Positive Psychology: A Brief History, Critics, Methodology, and Application

In Professor Seligman’s TED Talk he presents to us the state of psychology today. Just what is the state of psychology today? According to Seligman it is good, not good, and not good enough. In the “good” update for psychology today, it is beneficial that psychology is progressing forward. Once what was an extreme science of finding out what is wrong with someone has progressed forward into also finding out how to improve one’s life quality. Seligman states that just sixty years ago no disorder was treatable. However in today’s world of modern psychology not only are fourteen disorders treatable, but two are even curable. In the terms of not good, in Seligman’s opinion, there has been too much of an extreme focus on mental illness. Seligman believes that psychology has gone a pessimistic route and in turn forgotten about improving “normal” lives to make people less miserable. He believes that there should not only be interventions in terms of treating mental illness, but also interventions to make people happier. Seligman lists a few different ways that positive psychology could improve itself to go this route. The main idea is that psychologists should be concerned with both strength and weakness of people, therefore building strengths and repairing weakness. From further research in modern positive psychology has sought to answer just what are happy people and what makes them happy? Seligman explains that

Is happiness or subjective well-being just an occurrence, or does this observable circumstance have accountabilities beyond what is experienced by the person who perceives feeling happy? We all desire to be happy, but how is this achieved and sustained? Are there predetermining factors that play a role, such as our genetic make-up? The following essay will explore subjective well-being in general, as this is considered to be synonymous with happiness. An explanation will be given of both the model of architecture of sustainable happiness, and a clear definition of the biopsychosocial model. Throughout the essay, examples from the SKD228 module will be given as evidence of support with possible links to biological factors.

In a true clinical setting, a patient is free to express feelings and experiences to facilitate self-healing through positive intervention techniques. With the data available on positive psychology, many clinicians may be tempted to utilize a particular positive intervention with the belief it will make a tremendous impact on the patient. However, this may be unhealthy for the patient who may need to experience negative or difficult emotion to work through the issue they are dealing with. Nonetheless, positive therapy has a definitive useful role in psychological treatment and “adds a deeper dimension to the treatment setting” (p. 404). Therapists who use this type of therapy, however, should remember not to “become a slave to the ‘tyrannies of optimism’” (Seligman, 1990, p. 292; as cited in La Torre, p. 404).

Positive psychology is highly applicable with the field of education. The Penn Resiliency Program (PRP) is a program intended to integrate, as its chief goal, deterrence to counter and assist the unhappiness epidemic among children and adolescence. It is founded upon the psychosomatic notion, asserting the highly significant fact, that our beliefs concerning experiences and their construal have an influence not only on our sentiments but also on our behavior format. The hypothetical basis of this program is the perception of optimism-pessimism particularized by Seligman, in which optimism and cynicism, measured as comparatively strong human qualities, have a pivotal influence on the entire working of human beings. They produce action or inactiveness, and regulate inspiration and the choice of approach for achievement, and the outline as well as the behaviors in which life purposes are comprehended. Optimism or pessimism explain the capability to surpass one’s personal restrictions, or for being overwhelmed by one’s emotional state of powerlessness. The two are both cultured dispositions, notwithstanding their moderately perpetual character. Subsequently the Penn Resiliency Program focuses on leaning on the expectations of cognitive-behavioral treatment implements an extensive variety of interventions and tools to encourage an constructive method of individual development (Pluskota,

Basic Assumptions: Each individual has the innate desire to live a meaningful life. Psychology is heavily focused on fixing what is wrong with an individual when there is a mental or emotional breakdown. However, people are endowed with strengths and core values that if nourished can lead to personal well-being and feelings of fulfilment. Lives can be more productive if a greater interest is placed on building a person’s strengths than on correcting the weaknesses.

Remaining positive in a negative environment is a difficult task, stand out with positive psych especially if you're dealing with negativity in the workplace. And, maybe it isn't the workplace - maybe it's at home, or even at social events. Regardless of where the negativity is taking place, it's important to arm yourself with the resources to rise above it.

In Martin Seligman’s TED talk, he explains the values of positive psychology’s impact on creating happier lives. In 2000, Martin Seligman created a new field of psychology called Positive Psychology. This field of positive psychology is the study of positive traits and behaviors that can contribute to a positive “happier” life. In Seligman’s TED talk, The New Positive Era of Psychology, he categorizes positive lives into three categories. The Pleasant life, the life of engagement, and the meaningful life. But before he begins his speech, he explains the negative actions taken by psychology when treating people.

In conclusion, the Good Life is within reach for me and anyone who hopes for it. Positive psychology provides the blueprint on actions and cognitive thinking which will lead me to happiness and balance. The goals I have established through the course and by focusing on: my signature strengths, knowing my motivational method, establishing goals, achieving flow, being healthy, continued cognitive and emotional growth, wisdom, and spirituality, I will meet “my” Good

Positive psychology, which has emerged recently, is the scientific study of human thriving. Psychology traditionally focuses on dysfunction—on people with mental illness or other psychological problems and how to treat them. Positive psychology, by contrast, is a relatively new field that examines how ordinary people can become happier and more fulfilled. In his 1998 APA presidential address, Seligman, the founder of positive psychology, argued that psychology had become too focused on curing mental illness according to a disease model, and that, for all intents and purposes, it had become a “victimology” (Seligman, 1998). What was needed, he averred, was a new “science of human strengths,” a positive psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000).

Good evening students, in this lecture I will explain how happiness is measured and defined by positive psychologists and how happiness relates to well-being and positive emotions. Happiness is something that every human being desire throughout the lifespan and most researchers believe that it can be measured by relying on various surveys and questionnaires to ask people questions about what makes them happy. The subject of happiness and more importantly positive psychology has become a major focus in the field of scientific psychology.

Jo Manion said,” the aim of positive psychology is to begin to catalyse a change in the focus of psychology from preoccupation only with repairing the worst things in life to

Positive psychology is a strengths-oriented, positively focused approach to human behaviors and thoughts that is relatively recent to the overall field of psychology. Previous schools of thought had always focused on the abnormalities, weaknesses, and pathologies of people. Positive psychology is an exceptionally new branch of psychology and aims at making life more fulfilling, enjoyable, and happy instead of just tolerable; they wish to promote mental health and well-being instead of only treating disorders. This research paper will address the roles that hope, gratitude, forgiveness, resilience, optimism, and self-efficacy play in one’s life, and how these characteristics can

Secondly, the aim of Positive Psychology is to study, identify and amplify the strengths and capacities that individuals, families, and society need to thrive (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000).

Psychology as its commonly recognised is the science of the mind where its apparent focus is investigation and treatment for mental illness. Positive psychology on the other hand could be quickly specified as the brief opposite. To attempt to define positive psychology, one would ask themselves the metaphysical question of, what is positive in relation to being human and what makes it positive (Alex Linley, Joseph, Harrington & Wood, 2006). Examples could be emotions, virtues and traits such as hope, courage and compassion which can be interpreted in a manner of ways. These examples mentioned possibly carry a great deal of depth where for an example, an emotion can share properties of positive and negative parts that are linked together (Lazarus, 2003). Anger as a prime example of an emotion that can be hurtful and destructive, yet, it is possible to be utilised as a fuel to be righteous. Development of emotions and other human qualities could then be dependent on cultural values, socioeconomic status and the demographic of age. A study has resulted in possible evidence that adults may be less susceptible to change in emotions and other values when compared to teenagers, where a traumatic or life changing event may be a catalyst for change (Seligman, Steen, Park & Peterson, 2005). This was a study in the realm of positive psychology, where its lack of focus and aim on the apparent negative side of psychology is not present. Research in mental illness and treatment are

Positive Psychology is a relatively new sub-field of psychology that deals with the study and