INQ-260PY | Positive Psychology

Full Title: Humanistic and Positive Psychology

Topic Description:

Two perspectives of psychology have focused predominantly on what Abraham Maslow called “the farther reaches of human nature”: humanistic psychology and positive psychology. This course will examine the major concepts of humanistic psychology (e.g., self-actualization, fully-functioning persons), will examine the contributions and shortcomings of this approach, and will explore the more recent positive psychology movement with its stronger research-based emphasis on human strengths and civic virtues and human flourishing. A thorough investigation of one construct from humanistic psychology will be undertaken (involving an inquiry into reliability and validity studies, adequacy of support for proposed applications, and critiques). Students will then address questions concerning the quality and adequacy of assessment techniques and of empirical studies in such areas in positive psychology as love, empathy, happiness, and self-esteem; each student will select one narrower area for further inquiry and will write a literature review on their chosen research question.

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: November 2009