Positive Psychology is a hot topic these days. So, i would like to describe the biography of the author of this phenomenon who is Martin Seligman and the emergence of positive psychology.
Martin Seligman was born on August 12, 1942 in New York. He is a psychologist, educator, researcher. He was educated at Albany Academy in New York. Concerning Seligman’s actual personal life, we note the fact that he has seven children and four grandchildren. After graduating high school, he studies at Princeton University where he earned an A.B. (Arts Bachelor) degree in 1964. Then, he studies analytic philosophy at Oxford University, and animal experimental psychology at the University of Pennsylvania where he obtained a doctorate in psychology, in 1967. During the time he was a teacher, Martin Seligman carry out a lot of experiences and especially on “learned helpless” that he defines as well : “a term specifying an organism learning to accept and endure unpleasant stimuli, and unwilling to avoid them, even when it is avoidable”. He points up that when people feel they have no control over their situation, they tend to give up rather than fight for control. His research on helplessness had important implications in the prevention and treatment of depression. In 1996, Seligman was President of the American Psychologist Association. He begins to present the Positive Psychology. Martin Seligman defines positive psychology as positive effects of the human experience that include personal, biological, relational, cultural and global dimensions of life. Positive psychology is considered that “good life” and emphasis on happiness, well-being and positivity. In 2002, Seligman described three kinds of happy life: the pleasant life which corresponds to enjoyment of sensory pleasure as food, music, sex. In a second time, he put forward the engaged life, the pursuit of sensual indulgence. It is a much more enduring path to happiness which involves a mental or physical task, project or activity. At last, Seligman highlights the meaningful life which refers to people who give sense and a global goal to their lives. The meaningful life is the ability to look outside yourself, to have concern for the next generation, and to take care of others. According to the author, this meaningful life refers to a few elements of well-being: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishments (PERMA). Seligman evoked also the influence of optimism on health in particular on quality of life. He describes that optimistic people in their lives have less healthy problems like anxiety or depressive disorders than pessimist people. Furthermore, optimist people will have a higher life expectancy in comparison to pessimist people. So, in general terms, be optimist and think positively would contribute to well-being of the person.
Key-words:
Hot topic : sujet d’actualité
Give up : abandoner
Highlight : mettre en avant
Meaningful : significatif
To take care of : prendre soin de
Tend to : avoir tendance à
Life expectancy : espérance de vie
Optimism/be optimistic : optimisme/être optimiste