U.S. Army to Train Soldiers in Positive Psychology
The U.S. Army has hired a University of Pennsylvania expert in positive psychology to make soldiers happier. Professor Marty Seligman heads the $30 million Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program. He has already begun teaching the sergeants who will train 1.1 million soldiers in coping skills. The goal is to make soldiers more resilient, less likely to commit suicide, to protect against post-traumatic stress disorder and improve their quality of life.
Dr. Seligman is one of the most visible and most respected proponents of positive psychology, a relatively new branch of science that focuses on life satisfaction rather than abnormal behavior. His message emphasizes well-being, a much broader concept than temporary pleasure or transitory happiness. Worldwide, only about 14 percent of the population is considered to be flourishing, at the top of the well-being scale. Seligman believes that can be increased to 51 percent of the population, by 2051.
In a recent officer training class, Dr. Seligman focused on blessings, supporting spouses’ accomplishments and identifying signature strengths. He has shared the same message with schools, healthcare institutions and neuroscientists – and hopes to convince corporations to implement positive psychology principals.
Well respected in the scientific community, Professor Seligman brings scientific rigor to the study of life coaching and positive psychology. A past president of the prestigious American Psychological Association, he pioneered the concepts of preparedness, safety signals and learned helplessness familiar to every first-year psychology student.
A self-described workaholic, Seligman is an introvert described as inspiring and visionary by associates. He defines his message of optimism as the belief that setbacks are temporary and limited, and a willingness to take credit for one’s accomplishments. He excels in creating sound bites the media love – but with real science behind the pop psychology, describing some people as sunspots, and others as black holes.
Seligman is the rarest of all breeds – a successful scientist who is willing to stake his reputation on a revolutionary new idea. Very simply, he is attempting to turn traditional psychology on its head, insisting that instead of studying mental illness and dysfunction, we should focus on the factors that contribute to long-term happiness. His books include What You Can Change and What You Can’t, and Authentic Happiness: Using the new Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment.
Noted psychologist Aaron Beck, the father of cognitive therapy, says Seligman is brilliant. “He can grab an idea that’s ready to be born and deliver it.” Observers note that Beck’s cognitive therapy focuses on changing the patient’s assumptions and thinking, to treat mental illness or reduce dysfunctional behavior. Seligman uses the same approach to focus on overall life satisfaction, promoting the positive rather than focusing on the negative.
By Joni Holderman, [email protected], contributing reporter for Mental Health News.