10 Nov Happiness at work through applications of positive psychology
Psychological Capital (Oxford University Press, 2007), by Fred Luthans, Carolyn M. Youssef, and Bruce J. Avolio, introduces both a significant stream of research and an important framework for the application of positive psychology to organizations. The stream of research involves a construct they call “PsyCap” – a composite construct made up of self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resiliency. The framework suggests that the application of positive psychology to organizational success and leadership requires support and development of multiple interrelating and mutually supportive constructs that have theoretical and empirical research behind them, valid measurement techniques, are state-like and therefore can be developed, and have been shown to impact performance. The book is aimed at popular audiences, but it is also significantly annotated with extensive references section at the end of each chapter referring to the research-base underlying each facet of the construct. This book should be readily accessible to those with background in the relevant research. I suspect it might be less immediately clear to those without familiarity with the underlying research. For practitioners involved in applying positive psychology to organizations and group performance, this is a must read!
To read more of this review, from Dave Shearon at Positive Psychology News Daily – click here