Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths [Hardcover]

C. (Charles) R. (Richard) Snyder (Author), Shane J. Lopez (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 076192633X | ISBN-13: 978-0761926337 | Publication Date: July 14, 2006

Written by two leaders of the positive psychology initiative, this groundbreaking new text brings positive social science to life through a comprehensive review of literature and well-crafted exercises that encourage readers to put positive psychology principles to the test. Positive Psychology: Scientific and Practical Applications of Human Strengths covers western and eastern approaches to understanding human strengths, along with the cultural and developmental influences on positive functioning. Key approaches for measuring and enhancing strengths and capitalizing on positive experiences are described.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There is no single-authored text specifically devoted to positive psychology.  Hence, a book like this is definitely needed.  Positive psychology has become a ‘hot’ topic…Increasingly, more courses are being offered in positive psychology, and the Templeton Foundation even gives an award for the best courses in this area.  In addition, the text can be used in other, more established classes, such as clinical, health, or humanistic psychology.”

(Dean K. Simonton )

“I know that Snyder has been involved in these issues from early on…The likelihood of this ... catching fire is quite good." (Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi )

"The field is ripe for it and the market for it will indeed grow.  Moreover, as leaders in the movement, and as editors of the massive new Handbook of Positive Psychology, they are as well prepared as anyone I can imagine to pull this off.  Add to that Rick Snyder’s record of productivity and his accomplishments as a teacher, and I think you could depend on a timely and first-rate piece of work from them."

(David G. Myers )

“...If I would teach a positive psychology course, this would be my required text.  I know of no other book like it.   It is needed.”

(Shelly Gable )

"This undergraduate text introduces a new field of psychology that emphasizes qualities that make life worthwhile rather than pathologies." (SciTech Book News )

"This is a very "readable" book . . . It was well worth the time spent reading it and I have already incorporated several of the concepts into my work." (Deborah Renner Hull )

"A strength of the present book is that, in comparison to the other available positive psychology texts, this one is the strongest by far in its coverage of cross-cultural issues. The book also is attractive in that it is replete with photographs, charts, tables, and graphs that have both substance and style. The publication of this superb text is an opportunity to reflect on the excellent progress made thus far towards the realization of the agenda envisioned by the positive psychology movement's founders." (Grant J. Rich Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books )

"Your text goes into much more depth in chapter, in fact in most areas of the book. It backs up what it says with current research, and explains that research so well that I will be able to use it in a community college. It is well written. Even though there are two authors, one can't tell who wrote which chapters; that is unusual. Finally, it is the best that is out there for a Positive Psychology text; it sets the standard that others should meet." (Mike Trent )

About the Author

Shane J. Lopez Ph.D. is research director for the Clifton Strengths School and Senior Scientist in Residence at Gallup. He is an architect of the Gallup Student Poll, a measure of hope, engagement, and well-being in American students. Dr. Lopez is also the director of the annual Wellbeing Forum which convenes scholars, leaders, and decision makers to discuss global wellbeing. He leads research on the links between hope, strengths development, academic success, and overall well-being and collaborates with scholars on these issues. He specializes in hope and strengths enhancement for students from preschool through college graduation, advocating a whole school strengths model that also builds the strengths expertise of educators, parents, and youth development organizations. Dr Lopez has provided strengths mentoring to thousands of college students. Formerly, Dr. Lopez was associate professor of counseling psychology at the University of Kansas, Lawrence where he taught courses in positive psychology, psychological assessment, and educational leadership. He serves on the editorial board of The Journal of Positive Psychology and on the advisory board for Ready, Set, Learn, the Discovery Channel’s pre-school educational television programming. Through his current research programs, Lopez is examining the effectiveness of hope training programs in the schools (under the auspices of the Making Hope Happen Program), refining a model of psychological courage, and exploring the link between soft life skills and hard outcomes in education, work, healthy, and family functioning. Dr. Lopez has published over 100 articles and chapters and seven books including Encyclopedia of Positive Psychology (Wiley) and The Handbook of Positive Psychology (Oxford) and Positive Psychological Assessment: A Handbook of Models and Measures (American Psychological Association Press), both with C. R. Snyder.

Dr. Lopez is a licensed psychologist and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.

 C. R. Snyder (deceased) was the Wright Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. Internationally known for his work at the interface of clinical, social, personality, and health psychology, his theories have pertained to how people react to personal feedback, the human need for uniqueness, the ubiquitous drive to excuse transgressions and, most recently, the hope motive. He received 31 research awards and 27 teaching awards at the university, state, and national levels. In 2005, he received an honorary doctorate from Indiana Wesleyan University.   Snyder has appeared many times on national American television shows, and he has been a regular contributor to National Public Radio. His scholarly work on the human need for uniqueness received the rare recognition of being the subject matter of an entire Sunday cartoon sequence by Gary Trudeau. All of these accomplishments were packaged in a graying and self-effacing absent-minded professor who says of himself, “If you don’t laugh at yourself, you have missed the biggest joke of all!”

Product Details

• Hardcover: 624 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc (July 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076192633X
• ISBN-13: 978-0761926337
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #722,731 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Text for Introductory Course in Positive Psychology, December 18, 2006

By 

Kimberley Monden (Lenexa, Kansas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths (Hardcover)

I recently used this textbook in teaching an undergraduate course in positive psychology. The authors are able to cover a range of topics in a manner that is both accessible and understandable. Use of the personal mini-experiments added a reflective component that is often missing in many undergraduate level courses. Feedback from the class on the choice of text was very positive with many students commenting on how enjoyable it was to read. I will be teaching this course again next year and will definitely use this book again.

Overall, the book is well organized and written in a language that is accessible to students at a range of levels.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A First Class Text that Shines with Personality and Pizzazz, November 26, 2006

By 

John Drimmer (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths (Hardcover)

This is a marvelous textbook, much needed both by teachers and by anyone who wants a comprehensive resource to this major new direction in contemporary psychology. As a member of both clubs I recommend this book enthusiastically.

Positive Psychology has been growing so rapidly, this is one of the very first textbooks to be published. Rick Snyder and Shane Lopez clearly know their stuff - they've edited two major recent volumes, one from Oxford Press, the other from the American Psychological Assoc. Nevertheless, these serious academics have avoided the classic pitfalls of textbook writing. Their book shines with personality and pizzazz. It's rare to encounter a text that combines practicality (covering all the bases, answering most, if not all, the questions) with real imagination. The authors write from their personal experience; they avoid the dull and the safe. It feels often as if they're talking directly to you, taking you into their confidence, sharing their insights, their doubts, and most importantly what's mattered most to them as people. This is a rare feat: great teaching delivered on the printed page.

Other aspects of their book that add enormous value are that it's chock-a-block with personal mini-experiments. In each, the authors take the intellectual content and re-shape it into an experience for the student. Their exercises are carefully designed to ensure that an idea doesn't remain just a cognitive pipedream but is transmuted into lived wisdom. The publisher provides you with a CD that's crammed with discussion guides, study guides, and tests. The graphics are fun; there are lots of pictures and good, punchy charts. On top of that, the text is inter-woven with sidebar articles by experts in the field and by others with first hand experience. These are brief and always relevant. The authors' experience as editors of large compilation volumes really shows. One feels as if one's gotten a far richer spectrum than just one book.

All in all, this is must-have for anyone who's interested in the human need for happiness, engagement and meaning.

5.0 out of 5 stars Pos Psy book, September 22, 2011

By 

anhthy07 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths (Paperback)

The book came in within two days, which was nice since I needed the book for school. The book came in the condition as it was described. If anything the book was better than what was described. Thanks for the business! =)