Until the 1950s, behaviorism was the dominant school of thought in psychology. It attempted to explain behavior based on the effects of the environment and learning rather than innate or inherited factors (Gross, 2020). Classical conditioning theory, discovered by Russian physiologist and Nobel prize winner Ivan Pavlov, was central to […]
Albert Bandura’s social learning theory (SLT) suggests that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating the behavior of others. Bandura realized that direct reinforcement alone could not account for all types of learning, so he added a social element to his theory, arguing that people learn by observing others […]
The employment of social workers in the United States is projected to grow by 13% from 2019 to 2029 to meet the growing needs of society (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021). Gaining and maintaining the skills and licenses necessary for newly qualified social workers to help in family, schools, […]
Social work continues to develop and grow as a profession, often with new and increasing demands and skills to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in society (Rogers, Whitaker, Edmondson, & Peach, 2020). However, while the context in which social work operates remains in constant change, one essential element […]
Professional social workers require detailed knowledge of social, mental, and interpersonal difficulties and the skills to work with the most vulnerable people in society. As a result, social work’s interest and involvement in family, community welfare, and social justice have contributed significantly to mental health practice and social policy (Bland, […]
Acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT (pronounced “act”), is an evidence-based therapy that blends Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), humanistic, and mindfulness-based approaches to treatment. There is a lot of good stuff contained in the treatment that can help your clients. There is no better way to learn about ACT than to […]
As psychologists, counselors, and therapists, we must never lose sight of the fact that humans are members of a cultural species. Therefore, we must consider the effect of cultural learning on how we live, our drives, and our goals (Heine, 2010). As Steven Heine (2010) writes, “on no occasions do […]
Heading out the door at 5 a.m. for another long, cold training run in the dark takes single-minded motivation. And maintaining focus when your team is behind and heading into the final few minutes of the game requires mental toughness. Sports are played by the body and won in the mind, […]
Separation anxiety is characterized by excessive anxiety upon being separated from major attachment figures such as parents. Despite its origins in childhood, separation anxiety can also persist into adolescence and adulthood and is a risk factor for developing more severe anxiety-related symptoms such as panic attacks and agoraphobia (Lewinsohn, Holm-Denoma, […]
While some athletes break through under pressure, performing at their very best, others falter, never realizing their potential (Mack & Casstevens, 2001). Mental toughness, resilience, self-confidence, and the right mindset are all factors in moderating the effects of stress while providing the drive for sportspeople to perform at their best […]
Richard Dawkins’s book The Selfish Gene created a considerable stir when it was first published in 1976. At that time, no one knew for sure exactly what a gene was, what they looked like, or how many existed. Yet, the brilliance of Dawkins’s work was that he side-stepped these issues. […]
“Tomorrow I will start my diet,” I reflected, while munching a doughnut. If this has ever happened to you, you have experienced first-hand what this article is about: what happens when we act in a way that does not align with who we believe we are. That slight feeling of […]
Consciousness is an enigma. While vital to the human experience, it remains obscure and hidden – the ghost in the machine (Hofstadter & Dennett, 1982). An epiphenomenon of the physical brain's complexity beneath, consciousness appears to rise from the activity of billions of neurons, like bubbles bursting at the top of […]
At one time or another, we all question who we are and how well we know ourselves. It’s part of the human condition. The search to understand human nature has been a journey lasting thousands of years, taking us from ancient Greece to modern gene labs. During that time, there […]
Like any other organ of the body, the brain is the product of many thousands of years of natural selection. If this is true of the hardware, shouldn’t the same biological processes apply to the software? Evolutionary psychologists claim that we have evolved countless mental programs, “each specialized for solving […]
A crisis is often a time of great suffering, disagreement, and confusion; yet, it can also be an opportunity for positive social transformation. To achieve constructive change in a community, it is vital to see the links between individual needs and global politics, economics, and cultural development (Riemer, Reich, Evans, […]
We often view the world through the lens of our biases. We bring cultural, professional, educational, and social baggage to our thoughts, decisions, and beliefs. As mental health professionals, we carry these preconceptions to our meetings with clients, influencing our diagnoses. Therefore, we can be guilty of refusing to accept […]
When plagues hit, people turned to religion. When war hits, people pray for and depend on one another. When terror tries to steal life from us, we stand in solidarity and hope for the goodness of humanity. Science is a very valuable part of humanity. However, it hasn’t yet explained […]
Operant conditioning is a well-known theory, but how do you put it into practice in your everyday life? How do you use your knowledge of its principles to build, change, or break a habit? How do you use it to get your children to do what you ask them to […]
TED talks have been around for over 30 years now, and since they’ve been online, thousands of them have been uploaded for viewers like you and me. We’ve put together a list of our 15 favorite positive psychology TED talks to inspire you about key themes, from how we measure […]
Have you ever met with a counselor or therapist and thought, "This is not a good fit?" It might have had something to do with the theories they use to inform their practice. Counselors and therapists worldwide receive training about the theoretical underpinnings of mental health. They learn how to […]
Think about it. When a person behaves oddly or deviates from the societal standards of normality, we address him/her in so many ways - depressed, anxious, moody, suicidal, and the list goes on. But how often do we hear ourselves categorizing the ‘mentally healthy’ people as happy, very happy, or […]
Appreciative inquiry is a strength-based approach to address changing and is considered a constructive alternative to traditional problem-solving. The intention in this process is to seek and leverage the best in people and place the focus more on what we want and less on what is broken. By changing the […]
Mental health therapists in the past dealt mostly with psychological diseases and the health issues that came from it. Their focus was less on individual factors like motivation, positive thinking, happiness, and emotional resilience, and more on the manifested symptoms of mental illness. George Vaillant, a pioneer in the field […]
As extensive as this list of positive psychology books may be, it will never be ‘finished’ or ‘complete’. To make the list as valuable as possible, your contribution is not only greatly appreciated, but necessary. So in case you know of any positive psychology books that aren’t yet featured in […]
The term “environmental psychology” might be a bit ambiguous or confusing to you; if it is, you’re certainly not alone. It’s not a very large field yet, but it has the potential to be one of the most impactful ones yet regarding the future of being human. If your interest is […]
Spending time in nature, by watching a sunset, gazing at the ocean or mountains, sitting in a park, escaping to the countryside or a nature retreat, or even just spending a few minutes to stare out the window, provides us with the opportunity to rest, reflect, and restore our very […]
If you’ve been hearing the term “positive psychology” thrown around a lot, but you’re not quite sure what it is, you’ve come to the right place! There are some common misconceptions about positive psychology, both about what it is and what it is not. To clear up some of these […]
Abraham Maslow was one of the most influential psychologists of the twentieth century. Among his many contributions to psychology were his advancements to the field of humanistic psychology and his development of the hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s career in psychology greatly predated the modern positive psychology movement, yet the field […]
The Big Five personality traits are all about the following question: "Who are you?" It's a simple enough question, but it's one of the hardest ones to answer. There are many ways to interpret that question. An answer could include your name, your job title, your role in your family, […]
The Journal of Positive Psychology is the first-ever journal entirely dedicated to positive psychology. It publishes six issues a year and presents the latest scientific findings related to happiness, fulfillment, and flourishing. The Journal of Positive Psychology pools information from a multitude of disciplines that range from psychology to economics. […]
Positive psychology complements traditional psychology's focus on pathology. It studies strengths, virtues, and the factors that contribute to a full and meaningful life. "Probably the biggest insight is that happiness is not just a place, but also a process. Happiness is an ongoing process of fresh challenges and . . . […]
One of the foundational articles in the field of positive psychology is “Positive Psychology. An Introduction,” written by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. (2000) "Psychology is much larger than curing mental illness or curing diseases. I think it's about bringing out the best in people; it's about positive institutions; it's […]
