Positive Psychology: A Personal History

TLDR

Positive Psychology emerged to focus on building well‑being rather than merely reducing ill‑being, and it has since expanded into fields such as neuroscience, health, psychiatry, theology, and the humanities. The author aims to address and critique the strongest criticisms of Positive Psychology. Research shows that well‑being yields external benefits such as improved health, and the author hopes it will become a cornerstone of morality, politics, and religion.

Abstract

As president of the American Psychological Association in 1998, I organized researchers and practitioners to work on building well-being, not just on the traditional task of reducing ill-being. Substantial research then found that well-being causes many external benefits, including better physical and mental health. Among the applications of Positive Psychology are national psychological accounts of well-being, Positive Psychotherapy, the classification of strengths and virtues, Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, and Positive Education. Positive Psychology has spread beyond psychology into neuroscience, health, psychiatry, theology, and even to the humanities. Positive Psychology has many critics, and I comment on the strongest criticisms. I conclude with the hope that the building of well-being will become a cornerstone of morality, politics, and religion.