Positive Psychology and Its Conceptual Complements: Toward a Holistic Understanding of Well-Being

Abstract

Positive Psychology, known as the Science of Well-being, which was born on the shoulders of giants, its predecessors, has a wonderful current representation, its main authors, and a promising future from the studies that are beginning to develop in the third wave of Positive Psychology that contemplate “human complexity” as its center. This Science of Well-Being is born as a great compiler of authors and studies that contemplate the variables that correlate with well-being and full life. On the other hand, many scholars of human behavior have developed conceptual frameworks that complement the Positive Psychology theory of Well-Being, making it broaden and deepen some of its constituent elements (positive emotions, optimal experiences, interpersonal relationships, purpose and determination) and its transversal axis (character strengths). Similarly, the application and integration of the approaches of the Science of Well-Being to the different fields of human development has allowed for its broadening and a deeper understanding of human flourishing. The appearance in academic publishing houses of titles that combine and complement Positive Psychology such as: Positive Psychology and Nonviolent Communication, Sustainability and Positive Psychology, Character Strengths and Resilience, Contemplative Positive Psychology, Positive Psychology and Logotherapy, Positive Psychology from a Christian perspective, Positive Psychotherapy and Positive Parenting based on strengths, are a sample of the conceptual complements that open the way towards an integral understanding of wellbeing.