Review of: "Positivity", Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D.
There is an area of research and investigation in the field of psychology that is called the “positive psychology movement”. For many years, psychologists studied what was wrong with people. They investigated aberrant behavior and psychological disorders. You might say they studied those who were emotionally unhealthy. That’s what seemed to make the most sense to those working in the field. But somewhere along the way someone asked a pretty good question: “Hey, what if we studied healthy people? What if we investigated those who were emotionally healthy and happy and well adjusted?”
There is an area of research and investigation in the field of psychology that is called the “positive psychology movement”. For many years, psychologists studied what was wrong with people. They investigated aberrant behavior and psychological disorders. You might say they studied those who were emotionally unhealthy. That’s what seemed to make the most sense to those working in the field. But somewhere along the way someone asked a pretty good question: “Hey, what if we studied healthy people? What if we investigated those who were emotionally healthy and happy and well adjusted?”
Seems like a pretty good idea, doesn’t it?
The basic thought is: instead of just trying to figure out what’s wrong with people who are emotionally unhealthy, maybe there would be value in trying to figure out what’s right with people who are emotionally healthy. Maybe that information would be really helpful to us. In fact, it might even be more helpful!
Thus began the positive psychology movement. (Well, its beginnings were probably a little more complicated than that, but you get the picture.) One of the pioneers of the movement was Martin Seligman who published the oft-cited, best-selling, “Learned Optimism”. Barbara L. Fredrickson is now considered to be one of the leading researchers in this movement and she presents many of the interesting and helpful results of her research in “Positivity”.
A person might be tempted to think that this is pop psychology by untrained lay persons who tell lots of “feel-good” stories and encourage people to say “I’m feeling fantastic” all day long. That’s not the case. This is not about having a “Positive Mental Attitude”, Matt Foley style. This book is reporting findings of legitimate academic research from leading universities and credible scientists.
Fredrickson has identified ten key forms of positivity which she explains in the book, as well as giving advice for how to apply them to your life. The ten forms of positivity are: joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe and love.
The results of positivity are genuinely important and helpful…sometimes in surprising ways. The information in this book is presented in an interesting way and it will be of great benefit to those who read it.
Dan Marler
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