Question

Critically discuss the differences and similarities between "positive psychology" and "traditional psychology". What are the focuses of these two fields of psychology? How has both fields of study evolved over the last 10 years?

Answer 1

• Positive psychology is becoming, more commonly used an approach to research in the field. Its difference from traditional psychology would be that instead of focusing on people’s problems, and how to deal with them directly, which is the psychology we are mostly familiar with.
• Positive psychology may offer something we can benefit from, it offers the chance to help find the inner strengths of a person focusing more on proactive steps to use their own abilities in order to prosper in society.
• In just a few years, positive psychology has changed that, with more than 1,000 articles related to the field published in peer-reviewed journals on topics that include well-being, pride, forgiveness, happiness, mindfulness and psychological strength — and how these attributes are related to both mental and physical health.
• Positive psychology is finding its way into therapy, schools, businesses and even the U.S. Army.
  
• Traditional Psychology approach defines the problem and then finds a ways to treat the problem using various techniques. Often looking at the past, present and future behaviors of the individual and focuses more on any traumatic events that may have occurred during the individuals life, and how these event(s) have contributed to the overall functioning of the individual.
• Should we accept what positive psychology is a contender against traditional psychology. it would mean that diagnosis and research would mostly have to carry out qualitatively as each individual case of how a human can do better in society would be completely different.
• In the front of it I think that Psychology should accept this form of psychology and allow those which wish to do this form these treatments but in regards to research to help further these ideas, I think the problem would be you could not generalise between cases or offer diagnoses for the mass population. In my opinion it will never make it mainstream nor replace or contend the credibility of traditional psychology any time soon.