Contemporary psychology, Vol. 5 No. 1, 2002.
Review article
Positive psychology – new direction in psychology
Majda Rijavec
Abstract
During its first century, psychology focused much of its attention on understanding and alleviating negative states. The question how "normal" people can live good lives and grow has rarely been addressed.
Contrary to this approach, Positive psychology studies optimal human functioning. It aims to discover and promote the factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive. Three areas of research are of main interest: positive subjective states, positive person and positive groups, communities and cultures.
Satisfaction with the past, happiness with the present, and optimism, hope and faith about the future define the movement's first area: positive subjective well-being. The second area, positive person , focuses on exploring and enhancing virtues such as creativity, courage, compassion, integrity, self-control, leadership, wisdom, and spirituality. The third area, positive groups, communities, and cultures , seeks to foster a positive social ecology, including healthy families, neighborhoods, effective schools, socially responsible media, and civil dialogue.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
3218
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2002.
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