7/27/2019 Sheldon e King - Why Positive Psychology is Necessary

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7/27/2019 Sheldon e King - Why Positive Psychology is Necessary

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/sheldon-e-king-why-positive-psychology-is-necessary 2/2

Kennon M.Sheldon Laura King

believe this bias prevents psychologists from perceivingmany important human proce sses, outcomes, and strengths.

In selecting the articles for this special section, wetried to illustrate some of the best of the new positivepsychology, to show the exciting and potentially transform-ing new questions thai can be asked once one adopis a m oreappreciative perspective. For example, why are positiveemotions so important? {This is something everyone kno wsintuitively, but it has been the topic of relatively little studyin psychology.) Barbara L. Frederickson's (2001, this is-sue) broaden-and-buitd theory of positive emotions offersa promising answer to this question, namely, that positiveemotions facilitate the creation of important skills andresources. Why are the majority of humans around theworld very satisfied with their lives despite (heir objectivedifficulties (Meyers, 2000)? Perhaps it is because of theordinary but unappreciated magic of human resilience. Inher article, Ann S. Masten (2001, this issue) discusses theremarkable adjustive capacities that resilience researchersnow view as being part of every hum an's innate equipm ent.Nevertheless, some people are even happier than the rest ofus—why is this? Sonja Lyubormirsky's (2001, this issue)article addresses this question, showing that happiness mayreally be "in our head": as folk wisdom has long asserted,happy people appreciate what they have, without dwellingon what they do not have. Finally, is it possible for positive

psychology to also be realistic psychology, or is this anoxymoron? Sandra L. Schneider's (2001, this issue) articletackles this question, showing that there is a fuzzy range offactual knowledge and possible interpretations that allowspositive or optimistic construals to be just as potentiallyaccurate as any other construal. At the sam e time, positiveconstruals are also more adaptive, in that they help toactually bring about the optimist's vision.

As readers peruse this special section, we hope theywill agree that psychologists should focus more attentionon the positive aspects of human nature. If psychologistsallow themselves to see the best as well as the worst inpeople, they may derive important new understanding ofhuman nature and destiny.

REFERENCES

Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positivepsychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Amer-ican Psychologist, 56, 2)8-226.

Lyubomirsky, S. (2001). Why are some people happier lhan others? Therole of cognitive and motivational processes in weil-being. AmericanPsychologist. 56, 239-249.

Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience processes in develop-ment. American Psychnlogisi, 56, 227-238.

Meyers, D. (2000). The friends, funds, antl faith of happy people. Amer-ican Psychologist, 55, 5 6 - 6 7 .

Schneider, S. L. (2001). In search of realistic optimism: Meaning, knowl-edge, and warm fuzziness. American Psyc/tologisi. 56, 250-263 .

March 2001 • American Psychologist 21 7