PSYC 250 Chapter 3: Martin Seligman and positive psychology
Document Summary
Martin seligman, renowned pioneer of positive psychology, explains that happiness does not always depend on our social status, our religion or our physical beauty. Happiness is actually a unique combination of what he called "distinctive strengths," such as a sense of humanity, temperance, persistence, and the ability to lead meaningful lives. To speak of martin seligman is to speak of a new era in psychology. In this way, people could be helped to build a more satisfying reality. Life inflicts the same setbacks and tragedies on the optimist as on the pessimist, but the optimist resists them better. So far, much of the psychological study has focused on addressing mental illness and its treatments. In fact, seligman himself is known above all for his works on learned helplessness. However, as always that happens at some point in our lives, something happens that forces us suddenly to reflect deeply on ourselves.
