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Positive Psychology thors, no doubt. Their photos, however, University of Massachusetts Boston, Graduate actualization, and states of consciousness seemed to offer only one kind ofaccount: that College of Education, Boston MA 02125- (Alexander, Rainforth, & Gelderloos, 1991; which belongs to the dominant cultural group 3393. Electronic mail may be sent to Mwphy & Donovan, l 997; Walsh & Vaugh­ in the United States. [email protected]. an, 1993; West, 1987). A variety of specific Where were all the authors who could meditations exists to cultivate exceptional ca­ reflect the manifold variety of the United pacities such as concentration, compassion, States'! Where in this issue were the writers DOI: 10.10l71/000l--066X.S6. I.83 and altruism, although little experimental who speak about the histories, courage, chal­ work has been done on these (Walsh, 1999). lenges, and success of people of color? The Positive Psychology: Researchers of positive psychology have a contributing authors deconstructed some of East and West theoretical and practical gold mine of more the major dominant theories on psychology, than 2,000 years of exploration of positive but little was offered toward deconstructing RogerWulsh psychology on which to draw. how, in hosting such a relevant theme, the University ofCalifornia , Irvine The field of transpersonal psychology major journal in the field simply kept the draws on this data and has developed theo­ perspectives of psychologists of color si­ 1don't think I have ever been as excited by an ries that integrate Asian ideas with Western lenced and invisible. The reader may have issue of the American Psychologist as I was concepts and research. As such, it has begun concluded that overcoming, struggling with, by the January 2000 issue on positive psy­ to develop the outlines of a global integral surviving, and thriving in adversity is a sub­ chology edited by Martin E. P. Seligman and psychology, best exemplified in the writings ject that belongs to White American authors Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. At last the leaders of Ken Wilber. A valuable overview of his and subjects. of the American Psychological Association ideas can be found in Wilber (1996), and a Addressing issues ofsocial justice from are focusing on the positive rather than only denser survey can be found in Wilber (2000) the perspective ofa positive psychology can­ the pathological and are discussing topics or in his collected works. not be replaced by a study about bio-cultural such as happiness, well-being, and creativity. ln drawing attention to the omission of inheritance (Massimini & Delle Fave, Janu­ I feel happier already, and I applaud their Asian perspectives and the work on I.hem ary 2000) or a cross-cultural study that com­ effocts. already done by transpersonal psychologists, pares attributions of well-being by citizens At the same time, I feel compelled to I do not wish in any way to detract from the from a selected group of countries (Diener, point to an unfortunate gap: The issue is superb work done by contributors to the January 2000). Seligman and Csikszentmi­ ethnocentric and lacks attention to, or even American Psychologist on positive psychol­ halyi (2000) stated that they wanted to be mention of, non-Western psychologies and ogy. 1 wish only to urge Western psycholo­ "comprehensive without being redundant" (p. therapies, as well as the field oftranspersonal gists to look beyond Western psychology 8), but the results demonstrated the lack of psychology, which has worked to integrate and culture to incorporate the best ofall psy­ inclusion that people ofcolor so often experi­ Western and non-Western approaches. This chologies and cultures. ence when psychologists address themes that is especially unfortunate because it is now they construe as significant. Seligman and apparent that certain Asian psychologies are RIFERENCES Csikszentmihalyi suggested that the articles not only sophisticated systems with effective were intended to be "broad overviews with techniques-meditation and yoga being the Alexander, C., Rainforth, M., & Gelder!oos, an eye turned to cross-disciplinary links and best known- -but also focus specifically on P. ( 1991 ). Transcendental meditation, self­ actualization and psychological health: A practical significance" (p. 9). Is it possible positive well-being and exceptional develop­ that there are no seasoned scholars ofcolor or conceptual overview and statistical meta­ ment. analysis. Journal of Social Behavior and perspectives that use a positive psychology For example, the Indian psychologies Personality, 6, 189-247. framework to speak about nondominant of Buddhism and yoga lack infonnation on Murphy, M., & Donovan, S. (1997). The groups in the United States, not only within the nature and treatment of major psychopa­ physical and psychological effects of medi­ psychology but also across disciplines? A thology. However, they contain a wealth of tation (2nd ed.). Sausalito, CA: Institute of blind eye that continues to render large seg­ information on exceptional psychological Noetic Sciences. ments ofsociety invisible.cannot be compen­ health, postconventional transpersonal devel­ Tart, C. (Ed.). ( 1992). Transpersonal psy­ sated for by one informed eye turned only opment, exceptional abilities, and the meth­ chologies (3rd ed.). New York: Harper toward individuals and groups in mainstream Collins ods for cultivating them (Tart, 1992; Walsh, Walsh, R. ( 1999). Essential spirituality: The psychology. 2000). A large body of research- several seven central practices. New York: Wiley. hundred studies on meditation alone-sug­ Walsh, R. (2000). Asian therapies. In R. Corsini IW'EUNCES gests that meditation and yoga have effects & D. Wedding (Eds.), Current psychothera­ ranging across psychology, physiology, and pies (6th ed., pp.407-444). Itasca, IL: Pea­ Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The biochemistry and can enhance both psycho­ cock. science of happiness and a proposal for a logical and physical health, sometimes to ex­ Walsh, R., & Vaughan, F. (Eds.). (1993). national index. American Psychologist, 55, ceptional degrees. Path.v beyond ego: The transpersona/ vi­ sion. New York: Tarcher/Putnam. 34-43. ln the psychological arena, personality, Massimini, F., & Delle Fave, A. (2000). Indi­ West, M . (Ed.). (1987). The psychology of vidual development in a bio-cultural per­ performance, and perception may be en­ meditation. Oitford, England: Clarendcn spective. American Psychologist, 55, 24- hanced. Intriguing findings include evidence Press. 33. for enhanced empathy, perceptual sensitivity, Wilber, K. (1996). A brief history of every­ Seligman. M. E. P., & Csilcszentmihalyi, M. creativity, lucid dreaming, marital satisfac­ thing. Boston: Shambbala. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduc­ tion, and a positive sense of self-control. Wilber, K. (2000). Integral psychology. Bos­ I tion. American Psychologist, 55, 5-14. Studies oftranscendental meditation suggest ton: Shambhala. that it can foster maturation as measured by Correspondence concerning this comment scales ofmoral, ego, and cognitive develop­ Correspondence concerning this comment should be addressed to Gonzalo Bacigalupe, ment, intelligence, academic achievement, self- should be addressed to Roger Walsh, Dep8r1- January 2001 • American Psychologist 83 ment of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, The dangers ofeliminating the influence DOI: I0.1037//0003--066X.56.1.Mb University of California, Irvine, CA 92697- of values from theories ofwell-being can be 1675. illustrated with an example. Evidence indi­ Prior Positive Psychologists cates that officers at Nazi concentration camps Proposed Personality and would probably score quite high on current DOI: I0.1037/I000)-066X.S6. l.14a measures of happiness and satisfaction with Spiritual Growth life. That is, they thought highly of them­ The Values Problem in selves, felt in control of their lives, enjoyed Charles L. McLafferty, Jr., Subjective Well-Being evening concerts ofMozart with their friends, and James D. Kirylo and believed they were involved in an impor­ University ofAlabama at Birmingham William C. Compton tant cause that gave their life meaning and Middle Tennessee State University purpose. Ofcourse, their well-being was only Seligman and Csilcszentmihalyi (January possible by systematically ignoring the hu­ 2000) and the other authors in the January The American Psychologist should be ap­ manity ofthose they mercilessly sentenced to 2000 special issue of the American Psychol­ plauded for its January 2000 special issue on death. ogist should be applauded for opening a dia­ happiness. This area is an avenue for re­ Therefore, the recent special issue pre­ logue about a psychology of human health search and scholarship that deserves increased sents a wonderful first attempt at exploring and well-being, one encompassing concepts attention. The research in this area, however, the potentials for research in positive psy­ such as hope, love, courage, optimism, faith, is also complicated by a unique problem that chology. However, the fact that conceptual­ and flow. Seligman and Csiksz.entmihalyi as­ was not sufficiently addressed in the special izations of well-being are inexorably tied to serted that "humanistic psychology did not attract much of an empirical ba.~ . and issue. values presents psychology with a fascinat­ encouraged a self-centeredness that played The problem is that any definition of ing challenge. This unavoidable issue will down concerns for a collective well-being" well-being, happiness,
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