Some psychologists have argued that religion can be a prominent source of emotional disturbance and mental illness, while others – especially in recent years – have promoted faith and/or spirituality as a source of physical and mental strength. To make sense of an ocean of scientific research, researchers have frequently used meta-analysis, a technique that has both strengths and weaknesses. This chapter carefully summarizes research on the relationship between religion and specific aspects of physical and mental health. Much debate surrounds the interpretation of a largely correlational research literature, especially with regard to mental health. Although many reviewers have suggested that religiosity, spirituality, and involvement in religious organizations confer clear health benefits, numerous methodological concerns remain unresolved. One key matter is that research needs to pay more attention to potentially vital differences based on denomination and cultural context. Still, psychologists of religion have clarified the specific social and psychological pathways through which religion can lead to better physical and mental health, and some of this work has implications for both religious and non-religious orientations.

This chapter addresses psychological individual differences that are upmost importance for second language teachers. It answers teachers’ everyday questions such as Why do some students never speak? and Why do some students give up so easily? The chapter begins by explaining some key information to understand learner psychology (e.g., trait-like vs. state-like) and argues that some psychological constructs are susceptible to instruction but some are not. The chapter then discusses multiple individual differences including L2 motivation, willingness to communicate, foreign language anxiety and enjoyment, metacognition, self-regulated learning, mindset, interaction mindset, and learner beliefs. Throughout the chapter, pedagogical recommendations for maximizing learner psychology for second language learning are shared. In addition to learner psychology, the chapter discusses teacher psychology (e.g., teacher cognition) and how it influences the success of second language teaching.

In societies that rely on the economic framework of consumer capitalism, materialistic values, whereby individuals place high importance on acquiring money and material goods to improve well-being and status, tend to be rife. Materialistic values, however, negatively impact human health and well-being. One way in which they do this is by facilitating environmental degradation. Psychological research demonstrates that strong materialistic values can directly lead to lower levels of physical and mental health. In contrast to the problems presented by materialistic values and lifestyles, flow experiences, whereby people are completely immersed in an activity, may offer a means of limiting environmental violence and enhancing human well-being. The benefits of flow for well-being are well documented within the field of positive psychology. Further, research is beginning to show that flow may be able to support sustainable outcomes by occurring in activities with low environmental costs and encouraging stronger self-transcendent values. This chapter reviews the evidence to show that materialistic values support environmental violence before considering how flow experiences can offer an antidote that would allow us to reduce environmental violence and to live better and more sustainably. In doing so, practical recommendations are made for how to encourage flow experiences across society.

This chapter begins with a brief review of the history of virtue science. It went out of favor in psychology for most of the twentieth century, but after renewed interest in philosophy in the latter part of that century, virtue research has burgeoned in psychology in the twenty-first century. The interest in virtue research is partly due to the positive psychology movement, which focuses on human strengths and well-being. Despite its valuable contribution, three elements of positive psychology have continued to plague virtue research as it is atheoretical, conceptualized as a diagnostic scheme, and ambivalent about values and morality. Nevertheless, virtue science is off to a good beginning, boasting scores of empirical studies. Most virtue scientists have left the ill-conceived notion of “diagnosing” virtues behind. These studies remain siloed and noncumulative due to the absence of clear theory in virtue science and a tendency to neglect conceptualizing virtues. Virtue research also remains limited by its ambivalence toward values and morality. To remedy this fragmentation, this chapter proposes the STRIVE-4 Model, with its clear conceptualization of virtues and the dozens of hypotheses that follow from it. This model provides a way to build a unified and cumulative virtue science.

This chapter summarizes an optimistic perspective of the progress that has been made and what is known about suicide, while highlighting the questions that remain. We point out that many traditional understandings of suicide focus on risk factors, problems, and deficits and suggest there may be a role of more positive constructs, such as resilience, optimism, hope, gratitude, and others. We discuss the potential role of resilience – at the individual, community, and societal levels – in reducing suicide, and how positive psychology can inform suicide prevention efforts. Interventions to build psychological capital, resilience, personal strengths, or community empowerment may be beneficial. Indeed, positive suicidology, and even critical suicidology to a certain extent, attempt to incorporate these aspects.

This brief introduction outlines the book to follow, which will cover both core creativity scholarship and how the construct is linked to positive outcomes. The purpose of the present book is to offer an array of benefits related to creativity in order to help articulate the specific value of promoting, nurturing, and investing in creativity. The five components of the Creativity Advantage model are introduced for the first time: self-insight, healing, connection, drive, and legacy.

Creativity is connected to healing in many different ways. Creative people are more likely to experience post-traumatic growth or beneficial psychological changes that come in the aftermath of trauma. Creative activities can also help maintain emotional equilibrium. The cognitive reappraisal of seemingly negative events is associated with divergent thinking. Notably, the act of drawing, writing, or making music simply for the pleasure of the act can improve one’s mood by helping reduce sadness, anxiety, and anger. Even passively engaging in the arts can improve one’s mood and stave off potential cognitive decline.

Our thoughts affect our feelings and our feelings affect our thoughts. But the way to break into this cycle is through changing our thoughts. Experimental evidence shows the effectiveness of many ways of doing this. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) teaches us to observe our automatic negative thoughts and make space for more positive thinking. Positive psychology builds on this, applying the lessons to all of us, and not just those in distress. It helps us all to build our emotional intelligence. The Action for Happiness movement applies these lessons through their 10 Keys to Happier Living. Mindfulness meditation, through non-judgemental and friendly engagement with the present moment, can transform our mental state and improve our immune system.

Khalil evaluates the discourse of gratitude in positive psychology through the Sufi understanding of divine benefaction and gratitude (shukr). Building on the work of Andalusian scholar Ibn ‘Arabi, Khalil disputes the uncritical account of gratitude as a universal good. Rather, if exercised for the wrong reasons, or towards the wrong benefactors, gratitude can become a vice.

Emmons explores how a virtue ethics account of gratitude may address ways in which people experience negative effects of gratitude. On the one hand, virtue ethics would question whether harmful expressions of gratitude should be considered gratitude in the first place. But on the other hand, aligning gratitude indiscriminately with the good strips it of meaning and power. To resolve this dilemma, Emmons argues a more careful understanding of gratitude is needed.