Holding on to Happiness Sonja Lyubomirsky Welcomes a Call for Society to Encourage People to ‘Flourish’

COMMENT SPRING BOOKS

PSYCHOLOGY Holding on to happiness Sonja Lyubomirsky welcomes a call for society to encourage people to ‘flourish’.

he premise of positive psychology — and use it in a new way at school each week. opportunity to change that it is as important to investigate Seligman also teaches the theory and the culture of a huge wellness as it is to study misery — has research behind positive psychology to indi- institution that is not Treached the mainstream. Discussed routinely viduals in a range of occupations — from life known for prioritizing by politicians, educators and mental-health coaches and entrepreneurs to policy wonks emotions, to prevent professionals, the field’s influence has grown and fitness instructors. suffering (includ- rapidly. Martin Seligman, director of the The most impressive effort Seligman dis- ing suicide and post- Positive Psychology Center at the Univer- cusses is the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness traumatic stress) and sity of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, is the programme now being implemented across bolster both flourish- Flourish: A scholar, educator and charismatic leader the US Army community. The programme, ing and effectiveness Visionary New who has championed these ideas passion- profiled in a special issue of American Psy- in military roles. Understanding ately for more than a decade. In Flourish, his chologist this January, involves measuring It is no accident of Happiness and most personal and boldest book so far he “psychosocial fitness” and building resilience that this book is titled Well-Being argues that we should set aside “happiness” in several life domains: emotional, social, Flourish yet Seligman’s MARTIN SELIGMAN as a goal, and embrace a broader measure of family and spiritual. For example, sergeants preceding best-seller Free Press/Nicholas Brealey Publishing: well-being, which he calls “flourishing”. are trained to avoid thinking the worst when was called Authentic 2011. 368 pp/408 pp. Seligman shares a wealth of insights and faced with adversities, and soldiers are taught Happiness. He pro- $26/£14.99 stories, mostly compelling and sometimes to identify emotions in others. This is a rare fesses that he now maddeningly digressing, which cast light detests the word “hap- on his passions and pet peeves. His wisdom piness”, for three reasons: it is overused and and audacious opinions explain why he nearly meaningless; it is measured subjec- has attracted legions of both followers and tively; and it connotes smiley-faced cheerful- high-profile critics, including writer and ness and hedonism. However, the alternative columnist Barbara Ehrenreich and New terms proffered by Seligman — flourishing, Yorker journalist Jane Mayer. well-being, meaning, love and growth — are Two themes run through the book. The no more likely to elude these problems. first is that the study of optimal human Setting out a new theory of well-being, functioning must be grounded in rigorous Seligman posits that flourishing has four science. The second is more controversial: elements or pillars: positive emotion (hap- positive-psychology researchers have a duty piness, satisfaction, engagement); meaning; to make the world a better place. Seligman’s positive relationships; and accomplish- book is a paean to applied science, a blue- ment (mastery). It is hard to argue with print for how to translate empirical evidence this intuitively appealing thesis. However, it from the laboratory to the real world. has its weaknesses. First, Seligman’s theory

Seligman describes several applied confuses the elements of well-being with SAN FRANCISCO NORRIS GALLERY, OF THE ARTIST/FREY COURTESY initiatives that he has conceived and the contributors and consequences of well- shepherded. In education, he has created being. For instance, people who report that and implemented curricula to develop they are happy are more likely than their character strengths (such as kindness and less-satisfied peers to have meaning, good leadership), build grit (passion and perse- relationships and accomplishment in their verance) and enhance positive emotions lives. These factors may be sources of hap- (happiness and gratitude) in schoolchildren piness — having a good marriage makes and undergraduates. For example, children one more happy, for example. Or they may at risk of depression are guided to identify Size Matters: Alces alces (moose email) by be outcomes — happier people are likely to their top signature strength (such as loyalty) Dana Harel, 2009. forge satisfying relationships.

A PhD is Not Enough! A Guide to Survival in Science Poseidon’s Steed: The Story of Seahorses, from Peter J. Feibelman (Basic Books, 2011; $14.95) Myth to Reality Climbing the scientific career ladder is difficult, and Helen Scales (Gotham Books, 2010; $15) the first steps from doctoral student to postdoc are The weird world of the seahorse is explored by the most precarious. Drawing on his experience as marine biologist Helen Scales. She describes a physicist in academic and government labs, in his its peculiar biology and the threats it faces, and new edition Peter Feibelman offers career guidance reveals its importance to humans, from its role in to those entering the research job market. Chinese medicine to ancient seahorse myths.

302 | NATURE | VOL 471 | 17 MARCH 2011 © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved Second, although the four pillars are correlated, they do not necessarily amount to a single structure: they need not occur together and may originate and evolve dif- ferently over time. For example, a public servant who is passionate about his work may experience a great deal of positive emotion and meaning over the course of his career, but his relationships may suffer if he over- works. A selfless Mother-Theresa type may have meaning, accomplishment and fulfilling relationships, but experience little joy. These examples point to a third concern: it is not clear whether Seligman’s conceptualization of well-being is shared among cultures. Third, there is no empirical evidence that constructs such as meaning or love can be measured more objectively than happiness. If happiness is “all in one’s head”, as Seligman asserts, then so are some of the four pillars. Terms such as flourishing and well-being are useful shorthand, but calling the four pillars a theory is premature. Size Matters: Second Growth Forest (2008) by Eamon MacMahon. Seligman’s ideas have a great deal of merit, but it is too soon to dispense with happiness. EARTH SYSTEMS Research reveals that happy people are not self-centred, gratification-seeking hedon- ists whose lives are lacking in meaning or fulfilment. On the contrary, hundreds of The biosphere rebooted studies have shown that happiness relates to outcomes such as creativity, productivity, Michael J. Benton finds hope for the future in a study effective coping, satisfying marriages, close of humanity’s cooperation with the environment. friendships, higher earnings, longevity and strong immune systems. Seligman’s galvanizing goal for positive any recent books about the fate for future challenges. psychology is for 51% of the world’s popu- of life on Earth muse on fragility, He develops his lation to be flourishing by the year 2051. tipping points and crises. But theme through par- Unlike many authors, he offers detailed and Msome writers see a more hopeful future for allel accounts of the tested solutions as well as compelling argu- the planet. Without ignoring the monu- history of Earth and ments for how societies can aim to raise the mental threats posed by humans, interdis- of life, harnessing an amount of positive emotion, meaning, good ciplinary studies may be offering reasons to impressive mix of OF THE ARTIST COURTESY relationships and accomplishment in their be cheerful about the resilience of life in the research in geology, citizens. Even if his four pillars don’t quite face of change, and our chances of surviv- chemistry, biology, make a theory, everyone stands to benefit ing this and the next century. Australian Here on Earth: A palaeoanthropology New Beginning from his initiatives. If they are happy, flour- palaeontologist Tim Flannery’s Here on TIM FLANNERY and sociology. ishing or enjoying well-being, people won’t Earth follows in this optimistic vein. Allen Lane/Atlantic Flannery moves care about the labels that researchers attach By tracing the great shifts in Earth’s geo- Monthly Press: 2011. deftly through some to those good feelings. ■ chemical and biological systems through 336 pp/288 pp. difficult science. time, he argues that life generates ever- £14.99/$25 Early in the book, Sonja Lyubomirsky is professor of more-sophisticated responses to varying he espouses Brit- psychology at the University of California, planetary conditions. In particular, he ish environmentalist and chemist James Riverside, California 92521, USA, and notes, “from the most intense competition Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis that life sta- author of The How of Happiness. for survival, cooperation has emerged”. bilizes the planet and makes it habitable. e-mail: [email protected] Such natural transformations hold lessons He explains how chemical cycling during

About a Mountain Nature’s Palette: The Science of Plant Color John D’Agata (W. W. Norton, 2011; $14.95) David Lee (Univ. Chicago Press, 2010; $22.50) Writer John D’Agata investigates the US The science of plant colour is explored by government’s plan to store nuclear waste beneath botanist David Lee, from the decorative use of Yucca Mountain in Nevada. He documents the plant dyes to the chemistry of plant leaf colour. “A history of the project, its supporters and detractors, compelling case that botany is full of intellectual and muses on atomic-bomb tests and Las Vegas’s challenges, many shamefully neglected,” wrote diminishing water supply and high suicide rate. Philip Ball in his review (Nature 449, 982; 2007).