Posi ti 'Ie Psychology

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All lntruductiun
1\lartin E. 1'. Seligman
Mill;dy- Csiks:l.cnt 1llil1alyi

Ul/iFer.l'ily of I'el/I/.I'yll'(/I/i(/
Clurc!IIp/lI Gmdt/(/Ie Ul/iFenil)'

beeome u sei(.'nee largely abulI{ healing. It concenlrates llil

repairing ualllagc within a disease model of hun Ian rUl1c
qllo!ily of life UI/e! prel'l'l/I IIII' P(/I!In!ogies ,!IIII orise when
tioning. This almost exclusive attention to p;IIIHl!ogy Ile
life is hllrrel/ Ol/tl meul/inglc.I'.I'. !-'/'e e.\'I.'/II.I'il'(' jin:u.I' on
glccts the 1'1I11illt:d individual and Ihe thriving communily.
')(IfIIO!ogy IhUI hl/.I' dominolcd .1'1.1 IIniT!I of our discipline
The aim of positivc psychology is to begin to cat;llyze a
resu!ls ill a /!tudel oj l!Ie 11l/1I1(1I1 IJcing lac ing I Ie 1J()sililJe
change in the I'oells of [1sychulogy rrom preoccupation only
feullIre.\ (//(/1 moke life Il'orlh li\ing. Hupe, Il'isc/o/ll, cre
wilh rcp;liring Ihe wmst things in life to also buildillg
--;iii\'i'y, flllllre mine!cilness, co//roge, spirililalily, respon.ri
,:"
positive qualities.
b/{i01: '~iil {r/ji:-,~;e;; ei;(i iii.: e0.:~~7iJ/i-(---;r;;'"J"m~n erI os Iran s
Thc lielu of positi ve psychology at the subjecli-ve level
7e--;r-;71'arTr~~~/');;;~henlic 1J(:,guii\'1! impll!ses, T!Ie f 5
is about valued SUbjective experience,s:., well-being) con~ , .
arlides in Ihis lIIillcnnilll i.l'Sllo of IIII' American Psycholo
lentll\(.'nt, and satisl"actiojl (ill Ih~ pa~t);_hop'e anuoptilllism
gist eli.I'CliSS .wc!r i,\'.~;~,~ os II '!1lI I ('I/{Ihle,\' ht/ppiness, 1111'
'([(ll"illC-' CUlure); aI\JtL,w--;io~Th;ii)pi I\;;S (in (hc present). At
ef!i>C/s of rnrl/J)lil/n\, lIl/e! .I'cl(regull/li,,". hoI!' 0U'illli,1'1II Ol/t!
Ihe individual level, it is aboulllllsilive Individliai Iralt~: llic
hope olTecl /!('ulllr, wirul con.l'lillllC.I' wisdolll, untl!rolll II//enl
"c;lpaeity ior Iilve'al;~T ~'ocatio~~, ~-o~l.ag~~:i;'terpe~su~~1skill,
(lnd crealilJi/)' come In iilIiliulI. The Olll/wrs olll!in/! {/
'aesthetic sensibility, p~rseverance, forgiveness, originality,
framework iiJr (/ .I'cie)J('(: of pOsili"e IJsyc!rO!O!5Y, !JO;'II 10
, ruture Illindedness, spirituality, high talent, and wisdom. At
sops ,~,,!-./!!r!.J.!.u!~:'!..('dge, U nil 1'!!.'!!.,L~L..!!.~f!.~_!!!!:_n.<::'Ll~:!I!/I 'y
the group leve!, it is about the civic, ~irtues anu the in~li
will see [[ sciellu: ulld profc.I'.I'i()(f I!IUI IFill COI/I(' 10 wu!Cr.
tutions Ihat movc individuals lo\vurd better citizenship:
Ji(iIi(T,iiiiI bi ri'7cil fi~;j(i(:i();':i:-i fiul iil {(jil~' 7ildlf~JIi;IT.-C;WWiliI-:- '
" respon~ibility, nllrtural"--c_~, ~dt!Y~I~.I, c.iv~lity,ll~o~~eT:ltju'l,_
':j-'i~~-,-.!.~~~I_:'~:..0.r:.1 (,i~.~-.!!! iir J II ri.l'iJ.
tolerancc':' and wo;-k ethic.
Two personal storil:s, olle told by each author, expbin
nterino a ncw millennium, Anlerjeans l'~lce a hislor
how we arrived al the conviction tlwt a Jllovement IOWilru
,"
ical CI~l,i~c, Len alolll: OIl ,lhe pinnacle or ec()nomic
!)(lSilive IlsycllOlug:y was ncedcd and how this speL'ial is,',uc
and pohtlcal Icadersl\lp, tile UllIteu S[alt:~ c;:n con
nr I Ill' ;\//((:r;('((1/ f'sl'c{,n!ng;.\:1 came 'lbout. For Marlin E. P.
tinue to increase its material wt:allh whife ignoring the
Seligman, it begall ~Il a !JlOI\ll:n( a few monlhs arler
human neeus ur its people a III I II1lIse 01' the rest 01' the
heing elt:cted pre,~idenl or Ihc American Psychologic;d
pl;I11CI. Sut:h ~I cnnr.;t: ;:; likdy In h:ad In inC'n:,;~rng ~d f'
A~~kialion:
ishness. to ulienation bc(ween the Inol'L; ;lIld the less l"ortu
The IlHl1l1ent took pl:1CC ill Illy garden while J was
0;1Ie, <lnti, eventually {o chaos am] dcspair.
wet:ding witll' Illy livl:-year-ulu daughter, Nikki'_ I have 10
At this juncture, tht: social and bdiaviorar seit:nces can
cOllkss lhal even though I write buoks about children, I'm
play an enormously illlp{)rl~1I11 rolt:. They can articulate a
rcally nol all lhal goou witll children. 1 alll ,goal oric11led
vision of the good life Ihut is cmpiric;Jily s{iunu whilt: bcing
and time urgent, ,Jnd when 1'111 wecJing in the garden, l'lll
underslandabie anJattractivc: tiley 'Cilll shuw what actions
actu;lIly trying to gel thc weeuing done. Nikki. howevcr,
le;ld to wcll-being, to positive indiv;Ju;IL~, an'd to' thriving
W;I.~ IhrO\,vin~ wcetls inlo the air. singing, and danL'ing
cummunities. P~Yl:hologyshould be able tl.; heipJoclllTlcnt
arllllnd, r ycll,~d al her. She walked away, thcn e,lnlC b~ld;
what kinds or I'amilies result in chiJdn:n who Iluurish, what
and said,
work settings suppurt the grc;ltcst satisfaction all10ng work
ers, what pul icies resuit in the stmllgesl civic eng~lgement,
------_._- - ,._-------, - - -
and-ho~v p~()pic's iives can be 11l0~t~~~)~lhii"v'illg.!
I~tli/f},..'i pult'.
T\1artlll E. P. ScJig11li.1l1 ilml Mihilly (':-;ik:-;l.L'II!mih;l!yi
Yet' psyciiiJT(;gls(s' havc- scant klll)\\llt:dgc or what
:-icrved as gl1C:'il c,lilllr~ Jill' tili:-: spL"ci.1I iSSlH':.
makes life worth living. They havc COI11C tll unuerstand
quite a bit about huw pcopieslll'vi ve anu cn'JII n.: under
r\lIlhor'J IIP!('.
r"kll1ill E. P. ,Sdit:ln:lll. Dt:parlment or,psychulogy. [Illi
vcrsity or l'olH"yl\':l11i,,'. ~'Iih,liy C,iksI.Clllll1il",ly;, Dt'p:tr!"'olll of i'sy
cllllLlitiOI1S oC adv~;slty". (For reCl.:nt sll,:vcys of Iht: history
L'!l{\lngy. L'!;In.~Jllonl ('JI;\l]lIah: Urlivl.:'r~ily.
or psychoi()gy,--sl:~:e.g:, Benj;ulliu, .19lJ2; Koeh & Leary,
Cn/n'sIHJlld~nc~ t'IH1LT:rning Ihi:-; anil'1e shoulLl be ilddr~:-;s~u ttl I'..!;'lr
]lJ8S; and Smith, 1997.J, 1:l52wev~~-,_ P~~y_c-'lol?gi.st~ __know
tin E. P. Seligm:Jl1, DCll:Il'll1l1~n{ or P.'.jycllOlugy. Univcr:-;ily or Penn."iyha
vcry little about how normal people flourish undcr more
niil. :lXI.1 W:lillll( Slrel'l. I'hil:"lclphi,,_ PA 1~1()4-J('("1, {,lcc'trllllic ,,,,,il
_l~eni~n conuiiiuns. Psychoiogy' h;l.~, ,inc'c WtlIlLi War II,
m:1Y h~ SL-'lll 10 sl'lign\alllrill:;lIILllp~Yl:h.lIpt:IHl.euu.

A sciel/ce of pU.I'ilive silujeclive CXI)crien,'c.. !JO.l'ili,'e il/ili

I'iilllll! IrailS, one! IJosilil'e il/slilllliol/s IJromise.l' 1o illlpml'e

"

January 20()() A 111Clic:1I1 Psycho]llgi,1

C"flYff~ILl :::Il()fl h:' llie ..\lll1.'ri ,lit

\lui .~5.

:-:11

),5-1-1

P"y,.:!udl\!1>:;11

,\.>':"'(",'1;1111111.

Dur. 10 IOJ7/IlX){l\\Jc'I,X.5~ f :,

llh

5
(XII} \.IJhtl.\,1XI/):'i.l)(J

..

\ "

Martin E. P.

Seligman

Pholo

by Bochrach

"I):Jduy,

J w;lnt to

t:llk

10

yCll!.

"Yc~,

Nikki?"
"1);JuJy, do you rememher hdore IllY lillh birth,by'l
he'lo ~hc lilile J was thrce 10 the time j W:l~ live, I was a
wilmer. I whinc.',j every uay. When j IlIl"I1ed live, I uel'iued
nol III whine an)'lllore, That W:IS the hardest tiling I've ever

dOlle, I\nu i I'

can Slap whinillg, yml

C:\1\ SlOp hL'in~

sucll

~I

groudl."
Thi~ was ror me all epi (lila II)' , nLlllling less. I k~1l"I1CJ
.~OllH:thing about Nikki, ab(1ul Iaisillg. kids, abou\ 111)'~el!',
alld a Ureal dcaJ aboul my pruks~j()l\. l:irsl, I re;i1i/.ctl tlJ~ll
rai:;in)! Nikki wa.~ nOI abuul elllTedillg whinin)!, Nikki diu
Ih:l! !JLTsclf. [{;ttl,cr, I rcali"/ed l!J;lt rai~illg Nikki is ;Ihlllll

[:d,illg lhis Illarvclous slren\llh ~hc ha.~-I (';lil it "~cl'in~

illiu Ihl' suu!"-al1lplifyil1g
lIurluring ii, hdpingher t~)
k:lu her lircawlJl\lLiuobulTer a~;linsl her weakJlcsse~ and
thc sl()nns or Iik. Raising ehilJrcn, I rcalizeu, is vaslly
lI10re than lixim; whal is wrong wilh thl'lll. It i~ ahlllli
iUelllirying and nurluring Illeir slmllge,~1 qllaliljc,~, what
they own anu an: !Jest ai, and helpillg II ,,'III lind lIic'iJL:~ in
whieh lhey c;ln heSI live 0111 Ihese slrL'IIl!lil~.
!\S rur Illy lJWI1 life, Nikki hit the: n;liJ right (111 tllC
heaLl, I \Vas :1 grollch, 1 h;ld spe:nl SO )'e:~lrs llIuslly cl1llurtng
wct \\'L'alher in Illy SllUI, ami thc 1Ja.~1 \Il yeal's being a
njll1blI~ eloud in ;1 houschuld full II[ sunshinc. Any goou
fortune I had was prolJ;lbly Ill>l due to 1111' gnllilpincss, hut
ill srill' of ii, In that fllornellt, I resllived 10 lI\~ln~e.
III "vever" tllc bro;lIJesl itnplie<ll ion or Nrkki' s' leaching ..
wa,~ 'lj,nul 11lL' sCiqlCC :imJ prorc~sil"l pI' 11Syd\l\I,,~y: Ik
furl' \Vmld_~i1r.. !I,p'~y'c.l.lll~ll~:)' kId thrce di~linct I11lssilJlIS:
t;lIrillg IlIenl'~LiJl!lt;:s.s1.m:Jking till: lives "I' ;lil peoll!e n\\lIC
Jl~5~1I"tJ.~~_ .:II11] fulfilling, ,uld iliL'lIlifyillg ,\lId lIurllili,ll:!
. hi!:!11 l'dcl1L.Thc carly focus Oil IJlIsili\'c psych()!tlgy is
exell1plilicJhy work such CIS Telll1;\\1'S st'ldies ()r,!!inedlles~

it,

~-J._

(TeTlll:lll, 1L)}t)) and lll<trilal l1appillc.~S (TerJll;\ll, BlillCII

wieser, Fcr!'uslll1, JoI1I1S"I1, &. \Vilsoil, 19\5). W;IISllll'S
, wrilillg.s llll cllecti\'l~ 11arl'nli,\~ (~I,'aL~I)~,,-11)2Xl. ,mel JUll{S
work cOllcCll1illg thc se;,n:h rill' a\1d JiselwL'rY Df meanil1g
III lire (JUDi!, I<J:'U). Riglll 'Iller thc war.lw() e\'ellls-b"lh
cl'oiiOlilic--ehangcd the Lll:L' uf p~Yl:hulogy: hi 1946. lhl'
Vct'cr:Jlls- Adillinisll;llipn (Ilow Yeleral1s Arf~lirs) W:1S
fl11llllJed, ;lIld llHllls":Inds ~){ IlsYl:IHlI(;~i,~ls (i'U;1l1 out lhal
lhey could 1Il"ke a living Irealing I11Clllal illness, In 1947,
fhc N,lliol1al IIl.slitn(L' 01' 1'vklllal ] Icaltll (which, ill spilc of
ils cllarlcr, 11;L~ :I!W,lyS bl'l'n \l:ised Oil lhe disease I1Hldel allli
:~houlll now lIlore :Ipprol'riatcly hc renameu lhe Nation:!!
ll1slilule or Ivlcllial !lll1ess) W:1S rllUIICled, and acadclllics
found out Ihal IllCy could gcl ~r;LlllS ir their rt:search wa;;
ah\llIl pathology,
This.. arra~~~el.ncnl h~ls hl~ought Il~:\ny \".cnelils, There
!l;\VC heen hugc Sirides in thL' 1IllLiL'rslanuing Dr ;lIHllhcr:lpy
1'01' Illel\lal illlle~s: AI. k;lsl I,~ disllrders, previou"ly inirdc
1;lhk, have yielded their senels III science :IfJJ dll now be
eilher cured lJr clJf]siderably Iclic\,eu (Sdiglllan, (1)1)4), The
dllwll.side, llLlwevcr, IV;!.' Ill:Il Ihe Diller [wn fundamelltal
ll\i,~silJIlS or PSYl'!\l,/ogY--'lllakiI1i!- the lives or all people
!>dler al1J 1I11r1l1rint: g':lliu~-wel'e ,lIl hut rOI't,"tIC\L II
wasn'l oilly Ihc subject 111;lllcr lil~ll-W"S altered by funding,
bill the cllncllc)' Dr lhe lhemies underpinning how p;;ychol
o~iS1S viewell Ihcl1\scl\'e~. They came \0 sec lhemselvcs as
P~lI'\ or a Illcre suhljeld or Ihe health prllfcs:;iDns, and
psYChLlIDgy bccall1e a vi,'linlll!O);y, Psycho!ogists saw hll
lii~\Il beillg;; as passive f"L'i: Slimuli c;~me on anll eliciled
rL'~p"n~cs (what all cXlr:lonli n:;rily p:ls,~i I'e won] I). EXlcr
n~ll rcil1f()rl'ellll:nl~ wl'a).;crlL'd 1)1' strengthcned responscs,
Pri\'es, tissue I1l.'L'ds, illSlillL,ts_ :lnd e:DlllJicls from childhood
jlllsheJ <:~,ch 01- us arllulld_
Ps.yd1lJlo)!y's l'lllJ1iricil rllCUS shillcU 1(\ asscssillg ;\I1d
__I'lr~g-;~I~Ji\'iclll;d :~lI"r(~Iill~, Thclc lias lic~n an explosioll in
re:se,lI"Ch 011 psychl1!l1gi,:al disonlcrs ;ll1d the negative ef
fects nf L:n'yinllllllelilal slressms, such as parenlal divorce,
Ih,; uealiis or lovcd (I IlL'S , ~llld physical and Sl:XU;t! ;lbIL~C.
I'r:lclilil)l1crs Wl:nl" ahllut Il"c:llil1~'the menial illnesse~ Dr
}';Itiellts will'lin:\ dise;lsc fr'llll~wcl1rk hy repaii-j;lg t1al11:l~c:
d:1I11:lgeu habits, U:Ull~lgL't1 drivc.s, dam,Jgeu ehildhuod", alld
d;I111~lged br:lills.
Mihaly C.~iks/.Lnllllili.liyi re:i1i/.cd Ihe IIccd Ior a p()~"
ilive [lSYl')ll>lllgy In hlllll1e: durill(; Wllrld War l[: As ;)
Lllild, I WilllL'.,.\l:u llie: t1i'.~(lluli\l11 (II tile Sll\llg. w\llid ill
which I had heL'l1 l'llIlI[llrtahly CIISCOl1L-cU. I 11l11ieed with
surpri"e Illl\\' 1Il~IIlY PI' tile aUlllts I had knllwn as successful
:lnd "dr-confidcnt hl'l';Ulll' hl'lllless and Jispirileu onc," tht:
Will' rClJloved [heir Slh.:i'JI suppOrlS Wit!1llUlj,lOS, III olley , or
s(:llus, Ihey were n:ducl.'d III l'mply shells, Ye[IIlcrc wcre iI
kw wl\li kql\ their il\le:WII)' ;\l1d j1urjlll~<: de,~[1itc the sW'
l"<\lll1uil\g <.:h'\I'''. TIIl:ir scrl'nily was iI b<:'IL:llll \!J;1I kepi
lltilers Imll1 I(lsi'lg. 1H1I'L'. /\nd lile:~c we,c nol 111e 11:CI1 'Illtl
\\I\I\\l.'1\ 1)11, w(lulL! 1i~1\'L' C\[lL'Clcd 10 <:nlcrsc lJl1~C;lllicd:
They wen: Illlt IIL'C('~s:lJ'il; thL' Illll"t lcspecIL'tl, heller edu
cllcd, m 11lllrC skilkcl individlwk Tllis CXpLTi<:I1CC sel mc
lli:llking: ~!:i~~:'_(~!'~:<::~III'_~tIlllglll Wl'!C these rcopic maw
III~

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A l!<:C;IL!l: 1:II<.'.r. tilL: "lhil<.l way" l1erulded hy ;\hr~\halll

Maslow. Cal'! Rogcrs, and other humanistic psychologi,;ts

promised in a<.lu ,1 III:W per.spective to the enlrl:nchltd din

\c;ll and bchaviorist 'Ippro:lehes_ The generous 11l1n1ilni~lic

vision h'ld a strong clTecl on the culture <ll large and held

enormou.s promise. Unfortunately. humanistic psyeholngy

<.Iiu lIol :lltr<Jt.:! mllch or a cunllll,ltivl: enlpirical h:lse. and if

Sr,l\vneJ myriad Ihcrarl:\\lic sclr-hdp movemellts. In SOlllC

or its illcarnalinns, it l:l'nphasi7.cd lhe self and cilcollr:q;ed a

self-cenleredness th,lt pl:tyeu UOWII concerns for collective

well-being. Fulure dL.:hate will determine whether Ihis caille

ubollt bL:eause Maslow and Rogcr~ were :lIle,1\1 or thL:ir

limcs, bc.c:lllse Ihl:sC n,\WS were inherent in their origin'"

vision, or bcc~llIse of overl,y enlhu~instjc followcrs. How

evcr, OIlL: legacy lIr the humanism of the 19(,()s is promi

nently displayed in ,lilY large buokstore: The "rsychology"

.scclion conwins ,il lcast )() shelves all crystal he:lling,

aromal!tcrapy, and reaching the illner child for evcry shclf'

or books Ihat Irics tt) upholu SOI11C schol:lrly s1'lIld:ml.

W!I,ltever the pers()nal origins or our convietio" that

the time has arrived I'DI' a positive psychology, our mqS;lge

Mihaly

is to rcmind our liL:ld that psychology is not just Ihe s'illuy

Csikuentmihclyi

uf p:lthology, weakness, :lnd dam,lge; it is also the study or

strcri tTI-;ilJ'-YI11iiC. i'1'eatn;ent-;s not just fiXIng what is

broken; it is nUrluri,;g whai' IS be!>t. Psychology is n-ot jusl

-;lbr~inL:ll of llIedicinc concerneu with illness or hl:alth; it is

Reading philosophy am~ dahhling in Ilistory alllI reli
mllch
It i~ about work. edudliion, insighl, \(",e,
gion did nOl provide satisfying ,1I1SWerS to lhat questiun, [
growth, and play. And in this quest for wh:ll is bcst,
found lhe ideas in lhc.~e lexts 10 he 100 subjective, 111 be
dependenl on fiJith or to be duhious assumpti~'lls; they --P(l'sllivc- rsy~hology docs not rdy on wishful thinking,
'f,i1til, scir-Jeceptioll, l'adS,' or hand waving; ittrics t(l <Ic1;lpt
lacked the clear-eyed ,~kepl icislll and the slo.w ell illulali ve
growth thaI I associaled with seiencl:', Then. ror lhe first
"what is bcsl- in Ihe ~cicnlillc methou to the unique problc'ms
that human hehavi(lr prcscn'ts to lho;e who wish to undcr
time, I c;l])]C <Icruss psychology: lirsl Illl; writings uf lung,
then Frcud, lhen a kw 01' lhe psychologists who were
stanu it in all its L:l1l1lplex.ity .
., ..' W!J,ltrl;regrollI~J~--this approach is the issue of .flli::
writing in Eu1'l1pc in the Il)SOS, l!crc, I thought, was a
vcntlOn.-Itl'iiie jlas[ cJcc;\dc~~,yd161ogist:i'li;lvc-bccome
possible Solllli~lIl 10 my Ljul:sl-a disciplinc lhat Ikalt wilh
lhl: rUl1dallll:l1lal issues of' life ,uKI allelllpkd 10 UO so with
clJl1cel'llel1 wilh prcvel11illl1, and this W:lS the presidcllli,ll
lhe patienl simplicilY of' thc n:llural sciences.
thI:l1le or Ihe I ()l)~ Arneric,m Psychological Assocj;llion
Howevl:r, at Ih,lt Iillle p,sy-C!Hl)"gy was not yel a rec
cllnvcntillll in Sail l;r'lncisco. 1101V Gln psychologislS pre
.. r<
ognizeJ disciplil1l:. ln Ilaf}'. wht.-rlt I livcd, one elHild lake
vcn( pl'Ilhku\s liklt dcpres"iull orsuhstance :lhusc or schilD
ltourses in it only as ,I minDr vihik pursuing a llt.:gn::c in
pllrenia in yllllng pcoplc wilo :Irs. genetically vulnerabfc: or
medicine or in philosophy. Sll I ~keilkrJ to COI1H; to the
Whll live in worlds lilat Ilurture these problems') How ':;)11
Uniled Stall::s, where p:>ychology !l;Il! g.:Jined wider accer
psyelw!ogisls pl'cvcnt murderous schoolyard. violl:l1cC in
lance, The lirsl course:> I lDI1K wcre ~llll1ltwh;I( 01' u shock,
children whl! havlt aeee"s tl> Wl:;lpOnS, poor r;\renlal supcr
II turned oul lhal in Ihe United :'lalt.:s. rsyclwl'lgy had
vi,sion. ,\llU :l mcan stre,lk? What psychologists havc
indted bee;lIl1~ a sciencc, ii' by seiellcc one nlltallS oilly a
!L.:arncu LJverSfl Yl:<lrs is Ihat the disease l11uultl docs 1I~.l
111';VC psychology' elusc'r to tilc' prevention or thesc seriulls
skeptical ;j\litudl: <Jnd a l:11lH.:l:1'11 (Ill' Il1ltasurClllCll1. What
seemcu to he l;jclzing, huwl:vcJ'. \\';1:; ,I I'ision that justificd
pmolcills, lndcet..!, tile major striJcs in prevenlion h,lve
lhe 311ituue Gnu the melhlluulogy. I IV:,S looking ror G
cOllle brgdy frolll :l perspeclive roeused 011 systclTIatir:llly
scientific Gpproachto human bl:!l;\vior, but 1 Ilevu Jrcamcd
hui lui ng c0l11petellcy. not on correcting we'lkness.
Prevention rcsearchers have uiscovered th,ll there arc

that this coulu yiclu a valuc-frltc uJll!crst:llluing, III hUJTI<l1l

human strengths thal act as b\.ltfers"agalnst-nle'nla['iiiilcss:

behavior, w!l,lt is must inlriguing is Iwl tht:: avcragl', hut the

"cuur3ge, fltlllrCrninJcUnl:5,';, optimism, inlerrersonal .skill,

improbable. Vuy I"ew pcop!c kt:pllllt:i"lkccney during thc

faith, work elhic, Impc, hunesly, perseverance, 3nd (he

onslaught llf Wprlu War II; yet il \\':IS those I"cIV will' hl:ld
the key to whilt hlilll<lllS clluld hl: like ,II their hcsl. How- . cap;lcity ror now am1 insight, to name seveial. Much or lhe
task "I' prevention in this new ce!1tury will be to creale 3
ever, ,II IhI: hcighl ()f its bchavillrisl phase, psychology was
scienec or hum:111 strength whosc mission will he to \\nt!l:r
bl:illg l<Juglll as i: il wen':':J hlallch "I' statistil'al I\lcchanic.s.
.st'1l1d ~nu learn hllw 10 roskr these virtues ill young [1el>plc.
Ever since, I have slluggiL:l: tll n;ellllcik lhe twin il1lper~l
Wl1I'k ing ex~lwiivcly on pcrsonal weakness and on
lives lbat a SCiL.:11Ce 01" hUl1l"n hL'!llgs should include: to
d,lInaged brains. howevel', has rendered .scicnce poorly
lInderstallll whal is and 1'111,,( ('(llIleI h,',

I:;rger:

Jaml,lry 20()() , !\l1lerlG\\1 hyehoillgist

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.quipped 10 clTcClivc:ly prevcnt illness, PS,vl'hlllll~islS necu

/lOW Itl call rur Illassivc reseurch Oil hum;\Il strengths ami
virlues, l'rlll:tiliolH:rs neeu 10 n"cognii'e Ih:11 l1Iuch of the
hest \Vork Ihey :\Iready do in Ihe cOnstdli'lg nlllln is II)
amplily "Irengths r,llher lhun rcpairlhe weaKJlesses or their
c1iellls, I'S)'c!lO!ogisls working with ralililies, sL'lwols, reli
gious CI)llllllllllit ies, alld corpor:Il;OIlS, Ill:ed ;0 develop eli
l1Iales lilal rOSIer Ihese strcnglhs, Thc 1l\'ljm pSyL'ilologic:li
Iheorics h:lve challgcd 10 undergird a Ill'W scicllLe 01'
strcllgllI :11111 resi'licnl'l:, No longer do lhe dlllilin:lI11 lhemics
view the illdiviJllal as ~ p<Jssive vcssel respoilltillg 10 stim
uli: 1'111 lIeI', individuals are now secn as decision i1lakers,
with choin's, 11Ickrcnces, allli Ihe possihijily or heclllnillg
111 astcrl'll I, \'l'IicaeiDlls, or in maligll:lI1t circul11stances, hclp
less ~\11l1 11('pclcss (Banclufa, 1986; Seligm..n, 1'.1'.12), Sei
cilce :lId I,racriec Ihat rely on lhis wl1I'lJvicw 1ll;IV I1;IVC lhc
direct elTn'l or PI'c\'cl1lin~ mallY 0[' Ihe: nlajor cmotion;11
disonkrs, They Illay :dso h;\ve two side errcets: They I11lly
lilah' thc livcs or L'licnls physiclilly healthier, gil'en ailihal
ps)'c1\{)lil~i';ls arl' lellrnillg about thc eITecLs or nlenlallVell
llein~ Oil [lIe l)(llly, This sciellce and jlr:tuicc will ;i1S11
rellrienl l),,~'cJliJl'lO:Y baCK to ils t \vu neglected missiol1s
l1lakillO: IHlrlllal pcople slronger :In(/ 1110rc productive al1d
makillg high hUlll,lII Illlleniial at.:lual.

About This Issue

The 15 ;lrlieles thai I"(lilow this il1lrodul'lioll preSel11 a
rcmarkahly varied al1d cOl11p1c;<. l'iClure 01' thc Ilriel1l,llinl1 in
p:sychl)Jo~)-;1I1d the socia! scicilces more g::nerallY-lhat
might be illl;ludcd under lhe rubric orpositil"'Vsychology,
Of course, like :i11 se:ketions, Ihis OIlC is tll sOl1le c:\lel1l
:lrhilrary alld illL'lllllplctc, for l11:ln)' 0(' Ihe lopics int.:llldcd
in Ihis issllc, lhc "pacc allolled 10 all cnlirc issue: 01 lhe
,\/1/('1';,',;1/ I'sydlologisf would oc neL'llcd 10 prill! all lhe
conlrihutillilS worthy 01" inclusion, Wc lwpe only lilallhesl'
el1lit.:ing 1101'S d'()eul'rc,~ ~lill1ulale Ihe reade,":" appelitc III
s:lll1ple IIHll't: wiJcly from the lllTcrilJ);s III the licll!'
As editors o!' lhis speci<J1 issue, I\'C 11:11'<.: Iried 10 be
t.:oll1l11eIIClisi I'e wii/iolli bcing, n:dlll1l:llll: 'flit: :llll'liurs were
a"keu 11) \\Tile at ;\ Ievcl 01" gcncrality apl,eldillg III lhe
g.really varied and uivcrsc' specialties of the jilllfllal's' rellu
crsllill, without s:Jerilicing the il1lellc,clllal I'igl,r llr thcir
argul1lclllS, The ,Inic/c" wcre llol intended III he slleci.di'l.ed
revicll's or the litn:llure, hUI broad uvcrviews II'lih :'Il eyc
tlll'l1L'd I" Lmss-Ji,sl'iplinary lil1ks :l1lt1 pr:lt.:lical :IPI,lic:ll;llllS,
Finally, liT invited 1I1l1SIIy se'I.'lllled SL'llllLlrs to L'lllllrihulL',
tllcl'ehy cx,'luding sOlne: or tilc 11Ill"t pWllIi':illt,l young re:
searchers-- bill they :Irc :llreacly prcp,II'illg Iii cdil a scuioll
or lliis jOllmal llL~vll(ed lu lilc I:llesl wllrk 11I1 flllsilil'e
ps ychulogy,
Tbcre :Jrc l(,lrce ll1<Jil1 topi,'s th:JI rlln IhJ'l)lIgh Ihcsl'
L'Dlllrillutil'IIS, Thc' Ii I'St COllCCI'l1S ll;e posil i\'c c~pericllcl' ,\
W!J;ll 111:Jf.L'S olle llllllllenl "belter" lklll the lint" II" Dallkl
Ka11l1t:\\\:\il is ri~lll, tiJcheJonic 'ill:Jlily Dr clirrell'l c.'\peri
ellec is 11ll' hasic building block llf' II jJositivc i),ydlul,,~)'
(KnllllClll;lIl, 1'.1 1)'), p, ())~ll Qi)~is iSSlIl') rUL"IISl'S
UI1 SlliJjcCI:IC well-bcil1g. !vbs~iJllin; :JIIU Delle /;;IVC (20()O,
thiS Issue I 011 (llltil:1;l! c,'(pcric:1L'C, i'CIcI-S(111 1]1)00, lliis
i"sue) IlIl <1!llilllisllI; IVlyers (20()(I, 111~~Sllc) Oil h'IPjlillt:SS,

ami Ryall ami Deci ('2ll0(), this isslle) illl sclf'-ddenninalion,

T,lylor, Kel1JCI1Y, Recu, 13\lwl'I', alld Grlleni~'nld ('2()()() , this
is,'uc), <JIlJ Sa!ovey, RolhlJl:ll1, J)c(II'L'iler, and SteIV;1rl1
, ('2000, IllisisSlIe) report DI\ lite r~I~liDnship hetwccn rosi
live t:1I10[ ions al1LI physical hC:lilh,
These topics t.:all, of Cllurse, be seell as sla[clih' or
traillike: Olle l':ln illvcsti!i:ltc either what aL'l'(IUl1ls r,ll' 11\0
IIICnl'; Ill" h:lJlpiness Dr wh:ll distinguishcs 11,lppr I'nlm un
happy individuals, Thus. lilt: secolHl lhread in \hc~e :\rlielc$
is I Ill' Ihcnle of lhe positivc personality, The C0I\1I11l111
dCIlOlllil1ator uI1Je:r1yillg ;ill fhc apl'ro:lchcs n'[1reSL'lllcJ
he:re is a pcrspet:livc 011 hllillilll heings as self'-or~llni),ing,

scll'-direclcd, adaptive entilies, Ryan anL! Dct:i (2()(J(J) t'l>ClIS

Oil selr-uetermin;ltiol1, ELiltes and Slaudillger CWOO, this

issue) 011 w isuoll1, anJ \ ai 111\1:1 (2()()O, tllis issue) I In Inlll ure

defenses, Lubinski anJl3enhu\\' (2000. this issue), 5il\1on

Il)1l (21)()(), this i,<;Sll<:), Willner (2000, this issue), ;\Ill! L;lrson

(2()()(), this issue) !"oeus on C,\l'l'plion;1! PCI forl11:1nee (i,e"

crc;\livity :Jill! l:llent), Sllille or these approachcs atll1pl ;111

cxplil'it ueve!opl11cnlal pcrspcctivc, t:lking into ~LCoulIHhat

inui ,'idual strenglhs uJirolL! ovC!' lIn cnlirt: lire 5p:ll1, '

The thinJ 111rc;ld tll;]l runs through lhc"e cOlllrii1l11iolls

i,s IIlL' !'ccogl1itioll illal I-,,:op'k :lIl1l e:"IIL'I'il'nCes ;1>C cl11hcd

dL'd ill II socia) Cl)JlICXt. TlliI\, ;1 pl1Silive psychology nccJs

III I;lke' positivc L'Ollll11Liililies IIIHI POSilivc'inslilullons into

accoullt, Ai lhe broadest !cVL'1. [3uss (2\100, this is,~ue) and

I"h,silllini anu Delle F:l\'e (2()(H!J deSCribe the evollltl~il1ary

'. ~':',~!~_1ibi!l!!:'~p()"iliv~lli!.Il_ cXQCnC!1Ce, Myers

( 20()() Ul'.:1iU-.ibc.s.J.ll.C...uml+i~~I~i~ms.Or,~tle-i;ll reb t i (lilsh ips 10

--llappil1css, and .schw~rli'. (2()<\Ifl]'ils Issue) rellel:ts on TIle

I1cec\,sily [or cullural norms 10 rL'lieve imliviJuals (l!'!hc

-~:r';;--;:)I'-cii'c)il'C:' 'C:ii:,<r-;lI''(2-iil io )-ci11j;1i'8si7.e,:;mCTillpur

lanCe or V;)lllillary ac\;\,jliL:S for Ihc dcvclopmel1t 01 re

sllllrLTl'ul YOlll1!" p~'llplc, and Winl1er (2000) descrihcs the

elkels uf !"Illnilics Oil llie UCVt:!0PIllCI1( or l;dent. 111 I"lll'l,

1\ IJc~rt:e that is cxcceuill~ly r:lrc ill pS)'LhullJgie:l1 lilt:raillre,

cvery (llll: of Ihcsc clllllrihllliollS !ollks al behavillr in its

ccol"g,ically v;did social sCllill~, /\ lJ10rc dctailed il\tr(ldllc

I illn III the "rtil'!es ill litis is,slI" lollolVs,

1"1)

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Evolutionary Perspectives

r- . tirSl sL'cliol1clllJlprises 11\'0 III'rick's t',

pl:ice JloSilive

ogy in the hm,HIeSI elll;lo! withill W ' '11 it CIIl1 he

lindel'~I(H
n;llllcly Ih;ll "I' CV"IUlioll, To'so'\h; )eClplc,

CI'OllililJJ1ar~.J.1Jl1";ll'IiL'" arc dist:I.Slel'lJ! bCl',IIISC thc !cny

the illlpm\lll1Ce 0' eamillg :llll! sl'll'-ueler1l1inalio;\, hut th~

ne~'d Illll bL' I1<:L'cssa' , so, 'Illese tIV" ,II,tic!cs ,Irc eXL'L'p- "'

lioll;J! ill Ih~11 (hey 1101 (F Iy pmvide :lIllhitiow; theorelical

perspectives, bUI-l11ir;lbilc lielll-lllCY als" provide up

liI'lin~ pl'aclieal ex,llnp!;;s ul' ] v a psychology based 011

,evolutionary pril1L'iples call hL' apl~d 10 lhc il11pmvel11clI(

\,1' 11ll' iIlIlll;:n Clliitliliol)"
-"'"
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"
III tile: 1i1';;I:lriIClcJ~);jVHIIIU,'s C::]tll)).,j'bllInLh l'c:IIlcrs

lll:lt'~ Lkau hal1d :71 lhL' paSl IVCIj;hs lfu...J.:ily ()I) the
IJrL'S{:;ll,"~ I OClISl'S pnlll:lI'Ily Illl Illl'ce: rca"llltS \\'J-Zposil i YC

st;lll'~: (11' 11 i-t)~ :IIT Sll cillsi\'l', I:il',s!. I'CC:III.'C llie l"l,jvil'lJlt

l11el1l.' peoplc 0Wrciltly lil'l' ill III'C Sll dillercl1l I'rol the

IIJll't"'lr;J! cilvin1l011l.o:l11S III 11[liL'll lilcir hlldies ami mil1 '

I1llvL' hel:n ;ldll(lIL'r1,
lin' "I'll' II Iili,lil ill l!\oz.kll1 sllr
psyc

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