Positive psychology is the study of optimal human functioning and flourishing. It aims to understand how people thrive and focus on strengths rather than weaknesses. The pioneers of positive psychology are Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Positive psychology differs from traditional psychology by promoting characteristics like strengths, optimism, and good relationships that act as buffers against mental illness. Some criticisms are that it presents an overly positive view of the world and its emphasis on positivity could imply other approaches are negative. Positive psychology is applied in areas like the military, VA hospitals, and rehabilitation through building resilience, problem-solving skills, and relationships.

1. Positive
Psychology
By Ginger Gairani
For PSY10000

2. What is Positive Psychology?
 “The study of the conditions and processes that
contribute to the flourishing or optimal
functioning of people, groups, and institutions”
-Gable & Haidt

3. What is Positive Psychology
Attempting to Understand?
 How things go right in our lives
 The relationship between what makes people
happy and able to be successful and it’s impact
on their mental health
 Coping with adversity
 Preventing depression
 Increasing satisfaction and productivity

4. The Pioneers of Positive
Psychology
(Seligman and

5. How Does This Differ From the
Traditional View of
Psychology?
 Promotes certain characteristics; Strengths of
Character and good relationships are “buffers”
against mental illness
 Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi describe four
positive traits that are the backbone of positive
psychology:
 Subjective wellbeing
 Optimism
 Happiness
 Self-determination
-Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi

6. Drawbacks of Positive
Psychology
 Some may fail to identify with negative
experiences, causing a “Pollyanna view of the
world” (Gable & Haidt)
 Others view the word “positive” in positive
psychology to mean that the opposite must be
negative psychology
 There is no “negative psychology”; only
psychology that works to solve different
puzzles of the mind and psyche

7. Positive Psychology Put Into
Practice
 Plays a part in recovery during psychiatric rehabilitation
 Used by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S.
Army
 The U.S. Army offers resiliency training to officers, where
they will then pass down their experience with it to their
soldiers
 This training seeks to nurture characteristics such as:
 Optimism
 Effective Problem Solving
 Faith
 A Sense of Meaning
 Self-efficacy
 Flexibility
 Impulse Control
 Empathy
 Close Relationships
 Spirituality
-Moran & Nemec

8. Positive Psychology Put Into
Practice
 Normal psychiatric rehabilitation focuses on the
shortfalls and limitations of patients, whereas
positive psychology emphasizes the importance
of what is going right in a client’s life
 Positive psychology can be used as a
preventative measure and a rehabilitation
measure
 As a preventative measure, positive
psychology searches to strengthen innate
characteristics that build a strong foundation
for mental health

9. In Conclusion…
 Positive psychology is a movement pioneered by
Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
 It seeks to answer the question: How can we
improve on the strength, character, and
attributes already present to make people more
mentally healthy or resilient?
 Positive psychology is practiced in organizations
such as the U.S. Army and focuses on what is
going right, as opposed to what is wrong

10. References
 Gable, S. L., & Haidt, J. (2005). What (and why) is positive
psychology?. Review Of General Psychology, 9(2), 103-110.
doi:10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.103
 Moran, G. S., & Nemec, P. B. (2013). Walking on the sunny side:
what positive psychology can contribute to psychiatric
rehabilitation concepts and practice. Psychiatric
Rehabilitation Journal, 36(3), 202-208. doi:10.1037/
prj0000012
 Seligman, M. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive
psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5-
14. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5