Designing Positive Psychology: Taking Stock and Moving Forward

by Kennon M. Sheldon (Editor), Todd B. Kashdan (Editor), Michael F. Steger (Editor)

Overview

Positive psychology exploded into public consciousness 10 years ago and has continued to capture attention around the world ever since. The movement promised to study positive human nature, using only the most rigorous scientific tools and theories. How well has this promise been fulfilled? This book evaluates the first decade of this fledgling field of study from the perspective of nearly every leading researcher in the field. Scholars in the areas of social, personality, clinical, biological, emotional, and applied psychology take stock of their fields, while bearing in mind the original manifesto and goals of the postive psychology movement. They provide honest, critical evaluations of the flaws and untapped potential of their fields of study. The contributors design the optimal future of positive psychology by addressing gaps, biases, and methodological limitations, and exploring exciting new questions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190451875
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	01/31/2011
Series:	Series in Positive Psychology
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Kennon M. Sheldon is Professor of Psychology at the University of Missouri. He hopscotched the country, from Virginia to Seattle to California to Rochester NY, and is now ensconced in the middle, in Missouri. He has been involved in the positive psychology movement since its inception in Akumal, Mexico, in 1999, and is an author of the positive psychology manifesto, which helped guide the contributors to this book. He has three children. His wife is an evolutionary psychologist who keeps him on his toes. Todd Kashdan is Director of the Laboratory for the Study of Social Anxiety, Character Strengths, and Related Phenomena at George Mason University. Kashdan is devoted to conducting cutting edge science, educating the public about science, maintaining some semblance of a once athletic body, and sharing and expanding his world with the three women in his life, Sarah, Chloe, and Raven. To date, he has published over 100 articles and book chapters and made over 100 presentations at scientific conferences. His most recent book is Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life. Michael Steger is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Colorado State University. He is fascinated with what makes life worth living, and learning how people overcome the factors that can make life miserable at times. He practices savoring every chance he gets to wander into the Colorado mountains, and reminds himself what really matters by spending a good quantity of good quality time with his family. Most of his research has focused on living a meaningful life, and he tries to enact what this research shows in his own life. Steger's next co-edited book seeks to apply what we know about meaning to people's work lives (Purpose and Meaning in the Workplace).

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTORY PERSPECTIVES 1 Positive Psychology: Where Did It Come From, Where Is It Going? Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi&Jeanne Nakamura 2 Challenges, Pitfalls, and Aspirations for Positive Psychology Todd B. Kashdan&Michael F. Steger BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES 3 Positive Psychophysiology: The Body and Self-Regulation Suzanne C. Segerstrom, Timothy W. Smith,&Tory A. Eisenlohr-Moul 4 Positive Psychological States and Biological Processes Carissa A. Low, Julienne E. Bower, Judith T. Moskowitz,&Elissa S. Epel 5 The Primary Process Affects in Human Development, Happiness, and Thriving Jaak Panksepp EMOTION PERSPECTIVES 6 Beyond Pleasure and Pain? Emotion Regulation and Positive Psychology Maya Tamir&James J. Gross 7 The Positive Psychology of Positive Emotions: An Avuncular View Shigehiro Oishi&Jaime Kurtz 8 The Future of Emotions Research within Positive Psychology Sara B. Algoe, Barbara L. Fredrickson,&Sy-Miin Chow SOCIAL-COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVES 9 The Role of Hypo-egoic Self-processes in Optimal Functioning and Subjective Well-Being Mark R. Leary&Jennifer Guadagno 10 Experiential Processing and the Integration of Light and Dark Sides of the Human Psyche Kirk Warren Brown&Melissa Holt 11 A Task-Focused Mind is a Happy and Productive Mind: A Processing Perspective Michael D. Robinson&Maya Tamir 12 Finding Positive Value in Human Consciousness: Conscious Thought Serves Participation in Society and Culture E. J. Masicampo&Roy F. Baumeister PERSONALITY PERSPECTIVES 13 Personality Traits and the Potential of Positive Psychology Robert R. McCrae 14 Character and Personality: Connections Between Positive Psychology and Personality Psychology Erik E. Noftle, Sarah A. Schnitker&Richard W. Robins 15 Personality Science and the Northern Tilt: As Positive as Possible Under the Circumstances Brian R. Little 16 Why Gratitude Enhances Well-Being: What We Know, What We Need to Know Robert A. Emmons&Anjali Mishra RELATIONSHIP PERSPECTIVES 17 The Positive Side of Close Relationships Shelly L. Gable&Courtney Gosnell 18 Positive Relationship Science: A New Frontier for Positive Psychology? Nathaniel M. Lambert, Frank D. Fincham, A. Marlea Gwinn,&Christine A. Ajayi 19 Coaching and Positive Psychology Anthony M Grant&Michael J Cavanagh CLINICAL PERSPECTIVES 20 The Dog Woman, Addie Bundren, and the Ninth Circle of Hell: Positive Psychology Should Be More Open to the Negative Jennifer L. Hames&Thomas E. Joiner, Jr. 21 Meaning and Growth within Positive Psychology: Towards a More Complete Understanding Crystal L. Park 22 Mindfulness and Positive Psychological Functioning Ruth A. Baer&Emily L. B. Lykins ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVES 23 Positive Psychological Capital in the Workplace: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go Carolyn M. Youssef&Fred Luthans 24 Organizational Applications of Positive Psychology: Taking Stock and a Research / Practice Roadmap for the Future P. Alex Linley, Nicky Garcea (nee Page), Susan Harrington, Emma Trenier&Gurpal Minhas SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVES 25 Place and Well-Being Richard Florida&Peter J. Rentfrow 26 Greater Happiness For A Greater Number: Is that possible? If so how? Ruut Veenhoven 27 Positive Psychology as a Force for Social Change Robert Biswas-Diener, P. Alex Linley, Reena Govindji&Linda Woolston SUMMARY PERSPECTIVES 28 What's Positive about Positive Psychology? Reducing Value-Bias and Enhancing Integration within the Field Kennon M. Sheldon 29 To Celebrate Positive Psychology and Extend Its Horizons Gordon Bermant, Charu Talwar,&Paul Rozin 30 Are We There Yet? What Happened on the Way to the Demise of Positive Psychology Laura A. King 31 Positive Psychology in Historical and Philosophical Perspective: Predicting Its Future from the Past Dean Keith Simonton

Editorial Reviews

"As positive psychology enters its second decade as a formally-christened perspective, it is important to take stock and also to plan ahead. The present volume accordingly deserves a place on the bookshelf (and desk) of everyone concerned with the scientific study of what makes life worth living."
- Christopher Peterson, Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan

"I couldn't put this book down! The chapters demonstrate a rare uniformity of excellence - replete with rigorous review and critique of theory, empirical research, thoughtful commentary, and provocative suggestions. After a decade of being described as an 'emerging' field,' positive psychology is maturing and coming into its own. This important volume offers an unparalleled glimpse into state-of-the-art research, theory, and applications in positive psychology - from past, present, and future. This fantastic book should be required reading for anyone - researchers and laypeople alike - interested in flourishing individuals, institutions, and societies."
- Sonja Lyubomirsky, Professor of Psychology, University of California, Riverside

"One of the most important books to appear in positive psychology, Designing Positive Psychology offers thoughtful presentations of what we have learned so far, the limits of our knowledge, and where we need to go next in the field. Anyone who wants to be a master of the science of positive psychology must read this authoritative, up-to-date, and thorough volume." —Ed Diener, Joseph R. Smiley Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Editor, Perspectives on Psychological Science

Consistent with Kashdan and Steger's introductory aims for the book (Chapter 2), I believe this book does present a useful overview of "what we know and . . . where positive psychology needs to go in the future in order to best realize its huge potential" (p. 19). The book also succeeds in enhancing the "conceptual complexity" of positive psychology and its
"underlying connectivity to the broader research base of psychology" (p. 19). — Michael Hogan, PsycCRITIQUES

From the Publisher