Happier? The History of a Cultural Movement that Aspired To Transform America

The development of "positive psychology," the study of happiness and other desirable personal traits, and "happiness studies," its more sociological cousin, is studied in this book by Horowitz (Mary Huggins Gamble Fdn. Chair, Smith Coll.). Beginning with the decline of behaviorism and psychoanalytic attempts to process the traumas of World War II, the work focuses on Martin Seligman, author of the best-selling Learned Optimism, who used his tenure as president of the American Psychological Association to institutionalize positive psychology. Especially compelling is the discussion of the relationship between positive psychology and other contemporary developments, particularly the subtle ways in which American culture shapes the emphasis on personal factors, such as optimism or resilience, while downplaying sociopolitical issues such as racism or poverty.