Betting pot preflop is like betting 3.5x (+1/limper). Since most people either bet 3x or 4x betting pot preflop is perfectly acceptable. When to bet pot postflop is a different thing. Basically you should do it when you have a very strong hand against an opponent who is bad enough or who's range is likely strong as well (just less than your actual hand).
Example: 100BB effective stacks
Tight UTG player raises to 4x
You're on BTN with 33 and call everyone else folds
You think the UTG players range is AQ+/QQ+
Preflop pot is 9.5bbs
Flop is K93 with 2 hearts
UTG leads out for 7bbs
You raise pot and put the UTG player to a decision for all his chips on the flop since he's not going to put in a ton of money with QQ/AQ you're losing nothing from those hands and the only part of his range that you're losing to is KK (and you're going broke to that no matter what).
The only other time I generally make full pot bet postflop is when I flop a strong hand (top 2/set/stright) on a scary board (single suit) and I want to get my $$ in fast as well as charging my opponent(s) to draw.
Hope that's what you were looking for.