Positive psychology

Positive psychology is the self-designation of a substantiated by the American psychologist Martin Seligman research program. This positive normative objects of psychology such as happiness, optimism, security, trust, forgiveness and solidarity are treated, which have been observed, according to Seligman, the initial conflict and trouble- oriented psychology bit. Meanwhile, the term designates a flow (possibly a school) in psychology; it is also referred to as " New Paradigm ".

Formation and new developments

In the first decades of the emergence of the psychology employed according to estimates by representatives of Positive Psychology focuses on the healing of mental disorders, the treatment of defects. She was thus created deficit- oriented and non- resource-oriented. The Positive Psychology ties in with its resource- oriented perspective to the ideas of humanistic psychology and many aspects can already be found in the resource-oriented psychotherapy. A look at the positive side of human existence in the history of scientific psychology is not new, but their efforts on a broad base of scientific foundation.

Since the grounds of positive psychology is also makes the corporate practice their knowledge advantage. After the Positive Leadership - concept has been established in the Anglo Saxon world, is also found in German-speaking countries on through. As a basis for the application of positive psychology serve team development models based on the Clifton StrengthsFinder instrument of the American Institute GALLUP.

Positive Psychology is a term coined by the U.S. representatives term. As a research approach in German-speaking countries it is not operated under this name. Instead, there is a stronger interdisciplinary embossed happiness research. Unlike suggested by the representatives of Positive Psychology, large parts of the academic psychology deal with issues such as satisfaction and motivation. Mental illnesses are the subject of clinical psychology.

In the U.S. and the Anglo-Saxon character strengths or core qualities play an important role in research on positive psychology. Park, Peterson and Seligman conducted numerous empirical studies in conjunction with the identification of human character strengths. Also in the continental European research on positive psychology in an educational context core qualities play an important role, for example in studies to promote the personal skills of people through positive activities.

Objective and priorities

The Positive Psychology leaves according to their own claim to the current emphasis on the loss-making aspects and turns to the exploration of what people generally strengthens and makes life worth living. The science-based exploration of the themes is mainly based on empirical experience and behavior observations, from which conclusions are drawn. It deals with the areas of positive emotions, positive character, and positive structures.

Training

As a new field of research Positive Psychology is not yet an integral part of university education in Germany. International Master's programs of positive psychology already exist in the U.S. ( University of Pennsylvania, Claremont Graduate University ), UK ( University of East London ), Australia ( University of Sydney, University of Melbourne ) and Denmark ( University of Aarhus ). Training and further education in the German-speaking area are been realized mainly by private institutions, which results in that the quality of these services is very different.

Criticism

While Seligman's research program coaching and motivational training comes in the commercial areas on broad resonance, it is controversial in academic psychology. The American author Barbara Ehrenreich, the Positive Psychology as scientifically irrelevant represent and believes that " the success of Positive Psychology, especially in teaching positions and career opportunities in the coaching market can be measured: for positive psychologists themselves."

Even before Barbara Ehrenreich Günter Sheikh had placed optimism that culminates in compulsive thinking positive, criticized as esoteric and narrow gauge psychology. The incitement to optimism, as propagated as in the positive psychology appears unilaterally by Sheikh and can so far be gefährlichlich for life orientation and life success. Recent long-term studies confirm the criticism and prove the dangers of compulsive optimism.

Ehrenreich criticizes the positive psychology that thinking is being exploited as such, as a means to achieve goals. This has already had disastrous consequences in terms of the economy in the Vergegangenheit.