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What is Positive Psychology?
Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D. is considered, by many, to be
the
"Father of Positive Psychology." For many others, it is
appropriate that Alfred
Adler, MD be considered the "Grandfather of Positive Psychology."
One goal for the positive psychology movement is to
develop positive psychology techniques for all people. Research in
positive psychology is primarily focused on what contributes to the experience
of "happiness."
Alfred Adler liberated us from the illusions of fatalism,
pessimism and determinism. Instead of the deterministic view espoused by
Sigmund Freud, a positive view of "homo
sapiens" was developed by Adler where humans actively engage the tasks of life and
creatively assume control of human destiny. All "motivational
speakers" who espouse the view that everyone can create a vision of the
future and exercise the courage to move toward it owe a great debt to Dr. Adler.
Alfred
Adler: The Forgotten Prophet, by Loren Grey
Below is a collection of thoughts related to the definition of Positive
Psychology. These ideas come from various sources and attempt to define
what is difficult to define, the concept of "positive psychology."
Positive Psychology is:
 | Believing that optimism can be learned. |
Learned
Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life
by Martin E. P. Seligman
| Understanding that optimistic people tend to believe that bad things happen by
chance and that good things are created by them. Pessimistic people
tend to believe that good things happen by chance and bad things happen because
of who they are. Positive Psychology claims we can choose one over the
other. |
| Believing that cognitive (choice oriented) therapy can change negative
thought patterns. |
| A view that encourages plain, simple, pragmatic and
practical problem solving while encountering problems in living with an
optimistic spirit. |
| Synergistic Psychology, a variation of Positive Psychology,
that assumes the importance of the integration of work, relations and self are tasks leading
toward the goals of usefulness, belonging and significance as the optimal
form of creating happiness. Adding the four sources of knowledge which
includes science, rationalism, experience, and spirituality, a full, happy
and meaningful life can be created. Review the Realities
Matrix and our Logo. |
| Subjective well-being, with pleasant emotions most of the
time and unpleasant feelings are minimized. Seeking ecstasy patterns
leads to disappointment. |
| A belief that we have more control over our moods and create more
positive patterns if we acknowledge that there are times when random events influence us in a negative direction. We realize its just not
"caused" by who we are or what we've done. |
| A belief that happiness and a positive outlook that are influenced by virtues,
such as integrity, openness, honesty, compassion, wisdom, faith, hope and
charity. |
| Understanding that optimism can have a significant role on
the healing process when the body is in distress. |
| That optimism and positive internal explanatory style is
significantly related to general well-being. |
| An understanding that optimism is positively related to
active-behavioral coping. |
| That optimists are more likely to engage in positive health
habits. |
| A belief that optimism is related to choice and change,
rather than biologically determined. |
| An understanding that optimism arises from a general
striving for self-enhancement. |
| That self-mastery is a choice and related to the creation
of optimism. |
| In Adlerian Psychology, optimism is related to motivation
modification, and not simply cognitive modification. |
| That "dispositional optimism" (related to
character of the person) is different from "situational optimism"
(related to events in the environment). |
| That pessimists tend to make conceptual errors such as
failing to observe consequences as related to personal choices; tendencies
to blame others for personal consequences; over valuing the importance of
luck; and seeking secondary gain as a result of learned helplessness. |
| That optimists tend to view negative events as having 1) a
short time frame (Periodic vs. Permanence); 2) a narrow scope of application
(Isolated vs. Pervasive) and 3) an impersonal effect (Random vs.
Personal). Pessimists tend to view negative events as permanent,
pervasive and personal. |
| That people can actively shape their work in ways that
create meaning. |
| An effort to positively influence families, work
environments, civic involvement and positive personal health. |
| An effort to answer questions such as: "What
could we strive for that would make life worth living.?" |
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