Positive Psychology As Social Change

In recent times there has been growing interest in positive psychology as evidenced by the swell in positive psychology graduate programs, undergraduate courses, journals related to the topic, popular book titles on the topic and scholarly publications. Within the positive psychology community there has been an increased emphasis on the socially beneficial side of positive psychological science. At the First World Congress of the International Positive Psychology Association there was a major push to look at positive psychology as a social change mechanism. This volume will bring together thoughts of leaders in positive psychology from 8 countries to capitalize on the push toward social change and flourishing. By releasing this title at a critical time Springer has the opportunity to help frame the agenda for positive psychology as a force for social change. This seminal work is meant for anyone interested in happiness, strengths, flourishing or positive institutions It introduces Positive Psychology as an unapplied science that can be used to create positive social transformation and enabling institutions. This is a must-have title for academics, especially psychologists, sociologists, economists, and professionals working in the field of Positive Psychology and Well-Being.

In recent times there has been growing interest in positive psychology as evidenced by the swell in positive psychology graduate programs, undergraduate courses, journals related to the topic, popular book titles on the topic and scholarly publications. Within the positive psychology community there has been an increased emphasis on the socially beneficial side of positive psychological science. At the First World Congress of the International Positive Psychology Association there was a major push to look at positive psychology as a social change mechanism. This volume will bring together thoughts of leaders in positive psychology from 8 countries to capitalize on the push toward social change and flourishing. By releasing this title at a critical time Springer has the opportunity to help frame the agenda for positive psychology as a force for social change. This seminal work is meant for anyone interested in happiness, strengths, flourishing or positive institutions It introduces Positive Psychology as an unapplied science that can be used to create positive social transformation and enabling institutions. This is a must-have title for academics, especially psychologists, sociologists, economists, and professionals working in the field of Positive Psychology and Well-Being.

How can application of a positive lens to understanding social change and organizations enrich and elaborate theory and practice? This is the core question that inspired this book. It is a question that brought together a diverse and talented group of researchers interested in change and organizations in different problem domains (sustainability, healthcare, and poverty alleviation). The contributors to this book bring different theoretical lenses to the question of social change and organizations. Some are anchored in more macro accounts of how and why social change processes occur, while others approach the question from a more psychological or social psychological perspective. Many of the chapters in the book travel across levels of analyses, making their accounts of social change good examples of multi-level theorizing. Some scholars are practiced and immersed in thinking about organizational phenomena through a positive lens; for others it was a total adventure in trying on a new set of glasses. However, connecting all contributing authors was an excitement and willingness to explore new insights and new angles on how to explain and cultivate social change within or across organizations. This edited volume will be of interest to an international community who seek to understand how organizations and people can generate positive outcomes for society. Students and researchers in organizational behavior, management, positive psychology, leadership and corporate responsibility will find this book of interest.

This book is about hope and a call to action to make the world the kind of place we want to live in. Our hope is to provoke conversation, and gently challenge possibly long-held views, beliefs, and ideologies about the way the world works and the people in that world. Written by eminent researchers and experienced practitioners, the book explores the principles that underpin living well, and gives examples of how this can be achieved not just in our own lives, but across communities and the planet we share. Chapters cover the stages of life from childhood to ageing, the foundations of everyday flourishing, including health and relationships, and finally wellbeing in the wider world, addressing issues such as economics, politics and the environment. Based in the scientific evidence of what works and supported by illustrations of good practice, this book is both ambitious and aspirational. The book is designed for a wide audience – anyone seeking to create positive change in the world, their institutions or communities. www.creatingtheworldwewanttolivein.org

Positive Psychology brings together a range of research and a comprehensive review of the more recent work and lessons learned since the founder’s original vision of this field. Organised into five sections: An Introduction, Positive Experiences, Personality Processes, External Influences, and Applications, this text provides a thorough introduction to an interesting and challenging area in Psychology. With a final look at the future of Positive Psychology, and its potential to inform social change and how useful this knowledge can be when considering the well-being of entire societies, this text is an enlightening read and invaluable resources for students. Strongly guided by empirical work this text encourages the reader to think critically and go beyond the facts. Key features: Provides a framework for teaching and understanding global trends in Positive Psychology. Inclusion and a review of up-to-date research. Using storytelling and happiness’s intrinsic appeal to foster interest in the methods we use to answer important questions in Positive Psychology. Online resources including student self-tests, and links to additional web content.

Personal psychological growth Why are some people able to promote their own psychological growth and change toward complexity while others not? Is it possible to propose simple methodologies and instruments that would allow selection of positive experiences and hence develop a stronger and richer Self? This book describes the way to promote and foster positive psychological growth in everyday life, through simple instruments accessible to anyone. Positive psychological experience The focal point of the approach is the concept of Flow of Consciousness, an experience of subjective psychological wellbeing that nourishes and complexifies the Self. The authors propose a wide overview of positive psychological experience considering individual characteristics and experiences, as well as the influence of context, culture and social relationship, and the effects of the immersion in a globalized world, like the increasing daily use of mediated communication technologies. In the various chapters, this conceptual frame is declined in different areas of research, either consolidated ones or new fields. Self-development tips In a fresh and engaging style, the book transports the readers in a world of situations and opportunities through which they can identify themselves in a positive and stable self-development process. In the first two chapters the authors describe the impact of positive psychological experience in social and individual life. In the following chapters the reader discovers, accompanied by the exposition of concrete research results, the specific characteristics that may promote flow experience in several field of experience: the use of communication technology; the experience of social-networks; clinical settings and Psychotherapy; the psychological relation with environment, politics and social participation, school, sports, family business, mentor's influence, and the perception of quality of life in daytime. Everyday opportunities This opportunity of interacting with different and various kinds of experiences, that may appear dispersive, will on the contrary bring the reader - who may choose this book both for professional or personal reasons - to understand the concept of personal psychological growth in the wider and more concrete perspective, and to comprehend which personal skills he may bring into play in order to improve his personality and his daily experience.

Positive psychology is currently equated with theory and research on the positive aspects of life. The reality could not be further from the truth. Positive psychology investigates and researches some of the most difficult and painful experiences. Second Wave Positive Psychology: Embracing the Dark Side of Life is an innovative and groundbreaking textbook that explores a variety of topics we consider to be part of the ‘dark’ side of life while emphasising their role in our positive functioning and transformation as human beings. This more nuanced approach to the notions of ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ can be described as the ‘second wave' of Positive Psychology. Positive Psychology is one of the fastest growing and least understood branches of psychology. Exploring topics at the heart of Positive Psychology, such as meaning, resilience, human development, mortality, change, suffering, and spirituality, this book engages with so-called ‘negative’ matters from a Positive Psychology angle, showing how the path of personal development can involve experiences which, while challenging, can lead to growth, insight, healing and transformation. Containing useful resources, case studies, practical exercises and chapter summaries, Second Wave Positive Psychology is an essential guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying positive psychology, as well as clinicians wanting to know more about the subject. It will also be relevant to the layperson who is interested in positive psychology.

Positive psychology exploded into public consciousness 10 years ago and has continued to capture attention around the world ever since. This book evaluates the first decade of this fledgling field of study from the perspective of nearly every leading researcher in the field.