A Tuesday in the life of a flourisher: The role of positive emotional reactivity in optimal mental health.

Abstract

Flourishing—a state of optimal mental health—has been linked to a host of benefits for the individual and society, including fewer workdays lost and the lowest incidence of chronic physical conditions. The aim of this paper was to investigate whether and how routine activities promote flourishing. The authors proposed that flourishers thrive because they capitalize on the processes featured in the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, specifically by experiencing greater positive emotional reactivity to pleasant events and building more resources over time. To test these hypotheses, the Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) was administered to a prescreened community sample of adults (n = 208) and they were recontacted 2–3 months later. Results showed that relative to those who did not flourish or were depressed, people who flourish generally responded with bigger “boosts” in positive emotions in response to everyday, pleasant events (helping, interacting, playing, learning, spiritual activity) and this greater positive emotional reactivity, over time, predicted higher levels of two facets of the cognitive resource of mindfulness. In turn, these higher levels of mindfulness were positively associated with higher levels of flourishing at the end of study, controlling for initial levels of flourishing. These results suggest that the promotion of well-being may be fueled by small, yet consequential differences in individuals’ emotional experience of pleasant everyday events. Additionally, these results underscore the utility of the broaden-and-build theory in understanding the processes by which flourishing is promoted, and provide support for a positive potentiation perspective.

Flourishing, languishing and moderate mental health: Prevalence and change in mental health during recovery from drug and alcohol problems

“…The contrast between their baseline levels of well-being and subsequent perceptions may lead more individuals to move out of the languishing range. This contrast effect would likely be further enhanced by the positive emotional reactivity found among individuals who are flourishing (Catalino & Fredrickson, 2011). In addition, the relatively lower rates of languishing were found after participants had prioritised their well-being by receiving treatment.…”

“…It is theorised that flourishing and moderate mental health are a source of resilience, acting as a buffer against stressful life events (Keyes, 2002), which are known predictors of substance abuse relapse (Laudet, Cleland, Magura, Vogel, & Knight, 2004). A potential mechanism for this buffer effect was identified by a survey study of community members across America (Catalino & Fredrickson, 2011). They found that relative to individuals who did not flourish or were depressed, individuals who flourished tended to respond with larger spikes in positive emotion following everyday pleasant events.…”

The Effects of the Flow State on Social Orientation Within and Beyond Group Boundaries

“…A person who enters the flow state at work, for example, is more likely to experience positive emotions and a higher level of enjoyment in their career. This person, labeled as a flourisher, is less likely to experience FLOW AND SOCIAL ORIENTATION 6 chronic physical and mental illness, and is consequently less likely to miss work due to poor health (Catalino & Fredrickson, 2011;Keyes, 2007). Flourishing that is linked to the flow state, in turn, could impact a person's functioning within a community and their overall contributions to society.…”

Corporate Responsibility Research

“…A key thesis being that as a species, humans are more likely to achieve success if we study success and seek it out, rather than trying to prevent failure (Catalino & Fredrickson, 2011;Fredrickson & Losada, 2005). The authors extend this logic to the development of a psychological response to responsibility, by contending that current CR models focus on symptoms rather than causes and often focus on what people should not do (e.g., consume) rather than what people can do; and, as such, are reactive rather than proactive and neglect the in-depth study of CR success stories.…”