Designing Positive Psychology
Taking Stock and Moving Forward
Edited by Kennon M. Sheldon, Todd B. Kashdan, and Michael F. Steger
Reviews and Awards
"As positive psychology enters its second decade as a formally-christened perspective, it is important to take stock and also to plan ahead. The present volume accordingly deserves a place on the bookshelf (and desk) of everyone concerned with the scientific study of what makes life worth living." - Christopher Peterson, Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan
"I couldn't put this book down! The chapters demonstrate a rare uniformity of excellence - replete with rigorous review and critique of theory, empirical research, thoughtful commentary, and provocative suggestions. After a decade of being described as an 'emerging' field,' positive psychology is maturing and coming into its own. This important volume offers an unparalleled glimpse into state-of-the-art research, theory, and applications in positive psychology - from past, present, and future. This fantastic book should be required reading for anyone - researchers and laypeople alike - interested in flourishing individuals, institutions, and societies." - Sonja Lyubomirsky, Professor of Psychology, University of California, Riverside
"One of the most important books to appear in positive psychology, Designing Positive Psychology offers thoughtful presentations of what we have learned so far, the limits of our knowledge, and where we need to go next in the field. Anyone who wants to be a master of the science of positive psychology must read this authoritative, up-to-date, and thorough volume." --Ed Diener, Joseph R. Smiley Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Editor, Perspectives on Psychological Science
Consistent with Kashdan and Steger's introductory aims for the book (Chapter 2), I believe this book does present a useful overview of "what we know and . . . where positive psychology needs to go in the future in order to best realize its huge potential" (p. 19). The book also succeeds in enhancing the "conceptual complexity" of positive psychology and its "underlying connectivity to the broader research base of psychology" (p. 19). -- Michael Hogan, PsycCRITIQUES
