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Positive Psychology: Looking Back and Looking Forward
1Department of Psychology, Institute on Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.
Frontiers in Psychology
|April 4, 2022
Summary
Positive psychology (PP) must address persistent issues like flawed measures and unrepresentative samples. Future research should tackle societal challenges and explore the arts and nature for well-being.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Positive Psychology Research
Background:
- Historical critiques reveal persistent issues in positive psychology (PP).
- Recent research shows progress but highlights ongoing concerns in PP.
- Commercialization of PP necessitates improved oversight and quality control.
Approach:
- Review of prior critiques and recent research in positive psychology.
- Selective examination of studies focusing on well-being measures and sample diversity.
- Analysis of societal challenges and their intersection with psychological well-being.
Key Points:
- Persistent problems include poorly constructed well-being measures and reliance on homogeneous samples.
- Commercialization of PP requires greater oversight and quality control.
- Recurrent issues like greed, indifference, and stupidity warrant scientific attention.
- Anger requires further scientific study due to its complex nature.
Conclusions:
- Future PP research should address societal challenges like inequality and pandemics.
- Increased study of arts participation and nature encounters is advocated for nurturing good lives.
- PP must integrate past lessons to become more societally relevant and virtuous.
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