Weaknesses

• Not scientific :(

  • Scientific credibility is questioned as it is questionable whether happiness can be defined and measured scientifically
  • Defining happiness has challenges and it is subjective as everyone has a different idea of happiness and states of mind

  EX: Research based on non-experimental methods like Myers and Dieners

  
  

  BUT: Neuroscience objectively measures happiness, Wagers meta analysis
• Not a new idea :(

  • Celebrated as a fresh new approach but was first introduced in 1950s as Maslow humanistic approach
  • Seligman ignores work of psychlogists as Maslow, Rogers were first to criticise negative psychology

  EX: Humanistic approach had backlash to other approaches, Maslow suggests people need to address higher needs

  T: Not unique in research
• Nomothetic :(

  • One size fits all philosophy
  • Ignores individual and cultural differences
  • Enthocentric as USA is culture occupied with attitudes and emotions of good life
  • 70% of world is individualism instead of collectivism

  EV: Norem dangers in ignoring individual differences, defensive pessimists who deal with anxiety by everything could go wrong. Forcing optismism may damage preformance