Gallery Presentation International Positive Psychology Association 7th IPPA World Congress 2021

4-Evening-Questions: A simple tool with a profound effect (#177)

Markus Ebner 1
  1. University Vienna, Vienna, VIENNA, Austria

The effect of a positive day reflection as a technique of positive psychology has been found repeatedly. Can this approach also be used to help people better recognize their strengths?

For this purpose four specific questions (4-Evening-Questions) where combined and evaluated in a study.

In this study 74 participants were instructed to reflect their day based on those questions every evening over a period of two weeks. The results shows which kind of experiences people make during and after this exercise.  Subsequently, individual experiences were collected and analyzed qualitatively. The results show that the exercise leads to a sensitization of perception, a change in the interpretation of situations as well as in one’s own actions.

This presentation will show how this technique works and what practical relevance the study results have. In addition, several experiences in the practical implementation of this technique as a coaching-tool and in seminars will be shared.

  1. Ebner, M. (2017). 4-Evening-Questions: Eine einfache Technik mit tiefgreifender Wirkung. Organisationsberatung, Supervision, Coaching, 24(3), 269-282.
  • Keywords: Career and Work, Coaching, Education, Mindfulness, Strengths