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Happiness and Virtue in Positive Psychology

Bibliographic Data

ID8975588
AuthorsMichael W Martins (0000-0002-9448-0185, Chapman University, corresponding author), Mike W Martin
Year2007
Volume37
Issue1
Pages89-103
Publication date2007-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal for the Theory of Social Behaviour (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-8308 • E-ISSN: 1468-5914
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1468-5914.2007.00322.x
OpenAlexW2086762590
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited9

Positive psychologists aspire to study the moral virtues, as well as positive emotions, while retaining scientific objectivity. Within this framework, Martin Seligman, a founder of positive psychology, offers an empirically‐based argument for an ancient and venerable theme: happiness can be increased by exercising the virtues. Seligman's project is promising, but it needs to pay greater attention to several methodological matters: (1) greater care in defining happiness, so as to avoid smuggling in value assumptions of the sort suggested by the title of his book, Authentic Happiness ; (2) more attention to the gap between happiness as overall satisfaction and specific gratifications (enjoyments); (3) the danger of sliding to subjectivism by equating self‐assessments of virtue with objectively‐justified values of the sort Aristotle had in mind; (4) awareness of how “positive” emotions and attitudes presuppose value assumptions

Argument (complex analysis · Epistemology · Eudaimonia · Happiness · Objectivity (philosophy · Positive psychology · Value (mathematics · Virtue · Emotions and Moral Behavior · Philosophy · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Psychology

  • Positive psychology 2.0

    Paul T P Wong•Canadian Psychology/Psychologie…•2011

  • Do Humanity’s Virtuous Children Experience Greater Happiness? The Role of the Social Environment

    Open Access•Meijie Chu, Yu Jiang et al.•Journal of Happiness Studies•2025

  • The siloisation of wellbeing and education

    Open Access•Siân Ephgrave, Lizzi O Milligan•Educational Review•2025

  • The negative shadow cast by positive psychology

    Harris L Friedman, Brent Dean Robbins•The Humanistic Psychologist•2012

  • What is the good life? Positive psychology and the renaissance of humanistic psychology

    Brent Dean Robbins•The Humanistic Psychologist•2008

  • Conflicting Uses of ‘Happiness’ and the Human Condition

    Stephen M Fishman, Lucille McCarthy•Educational Philosophy and Theory•2012

  • Effect of child-friendly social environment on the improvement of children’s life satisfaction

    Open Access•Meijie Chu, Baoyi Zeng et al.•BMC Psychology•2026

  • Integrating Positive Psychology Into Counseling Psychology Doctoral Education

    Open Access•Colleen M Georges, Saundra Tomlinson‐clarke et al.•The Counseling Psychologist•2015

  • Self-Fulfillment

    Alan Gewirth•Self-Fulfillment•1998

  • The Ethics of Authenticity

    Open Access•Charles Taylor•The ethics of authenticity•1992

  • The Happy Immoralist

    Open Access•Steven M Cahn•Journal of Social Philosophy•2004

  • Virtues and Vices

    Philippa Foot•Virtues and vices and other…•2002

  • The Collapse of the Fact/Value Dichotomy

    Kevin P Lee, Cheryl Handel et al.•Journal of Catholic Social Thought•2004

Unique citing works8
Citations per year0,44
Citation span2008 - 2026 (19)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 8
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