Positive psychology is a movement that emphasizes what is right with people rather than what is wrong with them. Most of psychology tends to focus on negatives and mental illness. Positive psychology is an attempt to redress the balance and focus on the positive aspects of life (human strengths and virtues that are found in the happiest people).

Positive psychology development programs are becoming commonplace in businesses, schools, and places of worship. Social scientists have learned more about how people respond to emotional experiences in productive ways. They now know more than they once did about curbing the effects of negative emotions, about making the most of positive emotions, and about how these practices lead to positive life outcomes. Given these discoveries, this set addresses the strengths, emotions, positive growth, and human flourishing of positive psychology. The essays expose the reader to the psychological findings that will shape positive psychology for decades to come. Each chapter is written with the goal of bringing research in positive psychology to life for the reader. The real-world implications of scholarship are communicated via anecdotes and case studies.

Shane J. Lopez is Associate Professor of Counseling at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, where he teaches courses in positive psychology, psychological assessment, and educational leadership. He is also a Gallup senior scientist, consulting primarily with The Gallup Education Division and Gallup University. He serves on the editorial board of The Journal of Positive Psychology and on the advisory board for Ready, Set, Learn, The Discovery Channel's pre-school educational television programming. Through his current research programs, Lopez is examining the effectiveness of hope training programs in the schools (under the auspices of the Making Hope Happen Program), refining a model of psychological courage, and exploring the link between soft life skills and hard outcomes in education, work, health, and family functioning.