The Negative Shadow Cast by Positive Psychology: Contrasting Views and Implications of Humanistic and Positive Psychology on Resiliency

Abstract

Resiliency is the ability to survive, or even thrive, during adversity. It is a key construct within both humanistic and positive psychology, but each sees it from a contrasting vantage. Positive psychology decontextualizes resilience by judging it as a virtue regardless of circumstance, while humanistic psychology tends to view it in a more holistic way in relationship to other virtues and environmental affordances, clarifying how resiliency can actually be either a virtue or a vice depending upon circumstances. Adolf Hitler is presented as an example of a resilient person who would not be seen as virtuous, and the US Army Comprehensive Soldier Fitness study training warfighters in resiliency illustrates possible ethical problems with a decontextualized view of resiliency.

Acknowledgments

This article is adapted and expanded from a previous chapter: Robbins, B., & Friedman, H. (2011). Resiliency as a virtue: Contributions from humanistic and positive psychology. In M. J. Celinski & K. M. Gow (Eds.), Continuity versus creative response to challenge: The primacy of resilience and resourcefulness in life and therapy (pp. 93–104). New York: Nova.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Harris L. Friedman

Harris L. Friedman, Ph.D., recently retired as Research Professor of Psychology at University of Florida and Professor Emeritus at Saybrook University, and is a consulting and clinical psychologist. He received his doctorate from Georgia State University in clinical psychology. He has over 100 professional publications, mainly in the area of transpersonal psychology and organizational change. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, and serves as Senior Editor of the International Journal of Transpersonal Studies(transpersonalstudies.com) and Associate Editor of The Humanistic Psychologist. His most recent books, both coedited with Stanley Krippner in 2010 and published by Praeger, are Mysterious Minds and Debating Psychic Experiences. In addition to remaining on the courtesy faculty at University of Florida, which is now his primary affiliation, he supervises dissertations as Professor Emeritus at Saybrook University, as Mentor at Northcentral University, and as a part-time faculty member at Walden University (where he was formerly Chair of the Clinical Psychology Program, when this article was first conceptualized).

Brent Dean Robbins

Brent Dean Robbins, Ph.D., is Director of the Psychology Program and Associate Professor of Psychology at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Duquesne University. Dr. Robbins is Editor-in-Chief of the international, interdisciplinary journal, Janus Head (www.janushead.org), and co-editor of the forthcoming volumes, Drugging Our Children: How Profiteers Are Pushing Antipsychotics on Our Youngest, and What We Can Do To Stop It (Praeger) and The Legacy of R.D. Laing (Trivium). He is currently Secretary of the Society for Humanistic Psychology (Division 32 of APA), and is co-chair with Robert McInerney of the 2012 Society's annual conference. His efforts have included serving on the Open Letter Committee, which drafted the “Open Letter to DSM-5” petition, which is being used to influence the forthcoming DSM-5. He is recipient of the Harmi Carari Early Career Award from Division 32.