Oxford Handbook of Happiness

by Susan David (Editor), Ilona Boniwell (Editor), Amanda Conley Ayers (Editor)

Overview

In recent decades there has been a shift in focus from psychological and social problems-what might be called the "dark side" of humanity-to human well-being and flourishing. The Positive Psychology movement, along with changes in attitudes toward organisational and societal health, has generated a surge of interest in human happiness. The Oxford Handbook of Happiness is the definitive text for researchers and practitioners interested in human happiness. Its editors and chapter contributors are world leaders in the investigation of happiness across the fields of psychology, organizational behaviour, education, philosophy, social policy and economics. The study of happiness is at the nexus of four major scientific developments: the growing field of Positive Psychology which researches the conditions that make people flourish; advances in the biological and affective sciences which have contributed to the understanding of positive emotions; Positive Organizational Scholarship, an emerging discipline aimed at investigating and fostering excellence in organisations; and findings from economics indicating that traditional markers of economic and societal well-being are insufficient. The Oxford Handbook of Happiness offers readers a coherent, multi-disciplinary, and accessible text on the current state-of-the-art in happiness research. This volume features ten sections that focus on psychological, philosophical, evolutionary, economic and spiritual approaches to happiness; happiness in society, education, organisations and relationships; and the assessment and development of happiness. Readers will find information on psychological constructs such as resilience, flow, and emotional intelligence; theories including broaden-and-build and self-determination; and explorations of topics including collective virtuousness, psychological capital, coaching, environmental sustainability and economic growth. This handbook will be useful to academics, practitioners, teachers, students, and all those interested in theory and research on human happiness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191666780
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	12/27/2012
Series:	Oxford Library of Psychology
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	24 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Susan David, Co-director, Institute of Coaching, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA Clinical Instructor in Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA Director, Evidence Based Psychology, USA,Ilona Boniwell, Programme Leader, Applied Positive Psychology, University of East London, UK,Amanda Conley Ayers, Research Associate, Evidence Based Psychology, USA

Table of Contents

1. Introduction, Susan A. David, Ilona Boniwell, and Amanda Conley Ayers
Section 1: Psychological Approaches to Happiness2. Introduction to Psychological Approaches to Happiness, Joar Vitterso3. The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions: Form, Function and Mechanisms, Anne M. Conway, Michele M. Tugade, Lahnna I. Catalino, and Barbara L. Fredrickson4. The Endowment-Contrast Model: A Lens for Happiness Research, Dale Griffin and Richard Gonzalez5. Past, Present and Future of Flow, Antonella Delle Fave6. Emotionally Intelligent Happiness, Alia J. Crum and Peter Salovey7. Religious Engagement and Well-Being, David G. Myers8. Positive Psychological Experiences and Psychopathology: A Self-Regulatory Perspective, Patty Ferssizidis, Todd B. Kashdan, Rachel A. Marquart, and Michael F. Steger9. The Rewards of Happiness, Katherine Jacobs Bao and Sonja Lyubomirsky10. Happiness Experienced: The Science of Subjective Well-Being, William Pavot and Ed Diener

Section 2: Psychological Definitions of Happiness11. Introduction to Psychological Definitions Of Happiness, Joar Vitterso12. Notions of the Good Life, Ruut Veenhoven13. Subjective Well-Being, Felicity F. Miao, Minkyung Koo, and Shigehiro Oishi14. Measuring Happiness and Subjective Well-Being, Robert A. Cummins15. Eudaimonia, Veronika Huta16. What Makes for a Life Well Lived?: Autonomy and its relation to full functioning and organismic wellness, Christopher P. Niemiec and Richard M. Ryan17. Functional Well-Being: Happiness as feelings, evaluations, and functioning, Joar Vitterso

Section 3: Philosophical Approaches to Happiness18. Introduction to Philosophical Approaches to Happiness, James O. Pawelski19. The Pursuit of Happiness in History, Darrin M. McMahon20. Happiness in Early Chinese Thought, Philip J. Ivanhoe21. Continental Contributions to our Understanding of Happiness and Suffering, Emmy van Deurzen22. The Seductions of Happiness, Raymond Angelo Belliotti23. The Nature and Significance of Happiness, Daniel M. Haybron24. Philosophical Methods in Happiness Research, Valerie Tiberius25. Happiness and its Opposites, James O. Pawelski

Section 4: Spiritual Approaches to Happiness26. Introduction to Spiritual Approaches to Happiness, Jane Henry27. A Buddhist View of Happiness, Matthieu Ricard28. Relational Buddhism: An integrative psychology of happiness amidst existential suffering, Maurits G.T. Kwee29. Well-being from the Hindu/Sanatana Dharma Perspective, Kiran Kumar K. Salagame30. Flourishing Through Meditation and Mindfulness, Peter Malinowski31. Heaven on Earth: beneficial effects of sanctification for individual and interpersonal wll-being, Annette Mahoney, Kenneth I. Pargament, and Krystal M. Hernandez32. Quieting the Mind and Low Arousal Routes to Happiness, Jane Henry

Section 5: Happiness and Society33. Introduction to Happiness and Society, Sam Thompson34. Economics and the Study of Individual Happiness, Bruno S. Frey and Alois Stutzer35. Comparing Well-Being Across Nations: Conceptual and empirical issues, William Tov and Evelyn W.M. Au36. The Geography of Happiness, Dimitris Ballas and Danny Dorling37. Well-Being in Consumer Societies, Aaron Ahuvia and Elif Izberk-Bilgin38. Well-being and Sustainable Development, Sam Thompson, Nic Marks, and Tim Jackson39. Well-being and Public Policy, Geoff Mulgan

Section 6: Positive EducationIntroduction to Positive Education, Ilona Boniwell41. Education and Well-being, John White42. Should Education have Happiness Lessons?, Nash Popovic43. Wellbeing and Resilience in Education, Toni Noble and Helen McGrath44. Happiness in the Classroom, Jennifer M. Fox Eades, Carmel Proctor, and Martin Ashley45. Applying Happiness and Well-Being Research to the Teaching and Learning Process, Laura McInerney46. Resilience Education, Jane E. Gillham, Rachel M. Abenavoli, Steven M. Brunwasser, Karen J. Reivich, and Martin E.P. Seligman47. Teaching for Wisdom, Robert J. Sternberg48. Going Beyond the Accidental: Happiness, education, and the Wellington College Experience, Ian Morris49. Positive Education at Geelong Grammar School, Matthew A. WhiteSection 7: Happiness and Organizations50. An Introduction to Happiness and Organizations, Arran Caza and Kim Cameron51. Virtuousness as a Source of Happiness in Organizations, Kim S. Cameron and Arran Caza52. How Work Shapes Well-Being, Brianna Caza and Amy Wrzesniewski53. Work Design and Happiness: An Active, Reciprocal Perspective, Ben J. Searle and Sharon K. Parker54. Jobs and Job-Holders: Two Sources of Happiness and Unhappiness, Peter Warr55. Managing Psychological Capital in Organizations: Cognitive, affective, conative and social mechanisms of happiness, Carolyn M. Youssef and Fred Luthans56. Reflected Best Self Engagement at Work: Positive identity, alignment, and the pursuit of vitality and value creation, Laura Morgan Roberts57. Encouraging Employee Happiness, Thomas A. Wright58. Executive Well-Being, James Campbell Quick and Jonathan D. QuickSection 8: Relationships and Happiness

59. Introduction to Relationships and Happiness, Meliksah Demir60. Close Relationships and Happiness, Shimon Saphire-Bernstein and Shelley E. Taylor61. Adult Attachment and Happiness: Individual differences in the experience and consequences of positive emotions, Mario Mikulincer and Phillip R. Shaver62. Perceived Social Support and Happiness: The role of personality and relational processes, Brian Lakey63. Friendship and happiness, Meliksah Demir, Haley Orthel, and Adrian Keith AndelinSection 9: Development, Stability and Change of Happiness64. Introduction to Development, Stability and Change of Happiness, Kate Hefferon65. An Evolutionary Psychological Perspective on Happiness, Sarah E. Hill, Danielle J. DelPriore, and Brett Major66. Set-Point Theory May Now Need Replacing: Death of a paradigm?, Bruce Headey67. Variety is the Spice of Happiness: The hedonic adaptation prevention (HAP) model, Kennon M. Sheldon, Julia Boehm, and Sonja Lyubomirsky68. Promotion and Protection of Positive Mental Health: Towards complete mental health in human development, Corey L.M. Keyes69. Post-traumatic Growth: Eudaimonic Happiness in the Aftermath of Adversity, Stephen Joseph and Kate Hefferon70. Creating a Stable Architectural Framework of Existence: Proposing a Model of Lifelong Meaning, Michael F. Steger, Anna Beeby, Samantha Garrett, and Todd B. Kashdan
Section 10: Happiness Interventions71. Introduction to Happiness Interventions, Gordon B. Spence and Suzy Green72. Increasing Happiness in the General Population: Empirically Supported Self-Help?, Acacia C. Parks, Stephen M. Schueller, and Arber Tasimi73. Positive Psychology in Practice: Positive psychotherapy, Tayyab Rashid74. Happiness in Valued Living: Acceptance and commitment therapy as a model for change, Louise Hayes75. Coaching and Well-Being: A brief review of existing evidence, relevant theory and implications for practitioners, Gordon B. Spence and Anthony M. Grant76. Mindfulness and Cultivating Well-Being in Older Adults, Laura M. Hsu, and Ellen J. Langer77. Well-Being Therapy: Theoretical background, clinical implications and future directions, Giovanni A. Fava and Chiara Ruini78. The Collaborative Recovery Model: Developing positive institutions to facilitate recovery in enduring mental illness, Lindsay G. Oades, Trevor P. Crowe and Frank P. Deane79. Conclusion: The future of happiness, Susan A. David, Ilona Boniwell, and Amanda Conley Ayers

Editorial Reviews

"The Oxford Handbook of Happiness offers a compelling case for adding happiness sciences to this growing list of new configurations. Readers will find a compelling case for the idea that happiness is a basic human right and that civil discourse should recognize the breadth and depth of its power over the human condition. The Oxford Handbook of Happiness stimulates the imagination for such possibilities [...] for stronger ethical and political debates about the role of existing disciplinary structures in universities and other scholarly settings." -Theresa A. Thorkildsen, PsycCRITIQUES

From the Publisher

Reviewer: Howard A Fox, MA (Fielding Graduate University)
Description: This is a comprehensive book for scholars and practitioners interested in human happiness. Written by editors and contributors who represent a cross-section of the fields that inform this growing area of interest, the chapters present a multidisciplinary perspective on the current state of happiness research, which will provide the scholarly community a stepping stone for additional research, and the practitioner community with a knowledge-based approach for putting the assembled evidence into practice.
Purpose: In 2009, speaking at the World Congress of Positive Psychology, Martin Seligman, the founder of the positive psychology field called for the discipline to expand its boundaries and transform into a "positive social science." For this call to action to succeed, it requires the uniting of disciplines such as psychology, economics, sociology, education, health, spirituality, and the inclusion of researchers and practitioners. The Oxford Handbook of Happiness is the product of this call to action. The purpose is to enable scholars, researchers, educators, and practitioners to gain awareness and understand the most current developments available in the field of happiness; the components that inform the study of happiness; happiness from a multi-disciplinary perspective; the theoretical underpinnings, measurement, and development that informs the study of happiness; and how the growing body of evidence is informing how practitioners are applying their growing awareness and knowledge of happiness. With 10 sections and 79 chapters, the handbook has something for anyone that is interested in the study and application of happiness. It also provides an opportunity to revisit existing areas of interest, or a jumping off point to explore new areas, all with the intent to expand readers' "learning edge."
Audience: This handbook will be useful to academics, practitioners, teachers, students, and all those, such as coaches, who are interested in theory, research, and practice on human happiness.
Features: The 10 sections cover topics such as the psychology approaches, definitions, philosophy, spiritual, society, education, organizations, relationships, development, and interventions. What is most effective about this handbook is how vast and comprehensive the material is. Whether you are a new or seasoned researcher, scholar, educator, or practitioner, there will be a handful of chapters that will expand your "learning edge" as it pertains to the study and application of happiness. The chapters are mostly text; they are relatively short and concise with plenty of references to enable readers to continue research. A few chapters contained figures and tables.
Assessment: I was first introduced to the subject of happiness in graduate school. It remains an area of study that I go to, when appropriate, to aid my clients. As a scholar-practitioner, I appreciate the passion that the authors have taken in assembling this comprehensive handbook. Readers interested in learning more about happiness, will find an article here for that purpose.

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