Psychology Notes
What Is PERMA?
The PERMA model is Martin Seligman’s framework for understanding and building well-being. Introduced in his 2011 book Flourish, it identifies five elements that contribute independently to a life well-lived:
- P — Positive Emotions
- E — Engagement
- R — Relationships
- M — Meaning
- A — Accomplishment
Each element meets three criteria:
- It contributes to well-being
- People pursue it for its own sake (not as a means to something else)
- It can be measured independently of the other elements
Together, they define a multidimensional account of flourishing — one that goes beyond simply feeling good in the moment.
P — Positive Emotions
Positive emotions include joy, gratitude, hope, interest, amusement, awe, love, and serenity. They are not just pleasant feelings — they have measurable effects on thinking and behavior.
Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory explains why: positive emotions temporarily broaden awareness and encourage exploration, which over time builds lasting cognitive, social, and psychological resources.
Cultivating positive emotions is not about forcing happiness. It involves practices such as:
- Savoring pleasant experiences rather than rushing past them
- Practicing gratitude — noticing and appreciating what is good
- Reframing setbacks to find what can be learned
E — Engagement
Engagement refers to full absorption in a challenging activity — what Csikszentmihalyi called flow. When you are engaged, time seems to stop, self-consciousness fades, and the activity itself becomes its own reward.
Engagement is closely tied to using your signature strengths — the qualities that come naturally to you and that energize you when applied. Research suggests that people who use their strengths in new and frequent ways report higher well-being.
Unlike positive emotions, engagement is often felt retrospectively — in the middle of deep flow, you may not be consciously aware of feeling good. The good feelings emerge after.
R — Relationships
Human beings are fundamentally social. Positive relationships are one of the most consistent predictors of well-being across cultures and life stages.
This element covers:
- Quality of close relationships — feeling loved, supported, understood
- Social connection — belonging to communities and groups
- Acts of kindness and generosity — giving to others, which also benefits the giver
Research consistently shows that people with strong social connections live longer, recover from illness more quickly, and report higher life satisfaction. Loneliness, by contrast, is associated with serious health risks comparable to smoking.
M — Meaning
Meaning refers to belonging to and serving something that you believe is bigger than yourself. This might be:
- Family or community
- A cause, profession, or creative work
- Religious or philosophical beliefs
- Contributing to the next generation
Meaning does not require constant positive emotion — many of the most meaningful activities involve effort, difficulty, and sacrifice. Viktor Frankl’s observation from the Nazi concentration camps — that people with a sense of meaning could endure almost anything — remains one of the most powerful demonstrations of this principle.
Meaning is distinct from happiness. A life of meaning and a life of pleasure can diverge significantly.
A — Accomplishment
Accomplishment (also called Achievement) refers to pursuing success, mastery, and competence — not only for external rewards, but for the intrinsic satisfaction of achieving something.
People seek accomplishment even when it doesn’t make them happier in the moment. This is why people continue to compete, improve, and strive even in low-stakes situations. The drive to master challenges and reach goals appears to be a fundamental human motivation.
Accomplishment contributes to well-being through:
- A sense of competence and self-efficacy
- Pride and satisfaction in effort and progress
- The feeling that one’s actions matter and have effect
PERMA as a Practical Framework
| Element | Question to ask yourself |
|---|---|
| Positive Emotions | What am I grateful for today? |
| Engagement | When did I last lose track of time? |
| Relationships | Who do I feel genuinely connected to? |
| Meaning | What am I part of that is larger than myself? |
| Accomplishment | What have I worked hard to achieve recently? |
PERMA is not a checklist to complete — it is a map of dimensions worth attending to. A life that consistently neglects one or more elements is likely to feel incomplete, even if the others are strong.
Extensions: PERMA-V and PERMA-H
Some researchers have proposed extending the original model:
- PERMA-V adds Vitality — physical health, energy, and the body’s role in well-being
- PERMA-H adds Health as a separate element
These additions reflect growing evidence that physical well-being is not just a byproduct of psychological well-being — it is an active contributor to it.
Why This Model Matters
PERMA provides a measurable, teachable, and actionable framework for well-being. It has been applied in:
- Schools (Penn Resiliency Program)
- Military settings (Comprehensive Soldier Fitness)
- Healthcare and coaching
- Workplace well-being programs
Its strength is that it moves the conversation beyond “are you happy?” to a richer set of questions about how fully a person is engaging with life.