Which of the following is not the field of positive psychology

which of the following is not the field of positive psychology

Which of the following is not the field of positive psychology?

Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on the study and promotion of well-being and optimal human functioning. It emphasizes aspects such as happiness, resilience, strengths, and positive emotions. To determine which field does not belong to positive psychology, it’s crucial to identify areas commonly considered outside its scope. Here are standard fields that, compared to positive psychology, might not directly align with its principles:

  1. Abnormal Psychology: This field studies atypical behaviors and mental disorders, focusing on diagnosis and treatment of psychological illnesses. It deals with the “negative” side of mental health, typically not covered under positive psychology, which aims to understand what’s right with people.

  2. Clinical Psychology: While it overlaps with positive psychology in some matters like therapy, clinical psychology primarily focuses on diagnosing and treating mental illness, cognitive and emotional pathologies, which are not the main focus of positive psychology.

  3. Forensic Psychology: This pertains to the intersection of psychology and the law, including understanding criminal behavior, profiling, and offering expert testimony. The focus here is not typically on the promotion of well-being or positive life aspects.

  4. Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Although it can incorporate positive psychology principles to improve workplace morale and productivity, its primary focus is on workplace behavior, efficiency, and environment, which could move it away from the core interests of positive psychology.

Out of these, abnormal psychology is explicitly not a field of positive psychology, as it primarily deals with psychological issues and disorders, contrary to the positive focus on enhancing well-being and human potential that characterizes positive psychology.

If you have specific fields in mind you need comparability for, feel free to provide those options for a more tailored discussion.