EDITORIAL
The Power of Positive Psychology in Social Impact Programs
In the world of arts education, we often discuss the importance of creating engaging, transformative experiences for young people. However, the challenge lies in ensuring that these experiences lead to lasting positive change. How can teaching artists not only foster creativity but also help students grow emotionally and socially? The answer may lie in positive psychology, a field dedicated to enhancing human wellbeing and potential.
By integrating positive psychology principles into arts education, teaching artists can help cultivate deeper engagement, intrinsic motivation, and personal growth in their students. Research suggests that arts-based learning can significantly improve social-emotional skills and resilience. Recognizing this, teaching artists can play a pivotal role in empowering students beyond the classroom, fostering a generation of creative and resilient individuals.
What is Positive Psychology?
Positive psychology emphasizes the importance of wellbeing and human flourishing. Its seminal concepts align seamlessly with the work of teaching artists:
—Growth mindset. Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, this term means that individuals who believe their abilities can improve are more likely to persevere through challenges. A 2018 study by Dweck and her colleagues found that students with a growth mindset, even in underprivileged communities, were significantly more likely to succeed academically.
—Flow. As used by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, “flow” connotes a state of deep immersion. When students experience flow in the arts, they lose track of time, experience joy, and develop a sense of accomplishment. One study on arts-based learning in low-income schools found that students immersed in creative projects reported higher self-confidence, emotional regulation, and persistence—all key elements of flow states. Teaching artists can help students find their way to flow states by structuring artistic experiences that balance existing skill levels with new challenges.
—Self-determination theory (SDT). Psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan posited three fundamental human needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In the arts, when students feel they have control over their creative choices (autonomy), gain confidence in their skills (competence), and feel connected to their peers (relatedness), their motivation and engagement soar.
The intersection of positive psychology and arts education was highlighted at a recent symposium at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, where guest speakers Dr. Eric Booth and Professor Peng Kaiping emphasized that teaching artists play a pivotal role in activating creativity and emotional wellbeing in young people. Dr. Booth noted that “teaching artists don’t just teach technique; they ignite the spark of creative agency.” This aligns with research showing that the process of creation, not just the final product, has a profound impact on student identity development and self-efficacy. Professor Peng emphasized that arts serve as an emotional language, enabling young people to express what they cannot verbalize. His research highlights how creative engagement provides an outlet for processing emotions and helping students manage stress, isolation, and trauma.
For teaching artists in social impact programs, positive psychology offers practical tools to create transformative learning experiences. Arts education is not merely about producing art—it is about shaping how young people engage with the world.
Consider arts programs in underserved communities, where students struggle with adversity and lack access to emotional support systems. Teaching artists can use positive psychology-based strategies to help these students develop perseverance and resilience (through growth mindset); improve focus and emotional regulation (through flow experiences); and gain confidence and leadership skills (through self-determination theory).
Examples in Practice
Here are a few examples of hands-on activities that teaching artists can use to reinforce this kind of growth.
- The “1-2-3” Celebration Ritual: Embracing Mistakes with Joy
This is a simple yet powerful way to help students overcome fear of failure. Students pair up and take turns counting in a loop: Student A says “1;” student B says “2;” student A says “3”, and so on. Eventually, someone makes a mistake—hesitates, says the wrong number, or gets stuck. Instead of feeling embarrassed, both partners raise their hands, cheer, and hug before restarting. This transforms mistakes from moments of shame into moments of celebration, reinforcing that learning is a process in which everyone supports each other.
To deepen engagement, the game can be leveled up by replacing numbers with words and gestures. For example, in a drama class, students say “Happy” (smile + raised hands), “Sad” (pout + hands on heart), or “Excited” (jump + fist pump). In a music class, these could be key lyrics from a meaningful song. This modification turns a simple game into an engaging, embodied learning experience that fosters growth mindset and flow.
- The Creative Autonomy Project: Exploring Emotions Through Storytelling
A powerful example of this is the drama education program The Nightingale and the Emperor, adapted from Hans Christian Andersen’s story. After discussing the emotion “anger,” students were invited to develop their own scenes depicting moments when the emperor was angry—at his ministers, family, or friends. Students were encouraged to ask: Why does the emperor feel this way? How do other characters react to his emotions?
Through this process, students not only explored creative storytelling but also deepened their emotional intelligence, gaining insight into the reasons behind human emotions. In a music setting, this concept could translate into students composing melodies to reflect different emotions; in visual arts, students could paint or sketch a story’s emotional moments.
Conclusion and Call to Action
The integration of positive psychology into teaching artistry represents an exciting opportunity for deepening engagement and wellbeing through arts education: our students can not only learn to excel artistically but also develop crucial life skills. My hope is that across the world, those involved in arts education will seize this opportunity! Specifically:
—that teaching artists will reflect on how to incorporate growth mindset, flow, and self-determination theory into their practice;
—that arts organizations will invest in professional development that equips teaching artists with the tools of positive psychology; and
—that policy makers will support arts education initiatives that emphasize social-emotional learning and wellbeing.
By embracing these principles, we can ensure that arts education is not just about creativity, it’s also about human flourishing and empowerment. Our future lies in recognizing the power of the arts as a vehicle for transformation and social impact.
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