A critical review of the history and current status of positive psychology

Abstract

Positive psychology is emerging as an alternative to negative psychology. The positive approach seeks to highlight intrapersonal and interpersonal resources in order to favour the optimum development of people, groups, organisations and societies. This tradition has a long history in Western and Eastern philosophical and anthropological thought. Therefore, it is not a novelty or original and so can and should be criticised. This study concludes that positive psychology is not necessary or essential for healthy or reasonable psychology, as its proposals have long been widely known.