Positive Psychology Overlap with Compassion 
Last Updated:
June, 2008
There are many themes and constucts within Positive Psychology, the study of optimal human functioning, which overlap with the study and practice of compassion as described within this website.  One goal of this web page is offer links to information about positive psychology and, the second goal is to discuss the overlap of compassion development and positive psychology.
by Seligman, Steen, Park & Peterson
University of Pennsylvania
by S. J. Lopez
Lots of links off of this site
by C. Lambert
by graduates from the University of Pennsylvania
by S.L. Gable & J. Haidt
Harvard Professor Tal Ben-Shahar
Links to Other Sites

The Points of Overlap

Point 1 :  Compassion is about the listening and acting to reduce suffering (or improve well-being).  Positive psychology is about the study of optimal human functioning, which is, by definition, improved well being.  But the path to improved well-being can not occur without skilled listening (to self and others) and without acting to decrease suffering and improve those characteristics (and associated experiences) which foster growth and well-being.
Point 2 :  Martin Seligman, the "father" of positive psychology, points out (in his book "Authentic Happiness") that marriage, religion and social networks are all important for well being (something that has been shown in a number of research studies).  Each of these is relational, meaning that each involves forming a relationship.  Compassion contributes to strong and healthy relationships, and thus to relationships that foster growth and well-being.
Point 3 :  Positive psychology is focused on strengths and positive emotions.  If we are to help others to know their strengths then we need to apply compassion.  If we are to help ourselves see our strengths, and then rely upon them, we need self-compassion.  Opening ourselves to experience more positive emotions, or helping others to do the same, requires compassion for it is a process that can sometimes be quite difficult as we face an inner dialog with a different voice. 
Point 6 :  If "flow" (an experience linked to optimal functioning) is an important part of positive psychology then the possibility of experiencing aspects of the flow experience within the compassion space should be of significant importance to the field of study.
Point 4 :   A detailed examination of the definition of compassion, and the spectrum of phenomena that it includes, shows that the compassion space includes many of the positive emotions, and the strengths, that fall within the realm of positive psychology.
Point 5 :  Positive psychology includes the study of organizations that support the development of optimal human functioning.  Such organizations should be responsive not only to the needs of those they serve, but also to the needs of the people within the organization.  To be responsive to needs it is important to listen with compassion.

Compassion is at the heart of promoting well-being. Learning to hold the compassion space for another is learning to enter a "flow" experience and to share that with another.  This sharing then helps to act as a "map" for the other person to seek  their own "flow" experiences tied specifically to their own nature. Experienceing "flow" is an important part of learning how to develop positive attributes which help to foster an expansion of "flow" in one's life.  The compassion space can help a person with their first "flow" experience tied to a relationship that fosters well-being. 

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"Much of the future of positive psychology will be built upon people who can attend to their own egotism needs, and also get along with and respect each other. Relationships are at the core of positive psychology, and our goal is a more 'civilized' humankind in which altruism, gratitude, and forgiveness are expected rather than the unexpected, reactions between interacting people." (pg. 290, C.R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez, "Positive Psychology: The scientific and practical explorations of human strengths", 2007).
Author: W. David Hoisington, Ph. D.