Positive Psychology: No Longer Just the Study of Happiness: Positive Education, Positive Health and Flourishing
At the World Congress on Positive Psychology, thought-leaders in the field of positive psychology presented their visions for the future. Notably, most argued that studying happiness is a start, but not sufficient. These three areas will be the future focus for the field of positive psychology:
Positive Health
Already, leading psychologists, physicians and other influencers have begun gathering to develop the field of positive health. Last week, millions of dollars of grants were announced for the study of positive neuroscience. A lecture series at the University of Pennsylvania is focused on the area. Recently, Martin Seligman outlined his proposal (PDF) for the new field:
Positive health describes a state beyond the mere absence of disease and is definable and measurable. Positive health can be operationalised by a combination of excellent status on biological, subjective, and functional measures.
Positive Education
Yesterday’s U.S. News and World Report includes a niece piece on positive education, which Marty Seligman last year defined in an Australian op-ed :
The schooling of children has, for more than a century, been about accomplishment, the avenue into the world of adult work. I am all for accomplishment, success, literacy and discipline, but imagine if schools could, without compromising either, teach both the skills of well being and the skills of achievement. Imagine positive education. – Martin Seligman
The Science of Flourishing
At the World Congress on Positive Psychology, attendees were challenged to ensure that 51% of the world is flourishing by 2051. The focus on flourishing will become more prominentas global researchers argue that human flourishing is the ultimate goal of studying and increasing happiness. In 2002, positive psychology saw its first book focused on flourishing. In the coming months, we will see more articles, lectures and studies incorporating the idea of human flourishing. Keep watching Chris Peterson, from the University of Michigan. For years, he has been reminding his colleagues in positive psychology that “Other people matter.” This mantra becomes even more important as the field focuses on studying the science of human flourishing.
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