Positive Psychology

Positive psychology is the science of happiness and well-being.

Applied Positive Psychology

Positive psychology started (Martin Seligman - 1998) as a movement that tried to shift the science of psychology more to the positive and extend its application to the advancement of human strengths, well-being and flourishing. Fortunately, the movement succeeded to achieve this objective to a high degree and has influenced almost all other branches of psychology. Its theories are used in organisational psychology, counselling psychology, coaching psychology, and clinical psychology.

Considering the primary nature of positive psychology and the core questions that motivated the movement, positive psychology was defined as; the science and practice of improving well-being (Lomas, et al., 2014) with the dominant objective of generating appropriate PPIs (Positive Psychology Interventions). Moreover, positive psychology is a fundamentally applied discipline that provides a complete scheme of interventions, tools and practices designed to enhance well-being and promote flourishing.

The second wave of positive psychology

A criticism of the early years of positive psychology was its stance towards the so-called “negative emotion”, what Held (2004) called “negativity about negativity itself”. People thought negative emotions were harmful and tried to suppress and avoid them. However, since Darwin, scientists knew about the adaptive nature of emotions. They explained them in terms of how they prepare us to cope with adversities or help us take advantage of opportunities present in a given situation.

During the first decade of the twenty-first century, criticisms of positive psychology have been addressed by a number of prominent positive psychology researchers who paid attention to the criticisms and appreciated the dialogue. The debates created an environment where the movement of positive psychology changed, grew, and developed into its present level of maturity. Held (2004) called this development, “the second wave”, and Wong (2011) subsequently named the movement “positive psychology 2.0”.

Kashdan and Biswas-Diener (2014a), who also contributed to the second wave, emphasised that positive emotions play an important role in our overall happiness and success (about 80%). But they advised their readers to tap into the whole range of their emotions, including negative ones (the other 20%). I do not fully endorse these arbitrary percentages (80/20), but I do agree with the message that Kashdan and Biswas-Diener sought to convey. In other words, we should feel fear in situations where there is a possibility of harm, anger when there is a need for standing up for our own rights, frustration when things don’t go as expected or regret when we do something wrong.

Additionally, Kashdan and Biswas-Diener (2014b) asserted that all psychological states have adaptive benefits, even those known to be negative. Thus, they proposed that people who can tap into the whole spectrum of their emotional state can live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

The argument of the second wave clearly points to the complex and somewhat unexpected effects of all emotions in different situations. It refutes the dualistic thinking which was prevalent in the earlier stages of positive psychology. And so, it encourages critical thinking and the epistemic approaches that include a metacognitive component, i.e. thinking about our thinking, to ensure we can see what might be wrong with a claim or the inferences that we make (Sternberg, Roediger & Halpern, 2007, p.12).

I believe the book Second Wave Positive Psychology: Embracing the Dark Side of Life (Ivtzan, et al., 2016) most thoroughly has described the second wave by explaining how positive psychology evolved to where it is today. The book deals with the dialectic nature of emotions and the dynamic interplay of opposing dispositions inherent in every event of our lives.

This book champions the position of positive psychology, stressing that embracing the so-called “dark side” of our lives, in the manner suggested by positive psychology, always yields positive outcomes (growth). The authors clarified this new vision and showed how the second wave has extended the frontiers of positive psychology to almost every domain of our lives. They showed how positive psychology, in its search for meaning, transformation, and growth, investigates not just happiness and hope but also the most difficult and painful aspects of our experiences in life.

Why is it called Applied Positive Psychology?

Theoretical sciences (also known as basic, pure, or fundamental sciences) are the scientific disciplines that provide hypothetical explanations and theories about natural phenomena. In general, basic sciences aim to develop new knowledge and shed light on the wonders of the world. Theoretical physics, pure mathematics, and molecular genetics are examples of basic sciences.

In contrast, applied or practical sciences study the application of the existing scientific knowledge to our daily lives. In other words, applied sciences aim to develop procedures, techniques, and technologies that ease our difficulties, increase our efficiency, and help us solve real-life problems. Medical microbiology, mechanical engineering, and industrial architecture are examples of applied sciences.

It’s important to note that many applied disciplines (both in psychology and otherwise) do not use the word 'applied' although they are obviously practical disciplines. Organisational psychology, educational psychology, and counselling psychology are only a few examples of applied disciplines in psychology.

During the past decade, positive psychology graduates have formed a new generation of psychologists, practitioners, coaches, and consultants whose job is to promote and facilitate happiness, well-being and human flourishing across a wide range of industries.