Seligman launches positive psychology

Martin Seligman, as APA president, declares positive psychology a priority: studying well-being, not just pathology.

Positive psychology proposed a change of perspective: instead of focusing exclusively on illness, to also study the conditions that allow people to thrive. The scientific study of well-being, character strengths, flow, and positive relationships has generated interventions applicable in education, organizations, public health, and clinical settings.

The 1990s were a turning point for psychology: the rise of evidence-based psychotherapy, the first neuroimaging studies in clinical contexts, and growing recognition of the effects of childhood trauma on adult health.

Significance: This milestone significantly contributed to the development of psychology as a science and profession, influencing research, clinical practice, or public policy.