Traditional vs Positive Psychology Positive Psychology 1 – Aims and Scope (Martin Seligman) Positive Psychology 2 – Aims and Scope (Paul T. Wong) Comparison of the Two Visions/Waves of Positive Psychology The Concept of Well-being Descriptions of Well-being Definitions of Well-being Historical Perspectives on Positive Psychology Positive Psychology and Other Social Sciences GDP to GNHI - Towards “Holistic Approach to Human Development” Value Crisis Positive Psychology and Other Areas of Psychology Health Psychology Clinical Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Social Psychology The Psychology of Religion Applied Positive Psychology Research in Psychology: Meaning Research in Psychology: Goals Types of Research Based on Application Pure Theoretical Research Applied Research Based on Objectives Descriptive Correctional Explanatory Exploratory Based on Enquiry Mode Quantitative Qualitative Mixed Method Process of Research Research Methods in Positive Psychology Assessment in Positive Psychology Ethical Guidelines in Research Distinction between Western and Indian Psychological Perspectives Implications of Culture for Positive Psychology Positive Psychology and Indian Psychological Perspectives Religious and Spiritual Practices for Enhancing Well-Being Yoga and well-being Self-Mastery Development of Virtues Vipasana Mediation Pranayama Mediation Gunas and Svabhava The Challenge of Sustainable Happiness Concept of Character Strengths Significance of Character Strengths Measurement of Strengths VIA Classification of Strengths and Virtues Clifton’s StrengthsFinder The Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets Interpersonal Strengths and Well-being Forgiveness Gratitude Kindness Compassion and Altruism Empathy Interpersonal Strength Mindset - Fixed, Growth and Multicultural Fixed Versus Growth Mindset Multicultural / Global Mindset Grit and Determination Self-Compassion Self-Forgiveness Introduction Positive vs Negative Emotions Theory of Positive Emotions Positive Emotions and Well-being Managing Emotions Effectively Adaptive Potential of Emotion-Focused Coping Enhancing one’s Emotional Intelligence Socioemotional Selectivity Theory Emotional Storytelling Developing Emotional Skills Cultivating Positive Emotions Collaborative for academic social and emotional learning CASEL The RULER Techniques Concept of Happiness Hedonic and Eudaimonic Perspective Models of Happiness Carol Ryff’s Six-Factor Model of Psychological Well-Being Corey Keyes’ Dual Continuum Model of Mental Health PERMA Model of Seligman Self-Determination Theory of Ryan and Deci Indian Perspectives on Happiness The Panch Kosha Model of Well-being Factors affecting Happiness Concept of Self Different Aspects of Self Self-Concept Real Self and Ideal Self Self-Esteem Self esteem vs self concept Self-efficacy Self-Regulation Self control Self regulation vs self control Introduction Resilience: Background and Early Research Four Waves of Resilience Research Methodologica

2. Positive Psychology
Dr Vasant Kothari
M.Tech, MBA (Marketing), M.Phil (Management),
PhD (Management), PGDIPRL (NLSIU, Bengaluru)
MA (Psychology), PhD (Psychology)*
DEM (Apparel Export), GEMM (NIFT)
SPRING SEASON PUBLICATIONS
Navi Mumbai, INDIA

3. Positive Psychology
Author: Dr Vasant Kothari
1st Edition – 2023
Spring Season Publications
Kandla Road, Near Milk Dairy, Chikhli, MS, INDIA, 443201
www.springseason.in
ISBN: 978-81-953179-6-7
© 2023 Dr Vasant Kothari
All Rights Reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electrical, mechanical, Photocopying, recording or
otherwise) without the prior Written permission of the author
All data were deemed correct at time of creation
Author/Publisher is not liable for errors or omissions
Printed at: Printwell International Pvt. Ltd., Aurangabad, MS, India

4. Content
1 Introduction 1
2 Research Methods and Assessment 20
3 Eastern And Western Perspectives 43
4 Character and Interpersonal Strength 72
5 Positive Affect and Positive Emotions 131
6 Happiness 147
7 Self and Related Concept 165
8 Resilience 183
9 Optimism and Hope 202
10 Flow and Mindfulness 220
11 Positive Schooling and Parenting 244
12
Applying Positive Psychology in Relationship, Family
and Aging
260
13
Applying Positive Psychology in Workplace, Health
and Well-Being
288
14 Stress Management and Post Traumatic Growth 311
15 Yoga and Meditation 337
16 Current Trends and Future Directions 356

5. 1
Chapter 01
Introduction to Positive Psychology
1.1 Introduction
Before World War II, psychology had three distinct goals:
1. Treat mental illness;
2. Make life more productive and fulfilling; and
3. Identify and nurture talent.
After World War II, the National Institute of Mental Health was founded, and the
focus of psychology turned almost exclusively towards understanding and
treating mental illness.
Psychologists came to understand how people survive and endure adversity,
challenges, and trauma. By adopting a disease model, psychologists made
remarkable progress toward discovering how to repair psychological damage.
However, psychology’s other missions, to promote productive, meaningful lives
and nurture talent, were left unattended.
There was a clear bias toward the negative aspects of human experience that drove
psychologists. That is to say, it was assumed that negative motives were genuine
and positive feelings were derivative or inauthentic.
So, traditionally in psychology, the focus has been on identifying and treating
mental health problems such as depression. This is critically important for those
facing mental illness however, it provides an incomplete picture of mental health.
Positive psychology is a relatively new branch of psychology that shifts the focus
from what is clinically wrong, to the promotion of well-being and the creation of
a satisfying life filled with meaning, pleasure, engagement, positive relationships,
and accomplishment.
Positive psychology is a scientific approach to the study of human thoughts
feelings and behavior. It focuses on building personal strengths and all positive
qualities and experiences in life.
Positive psychology is not only about putting on a happy face all the time. Life

6. Positive Psychology
2
Life above Zero
Positive psychology emphasizes the study of life above zero. Here zero is the line
that divides illness from wellness and unhappiness from happiness.
Traditional psychology has focused on life at and below zero, that is, illness, pain
and frustration. Life below zero indicates a life which contains stress, problems
in life, physical and mental diseases, unhealthy social relations, etc. These factors
negatively influence human life.
Life above zero covers a large area of positive aspects of human behavior like
happiness, optimism, hope, trust, character strength, compassion, empathy,
mindfulness, resilience, etc. these are the areas that Positive Psychology focuses
on.
Traditional Psychology Positive Psychology
Traditional psychology focuses on
people’s problems and finding
solutions attached to the problems
Positive psychology is the scientific
research of positive emotions and
traits
Focusing on what is ‘wrong’ with an
individual and emphasizing the
reduction of symptoms and
prevention of relapse
Focusing on what is ‘right’ with an
individual to boost character strengths
and foster human flourishing
Disease model Health model
Focuses on weakness Focuses on strengths
Overcoming deficiencies Building competencies
Avoiding pain Seeking pleasure
Running from unhappiness Pursuing happiness
Neutral state (0) as celling No celling

7. Introduction to Positive Psychology
3
Traditional Psychology Positive Psychology
Tensionless as ideal Creative tension as ideal
People are victims of biological,
social or psychological forces, and
need help with the disorder
People are self-motivated, growth-
oriented, and need skills to grow
Goal: reduce symptoms; make life
less miserable
Goal: boost present well-being,
prevent future problems; make life
worthwhile
Well-being: Absence of illness
Well-being: positive influences and
happiness
Uses techniques like cognitive
behavioral therapy, psychodynamic
therapy, narrative therapy, solution
focused therapy, etc.,
Uses techniques like gratitude,
kindness, strength, and an optimistic
approach
can be hard and disappointments and challenges are inevitable. However,
scientific research has shown that there are some strategies and skills that allow
people to navigate the challenges of life more effectively and enjoy life despite
the upsets.
Martin Seligman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and
a Clinical Psychologist, officially introduced Positive Psychology as a subfield
when he chose it as a theme of the American Psychological Association
Conference in 1998. So, this branch of psychology gives importance to studying

8. Positive Psychology
4
things like joy, courage, and happiness rather than stress, anxiety, illness,
disorders, conflicts, frustrations, etc.
There is no common definition of Positive Psychology. Seligman defined Positive
Psychology as “The scientific study of positive human functioning and flourishing
on multiple levels that include the biological, personal, relational, institutional,
cultural and global dimensions of life.” In short, Positive Psychology is the
science of happiness, human strength, and growth.
In their initial focus on the positive aspects of human existence, Seligman and his
colleagues do not appear to have given much thought to the significance of human
adversity and suffering for human development and defining well-being.
Numerous psychologists voiced their disapproval of this.
Paul T Wong, a Canadian Professor of Psychology and Clinical Psychologist, is
the most vocal of them. He actively promoted his concept of existential positive
psychology, which is a Positive Psychology approach.
Wong emphasizes the significance of pain, suffering, and sorrow in defining what
happiness, well-being, and meaningful living are. It cannot be said that Seligman
neglected them totally. Seligman, on the other hand, favored focusing more on the
positive aspects of human experiences. Wong, an Existential-humanistic
psychologist, chose to emphasize the links between suffering and meaningfulness
to well-being. Additional research yielded new insights and shifted the emphasis.
As a result, there are currently two versions of Positive Psychology (PP) that are
referred to as “two waves”:
1. PP1 (Seligman’s version of Positive Psychology) and
2. PP2 (Wong’s version of Positive Psychology)
Therefore, it is necessary to comprehend this field’s definition, purpose, and scope
within the context of these two major trends.
Further, it should be noted that PP 2 is more in line with Indian perspectives on
life and well-being.
1.2 Positive Psychology 1 – Aims and Scope (Martin Seligman)
Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (2000) contend that if the study of
human development turns towards a “Positive Psychology” then: …the social and

9. Introduction to Positive Psychology
5
behavioral sciences can play an enormously important role. He claimed that
Positive Psychology:
1. could articulate a vision of the good life that is empirically sound while
being understandable and attractive
2. could show what actions lead to well-being, to positive individuals, and
to thriving communities
3. should be able to help document
a. what kinds of families result in children who flourish
b. what work settings support the greatest satisfaction among
workers
c. what policies result in the strongest civic engagement, and
d. how people’s lives can be most worth living
In order to reach the above goals and objectives of Positive Psychology, “one must
consider optimum functioning at numerous levels, including biological,
experiential, personal, social, institutional, cultural, and global.”
As per the manifesto we have to study:
1. The dynamic relations between processes at these levels
2. The human capacity to create order and meaning in response to
inevitable adversity
3. The means by which ‘the good life,’ in its many manifestations, may
emerge from these processes
As per the Positive Psychology Manifesto, “Positive Psychology is the scientific
study of optimal human functioning.” It aims to “discover and promote the factors
that allow individuals and communities to thrive.”
The manifesto further states that Positive Psychology “represents a new
commitment on the part of research psychologists to focus attention upon the
sources of psychological health, thereby going beyond prior emphasis upon
The three central concerns of Positive Psychology involve,
1. Understanding positive experiences or positive emotions consists in the

10. Positive Psychology
6
study of ‘contentment’ with the ‘past’; ‘pleasure’ in the ‘present’; and
‘hope’ for the ‘future’
2. Understanding positive individual traits means the study of strengths and
virtues viz., the capacity to love, valour, altruism, grit, creativity,
curiosity, integrity, moderation, self-control, spirituality and humor and
3. Understanding positive institutions involves the study of the strong
families, communities, corporations, and the virtues that nourish them
such as justice, responsibility, civility, work ethic, leadership, teamwork,
purpose, and tolerance
Even though Seligman’s vision and approach to PP have gained a lot of
popularity, it has been criticized for putting too much emphasis on positive
emotions and underestimating the importance of negative emotions.
Existential-Humanistic psychologists are of the view that both pleasure and pain
contribute to our well-being.
1.3 Positive Psychology 2 – Aims and Scope (Paul T Wong)
In Wong’s view, suffering is as much required for flourishing and growth as the
experience of positive emotions. Therefore, he terms his vision as “Existential
Positive Psychology (2.0) of Flourishing Through Suffering.”
Wong also terms it as the second wave of PP. As he states:
“PP is intrinsically existential because it is concerned with
such fundamental questions about human existence as: What is
the good life? What makes life worth living? How can one find
happiness? However, these existential questions cannot be fully
addressed through PP research alone without recognizing
people’s existential anxieties. A maturing PP needs to return to
its existential-humanistic roots to rediscover the richness of the
lived experience and the many pathways to meaning in life.”
Basically, Paul Wong has focused on ‘suffering’ and ‘meaning’ as other important
aspects in addition to the concepts discussed by Seligman as key themes of
Positive Psychology.
Existential positive psychology (EPP) represents a natural amalgamation between
PP and existential psychology. Basically, EPP addresses a few fundamental

11. Introduction to Positive Psychology
7
questions about self-identity and the human condition of striving for happiness
within the constraints of reality:
• Who am I? What defines me? Who am I when everything is stripped
away from me and I am reduced to a naked lonely soul? Is there anything
unique and special about me?
• How can I be happy? Why am I bored? Why am I so dissatisfied with
life? What is the good life? Is this all there is to life?
• What should I do with my life? How shall I then live? What is my calling?
To what should I devote the rest of my life?
• How do I make the right choices? How do I know that I am making the
right decision regarding my career and relationships? How can I tell right
from wrong?
• Where do I belong? Why do I feel so alone in this world? How can I
develop deep and meaningful relationships? Where can I find
acceptance? Where is my home?
• What is the point of striving when life is so short? Why should I struggle
to survive when life is transient and fragile? What is the point of building
something only to see it swallowed up by death?
All these questions are related to the human processes of making sense and finding
a purpose or reason for existence. It is the spirit of asking tough questions and
rejecting easy prepackaged answers that characterize existential psychology. EPP
is open to insights, wisdom, and facts of life from all sources regardless of the
paradigm of knowledge claims, and thus provides a richer research agenda.
Thus, eight sources of a meaningful life have been repeatedly found through
research:
1. Happiness and fulfillment
2. Achieving something worthwhile
3. Intimacy: marriage and family
4. Good relationships with friends and people
5. Self-acceptance
6. Self-transcendence or altruism

12. Positive Psychology
8
7. Religion and
8. Fairness or justice
The majority of people encounter such questions at some point in their lives,
regardless of gender, ethnicity, colour, socioeconomic class, caste, nationality, or
other factors. Regardless of gender, race, colour, socioeconomic status, caste, or
nationality, the majority of people encounter such concerns at some point. We
gain satisfaction and a sense of direction for our lives when we can provide
satisfactory answers to such questions. However, failing to answer these questions
can result in anxiety, depression, and even suicide.
1.4 Comparison of the Two Waves of Positive Psychology
Seligman’s Visions of Positive
Psychology
Wong’s Visions of Positive
Psychology
The basic vision is same, i.e., promoting good life and flourishing
The primary aim is to understand the nature of good life or worthy life and
the conditions which facilitate such a living
Focuses on the positive only
Focuses on both the positive and the
Negative
Emphasizes positive emotions Emphasizes responsible action
Avoids the topics of suffering and
death
Embraces the topics of suffering and
death as a precondition for authentic
happiness
Happiness oriented, self-fulfillment
focused
Meaning oriented, self-transcendence
focused
Direct pursuit of happiness may
backfire
Direct pursuit of meaning leads to
authentic happiness
Flourishing is achieved through
focusing on the positive avoiding the
negative
Flourishing is achieved only through
confronting the dark side of human
existence
Truncated understanding of well-
being
Complete understanding of well-
being in the midst of suffering
Based on the positivist paradigm
Based on the human science
perspective
Dichotomous and binary Dialectical and interactive
Focuses on elements of well-being,
such as behavior, cognition, affect,
and so on
Focuses on the whole person, taking a
holistic and person-centered approach

13. Introduction to Positive Psychology
9
Seligman’s Visions of Positive
Psychology
Wong’s Visions of Positive
Psychology
Based on individualist culture
Based on both individualist and
collectivist cultures
Based on empirical findings from
psychological laboratories
Based on empirical findings from
both psychological and real-life
“laboratories”
Positive emotion – Hedonic and
eudaimonic happiness
Have the courage to embrace all
emotions and learn to maintain inner
peace
Engagement – Do things we truly
enjoy
Assume responsibility to do what is
right and in spite of limitations
Have good relationships to enhance
our well-being
Seek connections with our true self,
with others, and with God. Treat
others, not as instruments for our
well-being
Meaning – Devote our time to do
something greater than oneself
Meaning – Pursue our calling or life
goals which are constitutively and
intrinsically good
Accomplishment based on success or
happiness
Accomplishment based on becoming
what one was to be – a decent human
being, who remains true to their
calling
Distinct from humanistic-existential
psychology
Informed by humanistic-existential
psychology
1.5 The Concept of Well-being
Positive psychology is certainly not the first attempt by psychologists to study
well-being and the good life.
The psychology of well-being serves as an umbrella term for happiness, health,
flourishing, and optimal functioning at both the individual and national levels in
both positive and negative conditions. Well-being denotes the desirable condition
of our existence and the end state of our pursuit. All human efforts and ingenuities
are directed at improving their well-being and bettering their future.
Everyone who is seeking and striving for something is after some kind of well-
being – something that makes them feel good and something that is evaluated as

14. Positive Psychology
10
good and satisfying. Culture shapes our understanding of happiness and our
expression of emotions
1.5.1 Descriptions of Well-being
From the inception of the field, there has been an interest in studying healthy
personality development and optimal states of well-being.
Well-being reflects not only healthy functioning and happiness, but also serves an
evaluative function in the self-determination process.
Well-being is concerned with both objective assessments of wellness and the
subjective judgment of how satisfied one is with their life in terms of physical,
mental, social, economic, and emotional well-being.
Bradburn (1969) noted that high psychological well-being indicates more of a
positive affect than a negative affect and low psychological well-being indicates
the vice-versa.
Ed Diener’s (1984) concept of Subjective Well-Being (SWB) is associated with
two elements (1) positive and negative affect (2) and life satisfaction.
Another important contribution came from Carol Ryff (1989) who questioned the
idea of limiting the notion of well-being to pleasure seeking or happiness as is
usually called. Ryff’s concept of Psychological Well-being (PWB) goes beyond
one’s affective experiences. It focuses on knowing to what extent a person has
been able to develop one’s self in terms of six different psychological dimensions
viz., autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with
others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. PWB is equated with the Greek notion
of eudaimonia which means seeking meaning in life.
Seligman’s PERMA is the newer addition to this. Seligman’s “new theory of well-
being concentrates…on elements of well-being,” which he believes are “a set of
building blocks for a flourishing life” They are: Positive Emotion, Engagement,
Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment (PERMA).”
1.5.2 Definitions of Well-being
Just as there are descriptions there are definitions of well-being. A few examples
are cited as follows.
Headey and Wearing (1992) propose a definition of well-being in which well-

15. Introduction to Positive Psychology
11
being is shown‚ as depending on prior equilibrium levels of well-being and of life
events, and also on recent events.
Reber (1995) is of the view that well-being should be considered to be a state – a
condition of a system in which the essential qualities are relatively stable.
Shah and Marks (2004) state that “Well-being is more than just happiness. In
addition to feeling satisfied and happy, well-being means developing as a person,
being fulfilled, and making a contribution to the community.”
So, what is well-being? Is it a composite of many elements or is it a state of mind
of a person? So, to conclude, most researchers now believe that well-being is a
multi-dimensional construct.
1.6 Historical Perspectives on Positive Psychology
As already discussed above, Positive Psychology is a popular movement that
began in the late 1990s. It was spearheaded by a former president of the American
Psychological Association, Martin Seligman.
Ways of writing the history of a discipline
Internal History External History
Internal history refers to the
emergence of a field and the
developments within it from its
inception up to a particular period at
which time the historian wishes to
write
External history goes outside the
disciplinary boundaries and looks at
the social and cultural events and the
context in which a particular
discipline emerged and what are the
influencing events
In order to understand, when Positive Psychology emerged, in what context it
emerged, and how it is relevant locally and globally,
external history approach is the best approach
The terms “happy,” “well-being,” “thriving,” “living a meaningful life,” and
others are not novel concepts or topics. Perhaps these subjects have been the focus
of human inquiry since they had the ability to reflect on the meaning and purpose
of his or her existence. For ages, people all over the world have developed some
idea of happiness. As a result, Positive Psychology, like many other topics in
psychology, has a long but brief history.
In psychology, humanistic psychologists had already discussed many aspects of
human potential and quality of life, most notably self-actualization and
development.

16. Positive Psychology
12
• Abraham Maslow (1954) had already used ‘Positive Psychology’ in his
discussions on motivation and personality
• Carl Rogers’s concepts of acceptance, unconditional positive regard and
genuineness; James Bugental’s emphasis on authenticity
• Sidney Jourard’s research on self-disclosure and many others were
discussed under the notion of “healthy personality”
In other words, there already existed a background to think about positive aspects
of human existence. Seligman’s vision stands out from that of humanistic thinkers
because he insists on empirical and quantitative methodology, which he refers to
as the “nomothetic approach”. Humanistic thinkers, on the other hand, place more
emphasis on the “idiographic approach,” which emphasizes the individuality of
each person.
Martin Seligman argues that the dominance of the disease model within
psychology has focused the field on treating illness and away from building
strengths. The disease model is of limited value when it comes to promoting
health and preventing illness. Psychologists know far less about mental health
than about mental illness.
Eliminating illness does not ensure a healthy, thriving, and competent individual.
Seligman said that experts have focused too much on negativity because of this
anomaly. They established the Positive Psychology field to correct this and “begin
to catalyze a change in the focus of psychology from preoccupation only with
repairing the worst things in life to also building positive qualities.”
1.6.1 Positive Psychology and Other Social Sciences
Positive psychology is related to other social science fields like economics,
political science, and sociology on the one hand, and medicine, psychiatry, and
public health on the other because its main focus is happiness, well-being, and
flourishing.
Positive psychology can be said to be related to any field or subfield of psychology
that deals with human welfare in general.
The majority of previous studies by social scientists on “quality of life” focused
on particular “social indicators” that ensures a better life. The socioeconomic
conditions of a society, such as GDP, the development of infrastructure, civic
amenities, health and hygiene, the rate of crime, the absence of religious conflicts,

17. Introduction to Positive Psychology
13
governance, and other indicators that distinguish developed nations from
developing nations and underdeveloped nations, are examples of such indicators.
However, research on social indicators over the past few decades has
demonstrated that objective factors alone will not be sufficient to guarantee
happiness and well-being.
It is evident that many of the indicators of developed nations are not leading to a
sense of satisfaction when we examine the social climate as the context for the
emergence of this new branch, Positive Psychology.
It has been found in many cross-national studies on the relationship between the
economy and the index of life satisfaction that many economically poor nations
perform similarly to economically prosperous nations on the index of life
satisfaction.
Economic wealth and political power are frequently regarded as significant
factors in improving quality of life. One of the most important indicators of a
nation’s development is its GDP. Surprisingly, however, clinical observations and
empirical evidence demonstrate that this is not the case. Beyond a certain point, a
higher standard of living and greater well-being is not always assured by wealth
and power. The “law of diminishing returns” governs it.
As a result, it is becoming increasingly clear that material wealth and economic
conditions alone do not guarantee happiness or well-being.
Therefore, a geographically tiny neighboring country, developed the GNHI
(Gross National Happiness Index) as an alternative to GDP to evaluate a nation’s
overall progress and the level of well-being experienced by its people.
1.6.2 GDP to GNHI – Towards “Holistic Approach to Human Development”
King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, the fourth King of Bhutan, coined the term “gross
national happiness” in 1972 when he said, “Gross National Happiness (GNH) is
more important than GDP.”
The idea suggests that sustainable development should adopt a comprehensive
approach to concepts of progress and give equal weight to non-economic
components of well-being.
The GNH Index (GNHI) includes nine domains

18. Positive Psychology
14
1. Psychological well-being
2. Health
3. Education
4. Time use
5. Cultural diversity and resilience
6. Good governance
7. Community vitality
8. Ecological diversity and resilience, and
9. Living standards.
The Government of Bhutan’s Center for Bhutan Studies developed this concept
further. Thirty-three indicators were added to the nine domains in the revised
version of GNHI. The purpose of these indicators and domains is to emphasize
various facets of well-being and approaches to addressing fundamental human
needs.
In 2011, sixty-eight of the United Nations member states voted in favor of GNHI
through a resolution. A “holistic approach to development” to sustainable
happiness and well-being is called for in the resolution.
India, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela now each have their own happiness
ministries and departments. In 2017, the Madhya Pradesh government of India
established such a department for the first time. Their motto is to enhance ānanda.
1.6.3 Value Crisis
Positive psychology also emerged in partial response to the value crisis
experienced on the moral and ethical front of the American society and hence it
is admittedly a cultural phenomenon. It has led to a renewed emphasis on
character strengths and virtues.
Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) developed by Peterson and
Seligman (2004) has become very popular among researchers. All of the world’s
major and lesser-known spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity,
Confucianism, Judaism, Islam, Sufism, the Upanishads, and Yoga, are
incorporated into this methodical and comprehensive approach to character
strengths research. It is the best example of how psychologists responded to the
value crisis in American society. It has been validated across cultures and
translated into numerous languages.
As a result, we need to understand how Positive Psychology emerged and

19. Introduction to Positive Psychology
15
developed in the American context. When compared to cultures in East and Asia,
the context of the United States exemplifies the general Western situation, in
which materialism has dominated the cultural ethos. However, because
governments all over the world are working hard to improve people’s quality of
life and find contentment in the material world, it has global implications.
1.7 Positive Psychology and Other Areas of Psychology
There are numerous branches of psychology that have contributed insights to the
development of Positive Psychology. Let’s briefly discuss the significant
influences they have had.
1. Health Psychology
Positive psychology and health psychology share much in common. Health
psychologists have long suspected that negative emotions can make us sick and
positive emotions can be beneficial. Research findings affirm the potential health-
threatening effects of stress, anger, resentment, anxiety, and worry. It is now a
well-established fact that the mind and attitude play a significant role in the
functioning of the immune system, leading to illness.
Positive psychologists are very interested in the most recent studies suggesting
that positive emotions may have effects equal to negative emotions, but in the
opposite direction. While negative emotions compromise our health, positive
emotions seem to help restore or preserve the health of both our minds and our
bodies. Positive emotions appear to set in motion a number of physical,
psychological, and social processes that enhance our physical well-being,
emotional health, coping skills, and intellectual functioning.
Summarized in Fredrickson’s (2001) broaden-and-build theory, positive emotions
like joy, contentment, interest, love, and pride “all share the ability to broaden
people’s thought-action repertoires and build their enduring personal resources,
ranging from physical and intellectual resources to social and psychological
resources.”
Our increasing knowledge of the physiological processes underlying emotions
provides a biological foundation for Positive Psychology. It seems reasonable to
conclude that positive emotions have every bit as much biological and
evolutionary significance as the negative emotions that have attracted so much
research attention. Consistent with the goal of restoring balance to the field,
Positive Psychology emphasizes the examination of the value of positive

20. Positive Psychology
16
emotions in our lives.
2. Clinical Psychology
The shift in mental health concepts over time from solely focusing on the removal
of illness symptoms to focusing on building positive health can be traced back to
the relationship between clinical psychology and Positive Psychology.
Mental health professionals are beginning to view the work of reducing
psychological misery as only part of their task. There will always be clients in
need of help, and it will continue to be an important mission of psychologists to
provide such help. However, many clinicians have begun shifting from the single-
minded purpose of treating psychopathology toward a perspective that includes
the prevention of illness and the promotion of positive mental health.
Fundamental to this shift is the need to develop models of positive mental health.
That is, what personal characteristics and what type of life define the extreme
opposite of mental illness – a state Keyes and Haidt (2003) call “flourishing?”
In the past, mental health was defined mostly in terms of the absence of disease.
One goal of Positive Psychology is to establish criteria and a language defining
the presence of mental health that parallels our current criteria and language for
describing and diagnosing mental illness.
3. Developmental Psychology
A long-standing focus of developmental psychologists has been the examination
of conditions that threaten healthy development. Following a deficit-focused
model, it was assumed that most children growing up under conditions of
adversity (e.g., poverty, abuse, parental alcoholism, or mental illness) would be at
heightened risk for deficits in social, cognitive, and emotional development
compared to children not subjected to such adversities. These assumptions began
to change in the 1970s when many psychiatrists and psychologists drew attention
to the amazing resilience of certain children and adults subjected to potentially
debilitating life challenges.
Cases of resilience – meaning “good outcomes in spite of serious threats to
adaptation or development” – are more common than previously supposed.
Research documenting the amazing resilience of ordinary people facing difficult
life circumstances highlights a major theme of Positive Psychology, namely
human strengths.

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17
Perhaps even more intriguing is the concept of posttraumatic growth (PTG) as a
counterpoint to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers have
documented that positive growth can occur as a result of traumatic experiences
like serious illness, loss of a loved one, or a major accident or disability.
In the aftermath of such events, many people report a greater appreciation for life
and their loved ones, an increased sense of personal strength, and more clarity
about what is most important in life. Studies of resilience and posttraumatic
growth underscore Positive Psychology’s emphasis on human strengths and
positive coping abilities.
4. Personality Psychology
A healthy person is thought to be free of neurotic conflicts and able to use their
innate abilities to their fullest potential.
Maslow made a distinction between “being needs” and “deficit needs”. People
who function to fulfill their Being-needs exhibit healthy personality traits, in
contrast to those who are only concerned with meeting their deficiency needs in
order to maintain some kind of homeostasis.
Studies by personality psychologists have referred to these characteristics as
positive traits and personal strengths that form the foundation of health and
happiness. These studies include investigations of the genetic basis of a happy
temperament and personality traits related to individual well-being such as
optimism, self-esteem, extraversion, a positive life outlook, and how the pursuit
of personally meaningful goals contributes to happiness.
5. Social Psychology
Social psychologists have provided extensive evidence of the critical importance
of satisfying social relationships and support from others for our health and
happiness. A satisfying life is founded on satisfying relationships, such as a happy
marriage and good friends. Social psychologists have also sensitized us to the
different cultural understandings of well-being and happiness.
Concepts of happiness in America and Japan, for example, are quite different. In
addition to studies across diverse cultures, social psychologists have investigated
a potential dark side of affluence and materialism among advanced consumer
cultures such as our own. These latter studies show that materialistic people who
sacrifice fulfillment of important psychological needs in their pursuit of fame and

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18
fortune may also sacrifice their own happiness and life satisfaction. Related
research has contributed to an understanding of the amazing process of human
adaptation that helps explain why increases in income, like the sudden wealth of
lottery winners, only has short-term effects. In short, why does money not buy
happiness?
In the context of India, our joint family system can provide a relationship that is
satisfying as long as it does not become overly restrictive of personal growth and
causes emotional suffocation.
6. The Psychology of Religion
Religion has become an important topic within Positive Psychology because it is
a significant foundation of well-being for most people. The study of virtue also
has a prominent position because the meaning of a good life and a life well-lived
is strongly connected to human virtues, such as honesty, integrity, compassion,
and wisdom. And, expressing human virtues contributes to individual well-being
and the well-being of others. For example, acts of forgiveness and gratitude tend
to increase life satisfaction for both givers and recipients.
1.8 Applied Positive Psychology
This new field of Positive Psychology might be applied in the following ways:
• Increasing the use of intrinsic motivation, positive affect, and creativity
in schools to enhance child education
• Improving psychotherapy by focusing on hope, purpose, and self-healing
ways
• Improving family life by gaining a better understanding of how love,
generosity, and commitment work together
• Improving work satisfaction across the lifespan by assisting individuals
with finding true association, experiencing conditions of stream, and
making authentic commitments in their work
• Finding conditions that enhance trust, communication, and altruism
between people is one way to improve organizations and societies
• Improving society’s moral character by gaining a better understanding
of and encouraging people to follow their spiritual impulse

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In just two decades, the insights from this new field of study have been applied in
a variety of life areas. The majority of its central issues, such as well-being and
happiness, character strengths and virtues, optimism, resilience, flow, positive
education, positive therapies and interventions, and positive organizations and
communities, are interdisciplinary in nature and they are not issues specific that
are exclusive to our field or a particular subfield of psychology.
Many fields of human endeavor, including education, public health, health care,
social and human services, economics, political science, neuroscience, leadership,
management, and organizational sciences, are currently incorporating Positive
Psychology perspectives into their research and scholarship.
Positive psychology’s principles are currently being used more frequently in
education, healthcare, organizational effectiveness, and work life.
Positive psychology encompasses numerous life domains and has an
interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary scope and application. As a result, Positive
Psychology has always had an applied focus. The ultimate goal of this new area
of study is to assist people in getting the most out of their lives and feeling like
they have lived a life that is worthy of them.

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