NeMLA 2022 Panel: Careless Positivity?
Panel Description: While the foundations of positive psychology can be traced back deeply into the twentieth century (Maslow; Fromm; Ryff; Diener), the trend really took off in 1998 with Martin Seligman’s presidential address to the APA. Since then, a wealth of research has explored the salutary effects of positivity, with emphasis on the independent skills one can cultivate to flourish (Duckworth; Seligman; Compton & Hoffman). Over decades of use, this thinking has seeped into our daily lives, with common phrases telling us to “look on the bright side,” “put a smile on,” and “live, laugh, love.”