Primer in Positive Psychology

by Christopher Peterson and Dashka Slater

Book Overview

Positive psychology is the scientific study of what goes right in life, from birth to death and at all stops in between. It is a newly-christened approach within psychology that takes seriously the examination of that which makes life most worth living. Everyone's life has peaks and valleys, and positive psychology does not deny the valleys. Its signature premise is more nuanced, but nonetheless important: what is good about life is as genuine as what is bad and, therefore, deserves equal attention from psychologists. Positive psychology as an explicit perspective has existed only since 1998, but enough relevant theory and research now exist to fill a textbook suitable for a semester-long college course.

A Primer in Positive Psychology is thoroughly grounded in scientific research and covers major topics of concern to the field: positive experiences such as pleasure and flow; positive traits such as character strengths, values, and talents; and the social institutions that enable these subjects as well as what recent research might contribute to this knowledge. Every chapter contains exercises that illustrate positive psychology, a glossary, suggestions of articles and books for further reading, and lists of films, websites, and popular songs that embody chapter themes.

A comprehensive overview of positive psychology by one of the acknowledged leaders in the field, this textbook provides students with a thorough introduction to an important area of psychology.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195188330
• ISBN13: 9780195188332
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.0" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

Accessible Read on Positive Psychology

If you're looking for an accessible foundation in positive psychology that is content rich, research-based and practical, then this book is for you. It's used as a college textbook by the author/professor at U of Michigan who is a pioneer in the field, but it's much more interesting and humorous than the textbooks I've read for my college classes. It doesn't have that typical textbook feeling, but it's richer in ideas than what is on the mass market on happiness. And there are exercises to try out in your life to improve your happiness at the end of each chapter. The author is brilliant and articulate. He's won teaching awards at U of M:you feel like you're in his classroom being taught by him without having to pay tuition--and that's positive! I learned about this book on a list of top 10 books on Happiness & Positive Psychology. It's a great book for psychology students, coaches, practicing psychologists and regular folk interested in the evolving and transforming field of positive psychology.

Cogent review of Positive Psychology

I confess that I gave up reading "Authentic Happiness" half-way through, so I was not biased toward positive psychology. However, this was a text for a PP coaching class I took, and I liked it a lot -- very clear, straight-forward, easy to understand, full of substantive and interesting research, and even a bit of humor. I found myself looking forward to reading the assignments. My only fuss (which the author says he'll rectify in the next edition) is an inherent testosterone bias, (e.g., a key element of happiness is "winning," expressed in masculine terms rather than the kind of fulfillment that a soccer mom might get from raising great kids). Altogether a good explication of the rationale and value of positive psychology.

Great Guide to a Different Perspective

When I first heard of "positive psychology" I thought..."so what is negative psychology supposed to be?" The terminology shouldn't hang you up. Positive psychology is a look a what psychology can be sans the illness orientation. What this means is that you are really studying how people can use their minds without concentrating on how that thing they do with their hair is an obvious sign of their insecurity, their masturbatory tendencies, or their love affair with their anal stage of development. The book has great information but is not written in a stuffy or pretentious way. Without a doubt it is one of the most readable psychology books I've ever had the pleasure of recommending. Even though the author supplies the reader with tons of references to help him in his continued study, for the casual reader this book can easily stand by itself. If you are lucky enough to get this as a text book in college enjoy the course and the professor wise enough to chose this book.

Dr. Peterson's Delivery of Positive Psychology to the Masses

A Primer in Positive Psychology delivers a text full of the details from what has been concept for a decade. With the field of Positive Psychology coming to the point of being a deliverable product to the public, Dr. Peterson frames up a concise text of understandable background on what we are and how positive strategies of behavior throughout the lifetime can benefit all people. This establishes the goal of making Positive Psychology a core life training for students at all levels of education, beginning with primary stages. This textbook format gives parents the tools for themselves and their young adult children to teach themselves the principles of excelling at life, not just surviving it.