Positive Psychology

Catalog description

Historically, the field of psychology has placed great attention on the question of, “What is wrong with people and how do we fix it?” This course will focus on the question of, “What is right with people and how can we build on that?” We will explore this by examining empirical research centered on the nature of happiness and psychological well-being. Positive psychology is the rigorous study of what is right and positive about people and institutions. Positive psychologists call for as much focus on strength as on weakness, as much attention on positive emotions as negative emotions, as much interest in building the best things in life as in repairing the worst, and as much attention to promoting the fulfillment of lives of healthy people as to healing the wounds of the distressed. This course will first present an introduction to the core assumptions and research findings associated with human strengths and positive emotions, then move on to explore interventions and applications informed by this perspective in counseling and psychotherapy, as well as in domains personally relevant to the lives of students such as school, work, family and other close relationships.