The Importance of Socratic Questioning in Positive Psychology

The Importance of Socratic Questioning in Positive Psychology

Much of applied psychology and psychotherapy aims to help the client move from a belief that keeps them helpless and stuck towards one that is helpful and enables mobility into a more positive existence. The purpose of positive psychology interventions (PPI) is to create this shift in a person’s behaviour that enables them to live a life that is flourishing. Although the types of interventions developed are varied, this blog suggests the use of Socratic questioning is an important way to empower people. What is Socratic questioning? Socrates was a classical Greek philosopher who developed critical thinking through a form of open ended and logical questioning to solve a problem. The Socratic dialectic method applies a series of questions to hep a person or group go deeper into their values and beliefs to find the answer. He was one of the first to recognise that the subconscious often held knowledge that the person is unaware of. Part of Socrates legacy is the beliefs that underpin the questions. No one desires evil No one does wrong or errs willingly or knowingly Virtue is knowledge Virtue is sufficient for happiness How does it relate to positive psychology? When Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi first promoted positive psychology in 2000 as “the study of positive traits” they recognised the importance of the ancient philosophers like Socrates who framed morality in terms of good character and having a just life. It set positive psychology in a frame that recognised that all people want to live a good life through the expression of their virtues (strengths) and positive intention, with an outcome of finding their own...