The Power of Positive Psychology

As I noted before, the success of prevention and wellness programs depends on making changes to the lifestyle.

Getting anyone to make a lasting change is hard. People generally respond to emotional incentives that touch their human needs. Dry facts, statistics and recommendations are rarely effective in persuasion. This defines the basic challenge of health promotion.

The science of positive psychology may hold a clue to solving this dilemma

What is positive psychology? Let me quote a definition from Wikipedia:

Positive psychology is a relatively young branch of psychology that "studies the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive." People have been discussing the question of human happiness since at least Ancient Greece.

Psychology has been criticized (Seligman, 2002) as primarily dedicated to addressing mental illness rather than mental "wellness". Several humanistic psychologists—such as Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Erich Fromm—developed successful theories and practices that involved human happiness despite there being a lack of solid empirical evidence at the time behind their work, and especially that of their successors, who chose to emphasize phenomenology and individual case histories.

There you have it. Positive psychology is the science of happiness.

Studies have shown that positive emotions have measurable effect on physiology and therefore overall human well-being. Practical applications of positive psychology can heighten motivation and drive adoption of healthy behaviors. 

Authentic Happiness program at the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania is an excellent resource for learning about positive psychology research and applications. Check it out for some great assessment questionnaires that help people pinpoint their challenges and areas for emotional improvement, providing a gentle nudge to cause behavior changes.

Successful adoption of wellness starts with taking a positive attitude.