Taking positive psychology to a group level

Research psychologist Associate Professor Lindsay Oades explains how positive psychology and wellbeing literacy, once largely focused on the individual, are being taken to a group level to promote healthier, more skillful interactions in humans organisations and networks.

The field of positive psychology brings to mind bolstering our mental health literacy as key to our collective wellbeing, our happiness, our ability to thrive and to cope in difficult times. While some argue that positive psychology offers useful, evidence-based lessons to achieve these goals, others are sceptical – calling it merely a focus on “happyology”, saying its benefits are overstated, and that it’s couched in fluffy or Pollyanna-ish terms.

Our guest today shifts the focus of this so-called “science of wellbeing” from the individual to the level of systems like workplaces, schools and health systems – that is, organisations and networks of people that make up our societies.

Associate Professor Lindsay’s 2017 books on the topic include The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of the Psychology of Positivity and Strengths-Based Approaches at Work and Wellbeing, Recovery and Mental Health from Cambridge University Press.

Episode recorded: 20 December 2016 Up Close producer: Eric van Bemmel Audio engineer: Gavin Nebauer Banner image: US Army/Flickr

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