Bringing together today’s most prominent positive psychology researchers to discuss current themes and issues in the field
Positive psychology is the scientific study of the strengths, rather than the weaknesses, in human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. For much of its history, psychology has focused on the negative, completely overlooking the positive attributes that allow individuals and communities to thrive. Positive Psychology is a collection of essays that together constitutes a much-needed theoretical rationale and critical assessment of the field. This book reassesses what we already know and provides directions for the future. Contributors are leading international authors, including Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Robert Sternberg, Vittorio Caprara, C. Daniel Batson, and Illona Boniwell, among others. These luminaries write in a way that is rigorous enough for academic use but accessible to professionals, policymakers, and lay audiences as well.
The content of Positive Psychology include both theoretical applied contributions focusing on a range of areas including altruism, positive creativity, science of well-being, forgiveness, coaching for leadership, cyberpsychology, intelligence, responding to catastrophes like COVID-19, time perspective, physiological and epigenetic, youth civic engagement, ups and downs of love, flow and good life, global perspectives on positive psychology, self and collective efficacy, positive psychology interventions and positive orientation. The book is pitched to senior undergraduates, graduates, academics and researchers and provides insights and perspectives into neglected and unresolved questions.
- Brings together the latest viewpoints and research findings on positive psychology, from the leading thinkers in the field
- Offers both theoretical and applied insights, for a well-rounded reference on this new and fast growing field
- Contains contributions from well known authors like Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Robert Sternberg, and Vittorio Caprara
- Appeals to academic, professional, and lay audiences with an interest in acquiring a profound knowledge of positive psychology
No other book currently on the market addresses such a breadth of issues in positive psychology. Positive Psychology represents a significant theoretical boost to this exciting field.
Table of Contents
List of Contributors ix
Acknowledgment xv
1 Embracing Psychology Positively 1
Derek Chadee and Aleksandra Kostić
2 The Empathy‐Altruism Hypothesis 12
C. Daniel Batson
3 Positive Creativity 33
Robert J. Sternberg
4 Science of Well‐Being: Notable Advances 43
Jessica Kansky and Ed Diener
5 Positive Psychology: Coaching Leadership Tensions 69
Ilona Boniwell and Wendy‐Ann Smith
6 Positive Cyberpsychology: A Conceptual Framework 85
Jolanta Burke
7 Earth to Humans: Get with It or Get Out!: Adaptive Intelligence in the Age of Human‐Induced Catastrophes 102
Robert J. Sternberg
8 Time Perspective and Good Feelings 113
Aleksandra Kostić, Derek Chadee, and Marija Pejičić
9 Physiological and Epigenetic: Implications of Positive Emotions 129
Massimo Agnoletti and Sandro Formica
10 Youth Civic Engagement: Exploring Micro and Macro Social Processes 152
Laura Wray‐Lake, Burkhard Gniewosz, Celina Benavides,and Sara Wilf
11 The Ups and Downs of Love: What Makes Love Go Well, or Badly? 177
Robert J. Sternberg
12 Flow: A Component of the Good Life 193
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
13 Global Perspectives on Positive Psychological Science 201
Stewart I. Donaldson, Saeideh Heshmati, and Scott I. Donaldson
14 Self‐Efficacy, Collective Efficacy and Positive Psychology 214
Shari Young Kuchenbecker
15 Creating and Disseminating Positive Psychology Interventions: Going Viral to Staying Vital 236
Everett L. Worthington, Jr.
16 From Serbia with Positive Orientation: The Serbian Studies 260
Vesna Petrović, Dragan uljević, and Gian Vittorio Caprara
Index 292