Boniwell - Positive psychology in a nutshell: the science of happiness

Open University Press

McGraw-Hill Education

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First edition published in 2006 by PWBC, London

Second edition published in 2008 by PWBC, London

This edition 2012

Copyright Ilona Boniwell, 2012

Illustrations by Alexander Izotovs

All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence from the Copyright Licensing Agency Limited. Details of such licences (for reprographic reproduction) may be obtained from the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd of Saffron House, 610 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

ISBN13: 9780335247202 (pb)

ISBN10: 0335247202 (pb)

eISBN: 9780335247219

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Fictitious names of companies, products, people, characters and/or data that may be used herein (in case studies or in examples) are not intended to represent any real individual, company, product or event.

Dr Ilona Boniwell is recognized as Europes leading researcher, innovator and thinker in the expanding world of positive psychology.Positive Psychology in a Nutshelloffers something for everyone with an interest in discovering how to live optimally. This brilliant little book is packed with scientific evidence identifying the key ingredients that help to create a happy life. Read it and learn how to change yours for the better.

Dr Cecilia dFelice, Consultant Psychologist, Author and Columnist for The Times and The Metro

Positive Psychology in a Nutshellis a little gem of a book, beautifully and engagingly written, and having the marks of a cogent teacher who has mastered the contemporary structure, bounds and outreach of her field. This is a must read, and a welcome antidote for all those engaged in the caring professions.

Richard Whitfield, Human Development Specialist, Educator, Poet and Chairman of Trustees of the Face-to-Face Trust

As good an introduction to positive psychology as you can read. A must-read book for all those involved in the education and health industries.

Dr Anthony Seldon, Master, Wellington College, Berkshire, UK

Praise for the Second Edition:

Positive Psychology in a Nutshellis a comprehensive, user friendly, thoughtful introduction and critique of the field. Simply put, it is the best overview out there that can be read in a couple of sittings. Those with no psychology background find it fascinating and informative; those with serious credentials find it to be a credible overview and critique of the field.

Dr Carol Kauffman, Co-founder and Director of the Coaching and Positive Psychology Initiative, Harvard Medical School, USA

Positive Psychology in a Nutshellis by far the best introduction to the topic. Great for the lay reader or professional.

Dr Carol Craig, Chief Executive, Centre for Confidence and Well-being, Glasgow, UK

This book does what the title suggests, and it does it well. If you want a sound introduction to the burgeoning field of positive psychology, read this it would be useful for anyone psychology student or anyone else wanting to know about this area.

Professor Ben C. Fletcher, University of Hertfordshire, UK

In a nutshell, I could scarcely put down this intelligent, balanced and irresistible introduction to positive psychology!

Dr Sean Cameron, Co-Director, Practitioner Doctorate in Educational Psychology, University College London, UK

Dr Ilona BoniwellsPositive Psychology in a Nutshellis a beautifully written, clear and down-to-earth explanation of the essentials of a fast-growing and exciting new development in psychology. It is my number one introductory reference for students, applied psychologists, researchers and for those wanting to find out more about the topic.

Professor Irvine S. Gersch, Director of Educational Psychology Programmes, University of East London, UK

As a founder of the European Network of Positive Psychology, leader of the first Masters in Applied Positive Psychology in Europe and a researcher, I am frequently asked to present an introductory lecture or a workshop on positive psychology. I have given talks to undergraduate and postgraduate students, managers, health professionals, educators and the general public. My talk usually generates a lot of excitement and interest. How can I learn a little bit more about it? participants always ask. At this point, I usually pick up the 709-page Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology and show it to the audience. It is generally met with silence, broken by an occasional giggle. Then I pick up the 598-page Positive Psychology in Practice: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths. It improves the situation but only slightly. Finally, I introduce the 270-page Positive Psychology: Theory, Research and Applications written by Kate Hefferon and myself, and about a third of my audience exhale with relief. For the other two-thirds this textbook, aimed at undergraduate psychology students, is still an unlikely read in our age of information overload.

This was the rationale behind the book you are holding now to provide a concise but comprehensive introduction to positive psychology for an intelligent reader who is not necessarily a psychologist. Although it has tips and tools, this is not a self-help book but an attempt to offer a balanced account of what positive psychology is and what it is not, and what its strengths and its weaknesses are. It discusses many successes and discoveries, but also controversies within the field.

Much of what is inside the covers comes from reading books, scientific papers, going to conferences, talking to leading scholars and carrying out research. The book also draws on discussions with friends and colleagues, and questions raised by my students and the general audience. I hope this attempt to marry research findings with conceptual thinking and common sense produces a light but integrated perspective on positive psychology.

Six years have passed since the first edition of this book, and nearly four since the second. The world of positive psychology has continued growing from strength to strength. As of 2012 we can talk of hundreds of undergraduate classes in American, European and British universities, with positive psychology being the most popular course in Harvard, attracting over a thousand students per semester. Today, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of East London are offering a Master in Applied Positive Psychology for those wishing to take their understanding and practice of positive psychology a step further, with many new Masters currently in the process of development in other countries. Modern positive psychology is no longer centred solely on its Philadelphia birthplace, as the new International Positive Psychology Association unites psychologists and practitioners around the world.