Chapter 1: Problem 5

Clearly, positive behaviors have been around as long as negative ones, and multiple cultures and races have characterized Western society for centuries. Yet psychology's focus on positive psychology and on multicultural psychology is a relatively new phenomenon. Why do you think it took so long for psychologists to pay serious attention to these perspectives? pp. 19-20

Short Answer

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The delay in the serious attention towards positive and multicultural psychology can be seen in the historical context. Psychology was primarily focused on negative aspects of behavior for a long time. Additionally, as societies became more diverse and the positive aspects of human experiences became more valued, these perspectives gained recognition.

Step by step solution

Understand the Concepts

Before answering why it took so long for these fields to gain recognition, it's crucial to understand what they mean. Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that deals with human happiness and aspects of life that make it worthwhile. Multicultural psychology, on the other hand, is the systematic study of behavior, cognition, and affect in settings where individuals interact with others from different cultural backgrounds.

Historical Overview of Psychology

In the past, psychology as a field mainly focused on mental illness and negative aspects of human behavior. It wasn't until recently, specifically in the late 20th century, that the field started looking into the positive aspects of human behavior.

Evolving Society

As societies evolved becoming more diverse and complex, the need to understand various cultural backgrounds and their influence on human behavior became evident. This need, coupled with the realization that understanding positive human experiences could help improve the quality of life, led to the development of multicultural psychology and positive psychology.

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Short Answer

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Understand the Concepts

Historical Overview of Psychology

Evolving Society

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