Editing Positive psychology (section)

== Core concepts ==

===Core principles ===
{{See also|Contentment|Meaningful life}}
Positive psychology, as defined by [[Martin Seligman]] and [[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi]] is "the scientific study of positive human functioning and flourishing on multiple levels that include the biological, personal, relational, institutional, cultural, and global dimensions of life."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sutton |first1=Anna |title=Living the good life: A meta-analysis of authenticity, well-being and engagement |journal=Personality and Individual Differences |date=January 2020 |volume=153 |pages=109645 |doi=10.1016/j.paid.2019.109645 |hdl=10289/13365 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

Positive psychology aims to complement and extend traditional problem-focused psychology. It concerns positive states (e.g. happiness), positive traits (e.g. talents, interests, strengths of character), positive relationships, and positive institutions and how these apply to physical health.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Park |first1=Nansook |last2=Peterson |first2=Christopher |last3=Szvarca |first3=Daniel |last4=Vander Molen |first4=Randy J. |last5=Kim |first5=Eric S. |last6=Collon |first6=Kevin |title=Positive Psychology and Physical Health: Research and Applications |journal=American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine |date=May 2016 |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=200–206 |doi=10.1177/1559827614550277 |pmid=30202275 |pmc=6124958 }}</ref>

Seligman proposes that a person can best promote their well-being by nurturing their [[Values in Action Inventory of Strengths|character strengths]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Which Character Strengths Are Most Predictive of Well-Being?|url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/which-character-strengths-are-most-predictive-of-well-being/|journal=Scientific American|first=Scott Barry|last=Kaufman|date=2015-08-02}}</ref> Seligman identifies other possible goals of positive psychology: families and schools that allow children to grow, workplaces that aim for satisfaction and high productivity, and teaching others about positive psychology.<ref name="SeligmanMartin">{{cite web|last=Seligman|first=Martin E.P.|title=Positive Psychology Center|website=University of Pennsylvania|url=https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/}}</ref>

A basic premise of positive psychology is that human actions arise from our anticipations about the future; these anticipations are informed by our past experiences.<ref>{{multiref2
|1={{cite news|title=Does the future hold the key to happiness?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jun/09/future-key-to-happiness-psychology-oliver-burkeman|newspaper=The Guardian|first=Oliver|last=Burkeman|date=2017-06-09}}
|2={{Cite journal|last1=Duckworth|first1=Angela Lee|last2=Steen|first2=Tracy A.|last3=Seligman|first3=Martin E.P.|date=April 2005|title=Positive Psychology in Clinical Practice|journal=Annual Review of Clinical Psychology|volume=1|issue=1|pages=629–651|doi=10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.144154|pmid=17716102}}
|3={{Cite book|last=Duckworth|first=Angela|title=Grit The Power of Passion and Perseverance|publisher=[[Charles Scribner's Sons|Scribner]]|year=2016|isbn=978-1-5011-1110-5|location=New York|pages=143}}
}}</ref>

Those who practice positive psychology attempt [[psychological intervention]]s that foster positive attitudes toward one's subjective experiences, individual traits, and life events.<ref name=SeligmanCsikszentmihalyi2000>{{cite journal |last1=Seligman |first1=Martin E. P. |last2=Csikszentmihalyi |first2=Mihaly |title=Positive psychology: An introduction |journal=American Psychologist |date=2000 |volume=55 |issue=1 |pages=5–14 |doi=10.1037/0003-066x.55.1.5 |pmid=11392865 }}</ref> The goal is to minimize [[Pathology|pathological]] thoughts that may arise in a hopeless mindset and to develop a sense of optimism toward life.{{r|SeligmanCsikszentmihalyi2000}} Positive psychologists seek to encourage acceptance of one's past, excitement and optimism about one's future, and a sense of contentment and well-being in the present.<ref name="14 March 2016">{{cite journal|last1=Shesthra|first1=Arjun|title=Positive psychology: Evolution, philosophical foundations, and present growth|journal=Indian Journal of Positive Psychology|date=December 2016|volume=7|issue=4|pages=460–465|id={{ProQuest|1862867466}}}}</ref>

====Happiness====
{{Main|Happiness}}
Two definitions: Happiness can be understood both as an enjoyable state of mind and the living of an enjoyable, fulfilling life.<ref>{{multiref2
|1={{cite web | last=Haybron | first=Dan | title=Happiness | website=Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy | date=6 July 2011 | url=https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/happiness/ }}
|2={{Cite journal|doi = 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_156_20|title = Understanding the determinants of happiness through Gallup World Poll|year = 2020|last1 = Kishore|first1 = Kamal|last2 = Jaswal|first2 = Vidushi|last3 = Muniraju|first3 = M.|last4 = Jaswal|first4 = Nidhi|last5 = Kapoor|first5 = Rakesh|journal = Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care|volume = 9|issue = 9|pages = 4826–4832|pmid = 33209808|pmc = 7652195 | doi-access=free}}
}}</ref>

====Quality of life====
{{Main|Quality of life}}
Quality of life refers to overall well-being, encompassing not just physical and mental health but also socioeconomic factors. This concept is subjective and may vary across different cultures and regions.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wen |first1=Jin |last2=Shi |first2=Ying-kang |last3=Li |first3=You-ping |last4=Yuan |first4=Ping |last5=Wang |first5=Fang |title=Quality of Life, Physical Diseases, and Psychological Impairment among Survivors 3 Years after Wenchuan Earthquake: A Population Based Survey |journal=PLOS ONE |date=21 August 2012 |volume=7 |issue=8 |pages=e43081 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0043081 |pmc=3427990 |pmid=22937014 |bibcode=2012PLoSO...743081W |doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Research topics===
Positive psychology according to Seligman and [[Christopher Peterson (psychologist)|Christopher Peterson]], addresses three issues: 

# Positive emotions: These include contentment with the past, happiness with the present, and hope for the future. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Ackerman |first=Courtney E. |date=2018-03-12 |title=Positive Emotions: A List of 26 Examples + Definition in Psychology |url=https://positivepsychology.com/positive-emotions-list-examples-definition-psychology/ |access-date=2021-07-01 |website=Positive Psychology |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":6" />
# Positive individual traits: These are strengths and [[virtue]]s that define individuals.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-09-08|title=Happiness and Positive Psychology|url=https://www.aipc.net.au/articles/happiness-and-positive-psychology/|access-date=2021-07-01|website=AIPC Article Library|language=en-US}}</ref>
# Positive institutions: Institutions that promote well-being and foster a sense of community.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Our Mission |url=https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/our-mission |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=Positive Psychology Center {{!}} [[University of Pennsylvania]]}}</ref>{{clarify|date=October 2023}}<ref name="SeligmanMartin" /> 

According to Peterson, positive psychologists are concerned with four topics: positive experiences, enduring psychological traits, positive relationships, and positive institutions.<ref name=Peterson2009>{{cite journal | last1 = Peterson | first1 = Christopher | author-link = Christopher Peterson (psychologist) | year = 2009 | title = Positive Psychology | journal = Reclaiming Children and Youth | volume = 18 | issue = 2| pages = 3–7 }}</ref> He also states that topics of interest to [[List of positive psychologists|researchers in the field]] are states of [[pleasure]] or [[flow (psychology)|flow]], [[Value (ethics)|values]], strengths, virtues, talents, as well as the ways that these can be promoted by [[social system]]s and institutions.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Peterson |first=Christopher |title=A primer in positive psychology |year=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0-19-518833-0 |location=Oxford |oclc=62089880}}</ref>