Applied Positive Psychology: Integrated Positive Practice - Hardcover

Lomas, Tim; Hefferon, Kate; Ivtzan, Itai

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1446298620 ISBN 13: 9781446298626

Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2014

Synopsis

Instructors - Electronic inspection copies are available or contact your local sales representative for an inspection copy of the print version.

“If you think you know what positive psychology is, think again! This book offers a new integrative vision for making life better that takes in the body and the brain, culture and society, childhood and development... A must read for students.”
- Stephen Joseph, University of Nottingham

"Captures the best of the positive psychology initiative, and most importantly, translates it to practice. The authors bring remarkable depth and breadth to the subject matter and do so in a way that is fresh, engaging, relevant, and unusually thoughtful."
- Carol Ryff, University of Wisconsin-Madison

"If you want to understand what positive psychology really is, learn how it works in practice and discover its huge potential to transform our lives and our world then look no further than this superb book. I really can't recommend it highly enough."
- Mark Williamson, Director of Action for Happiness

This exciting new textbook, written by leading academics in the UK, offers the very first authored title on applied positive psychology for university courses.

Consisting of the latest cutting-edge theory and research in the subject and structured around a pioneering multidimensional model of wellbeing, this book will provide you with the knowledge and tools to apply positive psychology in many areas of life. These include interventions aimed at developing mental and physical functioning, to recommendations for enhancing relationships and reshaping organisational structures. The book shows how these practices can be successfully deployed in diverse real-world settings, from the classroom to the workplace. Key features include:

• Learning objectives set out at the start of each chapter
• Practice essay questions throughout and quizzes to test your knowledge at the end of each chapter
• Useful measurement tools and recommendations for research
• Summary boxes and suggested further reading and resources
• Case studies and ‘Reflection’ boxes that invite you to explore topics in greater depth and relate findings to your everyday life.

This book will be essential reading for all students with an interest in or studying a course in applied positive psychology, and is strongly recommended to students taking a wider course in positive psychology and the psychology of happiness and wellbeing.

About this title

Review:

If you think you know what positive psychology is, think again!  This book offers a new integrative vision for making life better that takes in the body and the brain, culture and society, and childhood and development. Written by the team who lead the Applied Positive Psychology programme at the University of East London you can be sure that the scholarship is cutting edge. A must read for students of positive psychology.

(Professor Stephen Joseph, editor of Positive Psychology in Practice)

It's hard to think of any discipline that could be more important in modern society than Positive Psychology - the science and practice of improving wellbeing. This book marks a significant coming-of-age for this exciting and rapidly developing field. It provides a grounded, compelling and comprehensive view of the many ways that Positive Psychology can help make life better - from individuals and families to schools, workplaces and communities; from birth and childhood to adult life and old age. If you want to understand what Positive Psychology really is, learn how it works in practice and discover its huge potential to transform our lives and our world then look no further than this superb book. I really can't recommend it highly enough.
(Dr Mark Williamson)

This textbook captures the best of the positive psychology initiative, and most importantly, translates it to practice. The authors bring remarkable depth and breadth to the subject matter and do so in a way that is fresh, engaging, relevant, and unusually thoughtful. Everyone who reads this book will derive useful insights about how to live. The closing chapter on ethical and reflective practice is a masterpiece. (Carol Ryff)

If you are interested in having a positive impact on people’s lives then this book is for you. By firmly placing Positive Psychology in an applied and social context the authors identify its true purpose - to make life better. It does a brilliant job of showing readers how to apply the insights that research has uncovered. It will surely become one of the go-to text books for all students of Positive Psychology. (Nic Marks)

A major strength of the book relates to the diversity with which the material is presented. It is rare for a textbook to contain such a multitude of learning tools (e.g. case studies, measurement tools, media, and quizzes).
In sum, Applied Positive Psychology provides a thoughtful and thorough description of the practical realm of positive psychology. It is an appropriate textbook choice for courses with an applied focus, and a good companion text for courses with a broader focus on positive psychology.

(Kelly Campbell, California State University, San Bernardino)

About the Author:

Dr Tim Lomas is a lecturer and module leader on the MSc in Applied Positive Psychology at the University of East London. Tim undertook an MA (Hons) and an MSc in psychology at the University of Edinburgh, and completed his PhD at the University of Westminster in 2012. He has published numerous papers on meditation, Buddhism, and masculinity. His first academic book, entitled ‘Masculinity, Meditation and Mental Health,’ was published by Palgrave MacMillan in Spring 2014.

About this edition

• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1446298620
• ISBN 13: 9781446298626
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240