Positive Psychology
Positive psychology began as a new domain of psychology in 1998 when Martin Seligman chose it as the theme for his term as president of the American Psychological Association.It is a reaction against past practices, which tended to focus on mental illness and emphasized maladaptive behavior and negative thinking. It builds on the humanistic movement by Abraham Maslow, Rollo May, and Carl Rogers, which encourages an emphasis on happiness, well-being, and positivity.
Positive psychology largely relies on concepts from the Western philosophical tradition, such as the Aristotelian concept of eudaimonia, which is typically rendered in English with the terms "flourishing", "the good life" or even "happiness".Positive psychologists study empirically the conditions and processes that contribute to flourishing, subjective well-being and happiness,[1] often using these terms interchangeably.
