NATURE AND SCOPE OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

SUBMITTED TO:

MAM JAVERIA

SUBMITTED BY:

HAMNA FATIMA

(1433-FSS/BSPSY/F20)

Department of Psychology

Faculty of Social Sciences

International Islamic University Islamabad

 NATURE AND SCOPE OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

Positive Psychology

Positive psychology is a relatively new branch of psychology. It aims to understand the

factors that contribute to well-being of individuals. It studies the ways to promote happiness and

optimism and makes life much peaceful and worth living. It helps people to live a meaningful

and balanced life.

DEFINITIONS

Definition by APA

“A field of psychological theory and research that focuses on the psychological states 9e.g. contentment,

joy), individual traits or character strengths (e.g. intimacy, integrity, altruism, wisdom), and social

institutions that enhance subjective well-being and make lie most worth living.”

Definition by Sheldon and King’s

“Nothing more than the scientific study of ordinary human strengths and virtues.”

Definition by Gable and Haidt

“The study of the conditions and processes that contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning of

people, groups and institutions.”

ORIGIN

Martin Seligman is the Father of positive psychology. He was born on august 12, 1942 in

New York. Martin’s research and theory of learned helplessness made him think and he came up
with the idea of building resilience and promoting optimism so that individuals and communities

can flourish.

The domain started in 1998 as Seligman became the president of American Psychological

Association. He properly introduced the domain and gave it the name “Positive Psychology”.

NATURE OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

It is a relatively new branch of psychology. It focuses on the behavior of an individual

and helps to have positive emotions and characteristics. It builds character strength and resilience

and gives optimistic thought pattern to individuals.

It helps an individual to accept his past, to be optimistic and hopeful about the future, and

to be happy in his present. In this way it makes life much peaceful, balanced, and worth living.

It focuses on the positive side and leaves the negative side. It focuses on what’s good in

life? And will ignore what’s bad in life? It will focus on what’s working? And will ignore

what’s not working? It has a model of doing so the PERMA Model.

 Positive emotions

 Engagement

 Relationships

 Meaning

 Accomplishments

Positive psychology works on three levels.

 Subjective level it focuses on the positive experiences of the daily life like

happiness, optimism and ell-being.

  Individual level it focuses on the character strengths of an individual that will

make him a happy and satisfied individual.

 Group level it focuses on the positive relation with the community and gives rise

to concepts like tolerance and peace and altruism etc.

SCOPE OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

Positive psychology has vast scope. As it focuses on to increases the happiness level in

normal population and build resilience. It gives rise to positive emotions and lead to balanced

life. It can be used in various aspects of people’s life and can significantly decrease the level of

stress and depressive symptoms in normal population. It helps them to deal with daily events

effectively, it helps them to deal with stressful events effortlessly.

 Education it can be used in schools and colleges to help students deal with the

pressure of their studies and exams. It will help them regulate their emotions and

promote their well-being. It increases their engagement and participation in

school. It improves the skills of co-operation and empathy. Positive psychology

programs is very useful or schools and colleges like or instance the Penn

Resilience Program which helps young people learn essential skills to become

more resilient to deal with stressful situations in life.

 Healthcare in healthcare domain; positive psychology has a significant role. It

helps to combat stress, depression, and anxiety and improves the overall health.

As mental health is boosted physical health is also improved. Research has found

that the practice of mindfulness therapy decreases depression. And another study

shows that emotional vitality deceases the chance of coronary heart disease.
 Workplace it helps people to remain balanced and composed in workplace

environment while encountering any stressful event. It helps the people to enjoy

work experience and increases workflow.

References

https://positivepsychology.com/what-is-positive-psychology-definition/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/positive-psychology

https://dictionary.apa.org/positive-psychology

https://ppls.ui.ac.ir/journal/aim_scope?lang=en#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20scopes

%20are,and%20the%20other%20related%20scopes.

https://www.hellovaia.com/explanations/psychology/issues-and-debates-in-psychology/positive-

psychology/

https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=rpos20