Your One-Stop-Shop for the Best of Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology Is…

This is intended to be a very brief introduction to positive psychology.

Definition of Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. The Positive Psychology Center promotes research, training, education, and the dissemination of Positive Psychology. This field is founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play.

Goals of Positive Psychology

  • Some of the goals of Positive Psychology are to build a science that supports:
  • Families and schools that allow children to flourish
  • Workplaces that foster satisfaction and high productivity
  • Communities that encourage civic engagement
  • Therapists who identify and nurture their patients’ strengths
  • The teaching of Positive Psychology
  • Dissemination of Positive Psychology interventions in organizations & communities

 

Source: the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania

Positive Psychology Initiatives

Positive Health

Is health more than just the absence of illness?

 

Positive Neuroscience

What are the neural mechanisms of human flourishing?

 

Positive Education

Is it possible for schools to teach both the skills of well-being and achievement without compromising either?

 

Positive Psychotherapy

Should psychotherapy also aim to increase well-being?

 

Comprehensive Soldier Fitness

Can the army become as psychologically fit as it is physically fit?

 

Source: http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/newsletter.aspx?id=1554)

 

Positive Psychology Research

Here are some examples of questions asked (and answered) by various positive psychology researchers.

  • What is the purpose of positive emotions such as joy, awe, happiness? (Fredrickson, Haidt, Isen)
  • What are the inherent positive strengths of people? (Peterson, Park, Seligman)
  • What makes people happy? (Diener, Myers, Seligman)
  • How can people be happier? (Lyubomirsky, Peterson)
  • How can people make great decisions? (Gilbert)
  • Does happiness lead to success or success to happiness? (Diener, Lyubomirsky, King)
  • How can people use self-talk to succeed? (Seligman, Reivich, Gillham)
  • How can people do what they most enjoy and do best at work? (Clifton, Rath)
  • How can people get more involved in their activities? (Csikszentmihalyi, Nakamura)
  • How can one’s work be a calling, a career, or a job? (Wrzesniewski)

Source: http://wellnessatwork.com.au/what-is-positive-psychology/

For a more complete overview of positive psychology, visit Wikipedia’s Positive Psychology page.

For videos, tools, experts and additional resources, check out this introductory post:

New to Positive Psychology? Start Here!

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