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Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive
by
World renowned researcher Dr. Barbara Fredrickson gives you the lab-tested tools necessary to create a healthier, more
vibrant, and flourishing life through a process she calls "the upward spiral." You’ll discover:
•What positivity is, and why it needs to be heartfelt to be effective
• The ten sometimes surprising forms of positivity
• Why positivity is more important than ...more
vibrant, and flourishing life through a process she calls "the upward spiral." You’ll discover:
•What positivity is, and why it needs to be heartfelt to be effective
• The ten sometimes surprising forms of positivity
• Why positivity is more important than ...more
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Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
January 27th 2009
by Crown
(first published January 1st 2009)
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It's very strange that people act so antagonistic towards this book. It's written by an expert in psychology and everything in it is validated by empirical study. Yes, it's packaged as a 'self help' sort of book, but there are zero of those all-too-common, nonsensical 'folk remedies' for your psychological ailings. It's simply taking those methods that have been shown by study to work, and then advising on ways that they may be used to better one's life.
I am a bit of an afficianado/junkie for ...more
I am a bit of an afficianado/junkie for ...more
I've been hearing wonderful things about this book from people who loved it, but frankly, I couldn't get past the first few pages without wanting to throw up. This book has a powerful and important message, but it's completely lost in the saccharine, unrealistic delivery.
Fredrickson starts the book by portraying the same scenario viewed in two different ways: In the first, you sleep through your alarm, wake up too late for your morning workout, check your email and find that one coworker has ...more
Fredrickson starts the book by portraying the same scenario viewed in two different ways: In the first, you sleep through your alarm, wake up too late for your morning workout, check your email and find that one coworker has ...more
While the message of this book is timely, i.e. that positivity can make a huge difference in the social world and that we should all work toward developing a more positive attitude,the scientific basis for these discoveries seems much more dubious. In fact, the book fits quite definitively into the self-help section and not the popular science section. Don't be fooled by the author's credentials or her constant (methinks she protests too much) appeals to the scientific validity of her
...more
Oct 31, 2009
Kirsti
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
nonfiction,
psychology
My husband scoffed at this book, but I enjoyed it because (1) the author is a scientist, (2) she uses peer-reviewed studies as the basis of her work and fleshes it out with some qualitative and anecdotal evidence around the edges, and (3) she emphasizes that statements like "Be positive" and "Don't worry, be happy" and smiley-face logos are no help at all. In fact, she describes one study in which fake-smiling while angry actually led to heart injuries.
I would need to read this book again to ...more
I would need to read this book again to ...more
Barbara Fredrickson teaches at UNC-Chapel Hill, where I got my PhD in English; I've been aware of her work in positive psychology for years because a handful of my students took her classes--and they all LOVED them. I recently ran across an interview with Fredrickson and liked her discussion of how imprecise a term "happy" is and how inadequate various measures of it are, so I decided to read her book.
I probably should have read her scholarly articles instead (and I probably will, eventually). I ...more
I probably should have read her scholarly articles instead (and I probably will, eventually). I ...more
A serious, in-depth book about happiness, which the author calls positivity to distinguish from the superficial fluffy self-help happiness stuff. She defines positivity to include joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, and love. This book is full of results of scientific studies done by the author and others--everything she says is backed up experimentally.
The biggest take-away here is that a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative thoughts is the tipping point ...more
The biggest take-away here is that a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative thoughts is the tipping point ...more
Barb Fredrickson is a fellow Carl, Class of '86, and clearly head and shoulders above my intellectual level!! Still, when I saw she was receiving an alumni achievement award this year, I became interested in her "broaden and build" theory and noticed she had written a book, "Positivity," which was said to be accessible for all. Does it tell you something about my summer to know it's taken me about 2 months to work my way through this easily read, 230-page book? Barb offers many good (and
...more
This book is mainly about its author. You can read between the lines what an extraordinary psychologist she is and what a wonderful life she has. Her pretentiously poetic style of writing, combined with the scientific style required by her training, resulted in me getting tired (or just bored) of reading. The information contained in the book might be interesting, although I - having read quite a few books of the kind in my life - found almost nothing really new in it.
Reading about the extensive body of research on the power of positivity in the midst of preparing for Irma, the most catastrophic hurricane ever hitting Florida, was quite an experience. I think most people know how important it is to remain positive, but it is reassuring to have the social science back it up and have a social scientist give you valid data to make inferences yourself. I liked this book, but I give it 3.5 because it didn't have to be this long and sometimes the argument
...more
Dec 25, 2011
Ryan
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Ryan by:
Aaron
Lately, I've been been into psychology books.
The Moral Animal: Why We Are, the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology started things; Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion and Man's Search for Meaning lent it much fuel. Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3 to 1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life is a worthy addition to this list.
The author spends half the book supporting her thesis by describing the results of various psychology experiments. These experiments are ...more
The Moral Animal: Why We Are, the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology started things; Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion and Man's Search for Meaning lent it much fuel. Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3 to 1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life is a worthy addition to this list.
The author spends half the book supporting her thesis by describing the results of various psychology experiments. These experiments are ...more
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Dr Barbara Fredrickson is Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology and principal investigator of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a leading scholar within social psychology, affective science, and positive psychology.
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“In fact, surveys show that the more people watch television, the more violent they judge the world to be. You might think that those who watch a lot of TV are simply better informed about the evils of the world. They’re not. They grossly over-estimate rates of violence. People who watch less TV are more accurate judges of the degree of risk we all might encounter each day.”
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“The multitude of studies that I and other scientists have con ducted on positivity is destined to remain merely interesting dinner conversation until you deepen your self-study. You need to pivot away from what’s worked for others and toward what works for you. Have your own “Eureka!” moments. Discover for yourself what rouses genuine and heartfelt positivity.”
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