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The Rise of Positive Psychology
A science of strength and flourishing
For over a century, psychology has been preoccupied with human suffering. Since Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig in the late 1800s, researchers have primarily explored mental illness, harmful behaviors, and the darker aspects of human nature. The aftermath of World War II intensified this focus, as the psychological community sought to understand and treat trauma, depression, and anxiety.
Yet, in this quest to heal what was broken, something crucial was overlooked — the study of happiness, resilience, hope, and creativity. which, it turns out, are actually the typical experiences of most people (Lloyd, 2015; Myers, 2000a).
The Birth of a New Movement
By the late 1990's, a shift was brewing. Psychologists began questioning the field’s overwhelming emphasis on pathology. Martin Seligman, during his presidency of the American Psychological Association in 1999, called for a new approach — one that would explore what makes life worth living. Thus, positive psychology was born.
Unlike traditional psychology, which asked, “What’s wrong with people?” positive psychology asked, “What’s right?”. Its mission? To build a science of human strength by uncovering the mechanisms and…
