Positive psychology is the scientific study of human flourishing and optimal functioning. Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi are considered founders of the field. Positive psychology studies human strengths like resilience, optimism, and well-being. In contrast to traditional psychology which focuses on illness, positive psychology examines factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive such as positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment.

1. Positive psychology
SYBA SEC 1B PSYCHOLOGY 4TH SEMESTER

2. FATHER OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman is the Director of the Penn Positive
Psychology Center and Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology
in the Penn Department of Psychology.
He is also Director of the Penn Master of Applied Positive
Psychology program (MAPP).
He was President of the American Psychological Association in
1998, during which one of his presidential initiatives was the
promotion of Positive Psychology as a field of scientific study.
He is a leading authority in the fields of Positive Psychology,
resilience, learned helplessness, depression, optimism and
pessimism. He is also a recognized authority on interventions that
prevent depression, and build strengths and well-being.

3. ANOTHER KEY PERSON
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
He recognised and named the psychological concept of flow, a
highly focused mental state conducive to productivity.
He is the Distinguished Professor of Psychology and
Management at Claremont Graduate University. He is the
former head of the department of psychology at the University
of Chicago and of the department of sociology and
anthropology at Lake Forest College
He is also the founder and co-director of the Quality of Life
Research Center (QLRC).

4. POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY IS
ART OR SCIENCE? OR BOTH?

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

6. Various definitions are as follows:
It is the scientific study of positive human functioning and flourishing
on multiple levels that include the biological, personal, relational,
institutional, cultural and global dimensions of life.
- Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (2000)
Positive psychology is a more open and appreciative perspective
regarding human potentials, motives and capacities.
- Sheldon and King (2001)
Positive psychology is the study of the conditions and processes that
contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning of people, groups
and institutions.
-Shelly Gable, Jonathan Haidt, (2005)
"Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most
worth living."
- Peterson (2008)

7. NATURE OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
● POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
Simon Frost (1999)immune system gets affected by psychological
stress. If child has to face the same for very long time then immune
system is suppressed and ill effects on nervous system are also
seen.Therefore positive psychology plays a vital role in childs
development.
● POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND PERSONALITY
Research shows link between positivity and personality factors.
Saurabh et al. (2016) Happiness is positively correlated to
extraversion, conscientiousness and agreeableness.

8. NATURE OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
● POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND HEALTH
People having positive mental state are less prone to common
cold (Cohen et. al.; 1995). Patients with optimistic
mentality show better recovery in their illness. (Dr.
Bhattacharya; 2008)
● POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Association with positive people can make you positive
toobut vice versa applies too.

9. HEALTH BENEFITS OF POSITIVE THINKING
● INCREASED LIFE SPAN
● LOWER RATES OF DEPRESSION
● LOWER RATES OF DISTRESS
● GREATER RESISTANCE TO COMMON COLD
● BETTER PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL WELL BEING
● REDUCED RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
● BETTER COPING SKILLS DURING HARDSHIPS AND STRESS

11. UNTIL WORLD WAR II
● Psychology as academic and philosophical subject.
● Psychology used to test and diagnose diseases and treat
them.
● Psychology for army recruitment of mentally healthy people.
● Freudian Psychology.
● Concentrating on what is wrong with health and treating it.
● Believed that negativities, aggression and depression as
main causes of psychological problem
● More emphasis given on how to cure illness or diseases.
THEREFORE, THIS IS KNOWN AS THE DISEASE MODEL

12. THE DISEASE MODEL
The ‘disease model’ or mental illness approach to psychology,
which focuses on identifying what’s wrong with people, in
order to ‘fix’ them, has been challenged over the past two
decades.

14. Traditional psychology assumes -
(1) Discussing the problems curative and eases the symptoms i.e.
fixing what is the problem.
(2) People are victims of biological, social or psychological forces.
(3) Focus on repairing negatives as these are worth analysis and
attention.
(4) Reduce the symptoms and make life less miserable.
(5) Absence of illness is well being.

15. The assumptions of positive psychology are as follows
(1) Building strengths and generating positive emotions is curative
i.e. building what is strong.
(2) People are self motivated, growth oriented, need skills to grow.
(3) Focus on positives to repair, promote, and prevent as these are
worthy of attention and analysis.
(4) Reduce the symptoms, boost present well being, prevent future
problems and make life worthwhile.
(5) Absence of well being is vulnerability for future problems.