Positive Psychology

After spending years in World War II concentration camps, Viktor Frankl emerged to develop a psychology of hope and meaning that emphasized what Abraham Maslow later called the human momentum for "self-actualization". More recently, leading scholars have taken these ideas further. Since 1998, "positive" psychology has amassed an understanding of humans at their best. A worldwide collaborative effort now attempts to balance psychology's early focus on psychopathology with empirical science and sound practical strategies that promote wellbeing, quality of life, and resilience. Students will engage in active experiences related to gratitude, hope, savoring, altruism, etc. Objectives for this course are for students to develop a general body of knowledge (and experience) about the new social science regarding the more positive aspects of human existence, as well as specific strategies for change at the individual, social, and cultural levels. We will be “living” much of this material, so this information should be directly applicable to your personal and professional development.