"Character" has become a front-and-center topic in contemporary discourse, but this term does not have a fixed meaning. Character may be simply defined by what someone does not do, but a more active and thorough definition is necessary, one that addresses certain vital questions. Is character a singular characteristic of an individual, or is it composed of different aspects? Does character--however we define it--exist in degrees, or is it simply something one happens to have? How can character be developed? Can it be learned? Relatedly, can it be taught, and who might be the most effective teacher? What roles are played by family, schools, the media, religion, and the larger culture? This groundbreaking handbook of character strengths and virtues is the first progress report from a prestigious group of researchers who have undertaken the systematic classification and measurement of widely valued positive traits. They approach good character in terms of separate strengths-authenticity, persistence, kindness, gratitude, hope, humor, and so on-each of which exists in degrees. Character Strengths and Virtues classifies twenty-four specific strengths under six broad virtues that consistently emerge across history and culture: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Each strength is thoroughly examined in its own chapter, with special attention to its meaning, explanation, measurement, causes, correlates, consequences, and development across the life span, as well as to strategies for its deliberate cultivation. This book demands the attention of anyone interested in psychology and what it can teach about the good life.

Articles on history, philosophy, developers, practitioners, and applications of positive psychology.

Describes psychological theories in all fields of psychology -- statistical, family therapy, personality, etc. The preface states that the book contains both good and "not so good" theories, expecting the descriptions to aid the reader in deciding which type of theory is encountered. Includes references to the original proposals and to later analyses and reviews.

Articles on positive psychology, self-efficacy, hope and leaders in positive psychology (Seligman, Deci and Csikszentmihalyi). Each article includes a list of 10-15 references fro further study

Ebook from Wiley Online Library. This encyclopedia, international in scope, covers important terms and concepts in article written by well-known authorities.