive psychology: The scientific and practical explorations of human strengths (5th ed.). Sage.
    • Chapter 8, “Seeing Our Futures Through Self-Efficacy, Optimism, and Hope.”
    • Chapter 10, "Mindfulness, Flow, and Spirituality."
  • Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification.
    • Pages 519–535 of the ebook provide an overview of the character strengths under the virtue of transcendence: appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humor, and spirituality.

Reference

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. Oxford University Press.

Positive Psychology Peer-Reviewed Articles

  • Positive Psychology Peer-Reviewed Articles reading list.
    • Please read the following peer-reviewed journal articles to learn about topics like gratitude, active caring, and positive communities.
      • "Gratitude Reduces the Adverse Impact of Salient Male Privilege on Men's Well-Being."
      • "The Actively Caring for People Movement: A Synergistic Integration of Behaviorism, Humanism, and Positive Psychology."
      • "Fostering Positive Communities: A Scoping Review of Community-Level Positive Psychology Interventions."
      • "Psychological Effects of Repeated Exposure to Elevating Entertainment: An Experiment Over the Period of 6 Weeks."

Library Research Guide

You will need to find other resources to prepare for this assessment, and you will need to ensure that they are appropriate, credible, and valid. The PSYC-FPX4110 – Positive Psychology Library Guide can help direct your research.