Psychological view

Positive psychology

In his book Authentic Happiness Martin Seligman, one of the founders of Positive Psychology, describes happiness as consisting of both positive emotions (such as ecstacy and comfort) and positive activities (such as absorption and engagement). He presents three categories of positive emotions related to the past, present and future.

Positive emotions relating to the past include satisfaction, contentment, pride and serenity. Positive emotions relating to the future include optimism, hope and trust. Positive emotions about the present are divided into two categories which are significantly different: pleasure and gratifications. The bodily and higher pleasures are "pleasures of the moment" and usually involve some external stimulus.

Gratifications involve full engagement, flow, elimination of self-consciousness, and blocking of felt emotions. But when a gratification comes to an end then positive emotions will be felt. Gratifications can be obtained or increased by developing signature strengths and virtues. Authenticity is the derivation of gratification and positive emotions from exercising signature strengths. The good life comes from using signature strengths to obtain abundant gratification in, for example, enjoying work and pursuing a meaningful life.

An important stipulation is that Martin Seligman's definition of happiness is one among many in the field of Positive Psychology.

This view has been challenged by existential therapists such as Emmy van Deurzen who takes the definition of authenticity as related to a person's capacity to face mortality rather than to their capacity for happiness. In this view it is not happiness but meaning that is of most importance.