Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology is one of the positive movements in Psychology that focus on mental health, instead of mental illness. It developed in response to the deterministic tone that arose in the early 20th century when the focus of Psychology shifted from private conscious experiences to non-existent mental processes in Behaviorism, automatic processes in Gestalt Psychology, and unconscious processes in Psychoanalysis.

Positive psychologists analyze mental health in 3 levels: according to positive experiences (e.g., happiness and optimism), positive traits (e.g., courage and wisdom), and positive institutions (e.g., schools and church). One of the theories developed in Positive Psychology is the Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions, which states the benefits of positive emotions to mental health.