9/3/20071What is Positive Communication?Defining Elements• Communication—”management of messages for the purpose of creating and sharing meaning” (Frey et al.)A BMessagesMessagesInputs/Outputs Inputs/OutputsProcessesCONTEXTPositive Inputs/OutputsAs articulated by positive psychology:Positive subjective experiences• Happiness, pleasure, gratification, fulfillment Positive individual traits• Strengths of character, talents, interests, valuesPositive institutions• Facilitate display and development of positive traits which in turn facilitate positive experience9/3/20072Positive Communication Processes• What sorts of communication processes might be considered to be “positive?”• What sorts of communication processes facilitate positive subjective experiences?• What sorts of communication processes facilitate the display and development of positive individual traits?• What sorts of communication processes facilitate the development and maintenance of positive institutions?Theoretical Approach• Conceptual Foundation of Positive Psychology– Humanism (Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow)– Existentialism• Experience is primary– Phenomenology• Describe conscious experience in terms meaningful to the individual– Social science• Reliance on empiricism and rationalism• Use of evidence to evaluate theories• “Human goodness and excellence are as authentic as human flaws and