The exploring psychology blog is the place where I highlight and explore the most fascinating and compelling psychology related news and research.
Whether you are new to psychology, currently studying or thinking about studying psychology, or consider yourself an expert in the field, I very much hope that you find the material featured on the exploring psychology blog interesting.
Showing posts with label Positive Psychology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Positive Psychology. Show all posts
Wiley-Blackwell are running a free online conference on the topic of Wellbeing (full title ‘Wellbeing: A Cure-all for the Social Sciences?’). Among the live content which will run between 15th - 19th November, will be a keynote address from Chris Peterson (UMichigan) entitled “What Positive Psychology has Learned About Wellbeing” and a presentation on positive health by the leader in the field of positive psychology, Martin Seligman.
If you would like to attend this groundbreaking virtual conference you can register for free by clicking Here
Click Here for details of the full Conference Program.
(Photo Credit: Thai Jasmine)
If you would like to learn more about positive psychology, you can do so via the main website. See following link.
A leading practitioner in the field of positive psychology, Tal Ben-Shahar currently teaches the most popular course at Harvard University. Influenced by the pioneering work of Dr. Martin Seligman, Tal Ben-Shahar states that his goal in teaching positive psychology "is to create a bridge between the Ivory Tower and Main Street, to bring together the rigor of academia and the accessibility of self-help.
You can find out more about this influential expert in positive psychology via the following link.
Particularly at this time of year, we are often reminded that it is better to give than receive but according to latest research into positive psychology, receiving can be just as good for the soul providing you remember to say thanks.
In a very interesting blog interview I came across, Alvaro Fernandez talked to Dr. Robert Emmons, who studies gratitude for a living as Professor of Psychology at University of California (UC) Davis and is Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology.
According to Dr. Emmons Gratitude is a positive emotion that has only recently been subject to serious scientific study and the findings are very interesting. It is claimed that the practice of gratitude can increase happiness levels by around 25% and this increased well being is not difficult to achieve. A few hours writing a gratitude journal over a 3 week period is said to create an effect that lasts 6 months and brings with it other health benefits such as longer and better quality of sleep.
Related Reading
Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Robert Emmons
Book Description
As editor-in-chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology, Dr. Robert Emmons is uniquely qualified to put Albert Schweitzers famous dictum Gratitude is the secret to life to a rigorous scientific test.
In a book that will appeal to readers of Stumbling on Happiness and Martin Seligmans classic Learned Optimism, Emmons draws on the first major scientific study of the subject to show how the systematic cultivation of gratitude can measurably change peoples lives.
Emmons also reaches beyond science to bolster the case for gratitude by weaving in the writings of philosophers, novelists, and theologians. Like no other book has before, Thanks! inspires readers to embrace gratitude and all the benefits it can bring into our lives.
For more details and/or to get hold of this psychology book, just click on the following link.
When I began my psychology degree one of the first things I learned was Sigmund Freud's quote about transforming hysterical misery into common unhappiness, and I vividly remember thinking at the time that studying psychology wasn't exactly going to be a barrel of laughs.
Indeed, one of the criticisms of psychology as a discipline is that it fixated on the study of negative emotion and behaviour etc and effectively ignored the positive aspects of human experience. In recent years, however, positive psychology has established itself as an area of study in its own right.
One of the most influential practitioners within the field of positive psychology is Dr. Martin Seligman. Dr. Seligman is the director of the University of Pennsylvania positive psychology center.
The center focuses on the empirical study of positive emotions, strengths-based character, and healthy institutions. Research conducted by Dr Seligman and his colleagues have demonstrated that it's possible to be happier, feel more satisfied, be more engaged with life, find more meaning, have higher hopes, and even laugh and smile more, regardless of individual circumstances.
Authentic Happiness
The official website for the University of Pennsylvania positive psychology center. Lots of excellent resources relating to positive psychology, all of which can be accessed for free.
A Primer in Positive Psychology by Christopher Peterson
Book Description
Positive psychology is the scientific study of what goes right in life, from birth to death and at all stops in between. It is a newly-christened approach within psychology that takes seriously the examination of that which makes life most worth living. Everyone's life has peaks and valleys, and positive psychology does not deny the valleys. Its signature premise is more nuanced, but nonetheless important: what is good about life is as genuine as what is bad and, therefore, deserves equal attention from psychologists.
Positive psychology as an explicit perspective has existed only since 1998, but enough relevant theory and research now exist to fill a textbook suitable for a semester-long college course. A Primer in Positive Psychology is thoroughly grounded in scientific research and covers major topics of concern to the field: positive experiences such as pleasure and flow; positive traits such as character strengths, values, and talents; and the social institutions that enable these subjects as well as what recent research might contribute to this knowledge.
Every chapter contains exercises that illustrate positive psychology, a glossary, suggestions of articles and books for further reading, and lists of films, websites, and popular songs that embody chapter themes. A comprehensive overview of positive psychology by one of the acknowledged leaders in the field, this textbook provides students with a thorough introduction to an important area of psychology. See following link for full details.
I've had a passionate interest in psychology for over 20 years. I began studying psychology in 1990, and I've been teaching psychology in some capacity or another since 1998.
I have a first class honors degree in psychology and a Masters in Occupational psychology from the University of Sheffield (UK). For a number of years, I was a lecturer in psychology at the University of Huddersfield (UK).
I have built four websites around my teaching and research interests.
