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positive psychology

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positive psychology

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Also known as Psychology, Positive

scientific study of the positive aspects of the human experience that make life worth living

~40 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Positive psychology is the scientific study of conditions and processes that contribute to positive psychological states (e.g., contentment, joy), well-being, positive relationships, and positive institutions.

Positive psychology began as a new domain of psychology in 1998 when Martin Seligman chose it as the theme for his term as president of the American Psychological Association. It is a reaction against past practices that tended to focus on mental illness and emphasized maladaptive behavior and negative thinking. It builds on the humanistic movement of Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, which encourages an emphasis on happiness, well-being, and purpose.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “positive psychology” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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