Psychology
In this section you will find a selection of articles which
summarise key insights from the relatively new and fast-developing field of
positive psychology. The term ‘positive psychology’ was coined by Martin
Seligman in his presidential address at the 1998 meeting of the American
Psychological Association. In the leading article of the January 2000 issue of
the journal American Psychologists, Seligman
and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi noted that, until then, psychology had directed its
attention towards the attempt to cure mental disorder, when it might also be
possible to use the insights into human psychology gained from the study of
individuals who cope effectively with adversity to enhance the wellbeing of
humankind more generally (Moneta 2014, 1-2). Here, of course, I focus on those
insights which, while also helpful in promoting happiness and preventing
unhappiness for humanity in general, might be particularly helpful to those who
are struggling through hard times.
On these pages, you will also find insights derived from recent popular literature on neuroscience, and from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which focuses on practical strategies to deal with problems, rather than attempting to ascertain how the problems arose. A commonly-used strategy is that of mindfulness, which has its origins in the religious practices of Hinduism and Buddhism, although Christian and non-religious versions of mindfulness also exist.
Careful readers will notice links between some of the ideas which you will find under the general heading of ‘psychology’ and some of the ideas discussed under the headings of ‘philosophy’ and ‘spirituality’. Amongst philosophers writing in the so-called ‘continental’ tradition, the boundaries between these disciplines are by no means rigid.
Reference
Giovanni B Moneta Positive Psychology: A Critical Introduction (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).
Updated: 20 September 2015
On these pages, you will also find insights derived from recent popular literature on neuroscience, and from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which focuses on practical strategies to deal with problems, rather than attempting to ascertain how the problems arose. A commonly-used strategy is that of mindfulness, which has its origins in the religious practices of Hinduism and Buddhism, although Christian and non-religious versions of mindfulness also exist.
Careful readers will notice links between some of the ideas which you will find under the general heading of ‘psychology’ and some of the ideas discussed under the headings of ‘philosophy’ and ‘spirituality’. Amongst philosophers writing in the so-called ‘continental’ tradition, the boundaries between these disciplines are by no means rigid.
Reference
Giovanni B Moneta Positive Psychology: A Critical Introduction (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).
Updated: 20 September 2015
