Positive Psychology
“Habits of thinking need not be forever. One of the most significant findings in psychology in the last twenty years is that individuals can choose the way they think.” -Martin Seligman
What Is It?
Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that gained traction in 1998 with acclaimed psychologist, Martin Seligman, but holds both historical roots in Black Psychology and ancient roots with Aristotle in the 300s BC. It started with Aristotle's concept of "eudaimonia,” which translates to "spiritual flourishing,” the ultimate state of happiness and well-being. Unlike clinical psychology, positive psychology focuses on people's strengths rather than weaknesses and teaches people how to thrive as well as survive. Positive psychology does not teach people to force themselves to think positively through challenges (which is called "toxic positivity") or to avoid negative emotions altogether. As opposed to telling us to think and feel positively, it trains us to think and feel accurately through challenges and to take an optimistic charge in one's engagement with life.
P.E.R.M.A.
P.E.R.M.A. is an acronym created by Martin Seligman that represents the 5 main components of positive psychology and how to sustain overall well-being (as pictured below). For P (Positive emotions), Seligman explains how learning to cultivate positive emotions — awe, happiness, love, gratitude, etc. — in addition to learning how to manage emotions, will aid us in managing the inevitable pitfalls of life. E (Engagement) describes the importance of intention in our lives and stresses how we must learn to skillfully interact with everyday experiences and relationships. R (Relationships) gives prominence to social connection, highlighting this fundamental human need as our anecdote to survival — learning how to healthily love and be loved by others (and ourselves). M (Meaning) describes how meaning-making is another evolutionary quality of humans, reminding us of our biological imperative towards finding a sense of belonging and giving to the greater good. A (Achievement) is tied to the act of accomplishing/pursuing a goal to intrinsically grow or by virtue of the love for learning and connection.
Bridging Positive Psychology to the Science and Practice of Our Lives
The conceptual foundation for this Center is built from the monumental work done by trailblazing psychologists over the past 25 years in this field. We now are set with a growing amount of evidence of the pivotal role positive psychology plays in the development and sustained success of our lives. Positive psychology helps us redefine what success may even mean, pushing us in compassionate and critical ways to question who we are and what we may want to do with our lives Each of these five pillars is physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually beneficial in their own way. But, similar to how long-term happiness is best achieved through team efforts, the absolute benefits of integrating all pillars are greater than the sum of its parts. For the purpose of this Center, we hope to help communicate and integrate P.E.R.M.A. and other science-backed practices into the individual and collective lives that build the University of Oregon. We hope that in doing so, we can build a stronger, kinder, and more loving community.
As listed below, we separated five key facets of positive psychology into additional categories. This website will help lay out definitions of each of these expanded pillars, as well as provide outside resources of articles, books, videos, and podcasts to aid in a deeper understanding and direct application to our lives. That is the key to gaining the benefits of positive psychology, a term Aristotle called "phronesis,” or "practical wisdom" — we may only experience true long-term happiness when we are committed to the consistent practice of these pillars. We must commit to learning, growing, and yes, sometimes failing, to better the well-being of not only ourselves, but also that of our community.
Pillars of Positive Psychology
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Social Connection
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Mindfulness
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Gratitude & Giving
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Managing Emotions
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Growth Mindset & Achievement
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Purpose & Meaning
Articles & More
Videos
What Is Positive Psychology?
9 Habits To Stay Happy
Aristotle & Virtue Theory: Crash Course Philosophy #38
Why ‘Happiness’ is a useless word – and an alternative
Positive Psychology and Mindfulness (Psychological Perspective)
Positive Psychology Exercises: Self-Compassion Letter & Your Daily Holiday
Podcasts