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EP003 The PERMA Model of Wellbeing

27 June 2020 By Larry G. Maguire READING TIME: 2 MINUTES

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 16:10 — 15.0MB)

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Read more about The PERMA Model; humanperformance.ie/what-is-resilience

In the late 1960s, the father of positive psychology, Martin Seligman and his research associate, Steven Maier, were part of a team that discovered the phenomenon of “learned helplessness.” They found that dogs, rats, and mice, when subjected to mild electric shock over which they had no control, would learn to accept it, making no attempt to escape. It was later shown that human beings act the same way. They learn to be helpless.

Over many years of research, Seligman and colleagues discovered that about 30% of subjects never become helpless. The reason why, he says, is optimism. Seligman subsequently developed a means to assess responses as either optimistic or pessimistic. They discovered that people who refuse to give up, have the habit of seeing setbacks as temporary and changeable. In other words, they feel they can do something about it. The researchers realised they could, as Seligman said, “immunise people against learned helplessness, against depression and anxiety, and against giving up after failure by teaching them to think like optimists.”

Over his years of research, Seligman found that the most satisfied, contented people were those who had discovered and exploited their unique combination of what he called “signature strengths,” such as humanity, temperance and persistence and developed the PERMA model of psychological wellbeing.

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Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Audio

About Larry G. Maguire

I'm Larry Maguire, work and organisational psychologist, writer and researcher. From an academic base in psychology, and 25+ years of experience in business ownership, I work to assist people and organisations develop effective leadership, improve motivation, achieve business goals and create healthy workplaces. I hope you enjoy the content here. Find out more or get in touch about coaching, workshops, and course delivery for you and your people

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Comments

  1. Teknik Telekomunikasi says

    22 December 2023 at 12:13

    Do you have any specific examples or case studies that demonstrate the practical application of the PERMA model in enhancing individual and organizational well-being?
    Teknik Telekomunikasi

    Reply
    • Larry G. Maguire says

      26 January 2024 at 13:07

      A good book on this topic is Flourish, by Martin Seligman; https://tannerlectures.utah.edu/_resources/documents/a-to-z/s/Seligman_10.pdf

      Reply

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