Martin Seligman

Martin Seligman is an American psychologist, educator, and author of self-help books. Seligman is a strong promoter within the scientific community of his theories of positive psychology and of well-being. His theory of learned helplessness is popular among scientific and clinical psychologists.

Early Life and Education

Martin Seligman was born on August 12, 1942, in Albany, New York. He attended a public high school in the Bronx, New York City, and later went on to study philosophy at Princeton University. He completed his PhD in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania in 1967.

Career

Seligman's career began in the field of experimental psychology, where he conducted research on learned helplessness. This research led him to develop his theory of learned helplessness, which suggests that animals and humans can learn to become helpless and feel they have no control over the outcome of situations, which can lead to depression.

In the late 1990s, Seligman shifted his focus to positive psychology, a field that studies human happiness and well-being. He has since become a leading figure in this field, promoting the study of positive emotions and personal strengths and virtues, and their role in enhancing the quality of life.

Seligman has written several books on positive psychology, including Authentic Happiness and Flourish. He has also developed interventions to increase well-being, such as the PERMA model, which stands for Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment.

Personal Life

Seligman is married to Mandy McCarthy and they have four children. He resides in Philadelphia, where he is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Awards and Honors

Throughout his career, Seligman has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to psychology. These include the American Psychological Association's Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions and the British Psychological Society's Lifetime Achievement Award.

See Also

• Positive Psychology
• Learned Helplessness
• PERMA Model