Preface

Part I: History

Introduction

Jane E. Gillham

From Helplessness to Hope: The Seminal Career of Martin Seligman

Steven F. Maier

Christopher Peterson

Barry Schwartz

Part II. Optimism and Well-Being in Individuals

Section A. The Neurobiology of Optimism

The Neurobiology of Stressor Controllability

Steven F. Maier

Linda R. Watkins

The Neurochemistry of Stress Resilience and Coping: A Quest for Nature's Own Antidote to Illness

Robert C. Drugan

Section B. Psychological Resilience

Optimistic Cognitive Styles and Invulnerability to Depression

Lyn Y. Abramson

Lauren B. Alloy

Benjamin L. Hankin

Caroline M. Clements

Lin Zhu

Michael E. Hogan

Wayne G. Whitehouse

Commentary on the Temple---Wisconsin Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression Project: Causality in Non---Experimental Mental Health Research

Thomas E. Joiner, Jr.

Growth and Resilience Among Bereaved People

Susan Nolen-Hoeksema

The Hope Mandala: Coping with the Loss of a Loved One

C. R. Snyder

Section C. Physical Health

Optimistic Explanatory Style and Health

Christopher Peterson

What I Do Know Won't Hurt Me: Optimism, Attention to Negative Information, Coping, and Health

Lisa G. Aspinwall

Susanne M. Brunhart

On the Mechanisms by Which Optimism Promotes Positive Mental and Physical Health: A Commentary on Aspinwall and Brunhart

Lauren B. Alloy

Lyn Y. Abramson

Alexandra M. Chiara

Section D. Promoting Optimism and Hope

Promoting Hope in Children and Adolescents

Andrew J. Shatte

Jane E. Gillham

Karen Reivich

Discussion of the Penn Optimism Program: Recognizing Its Strengths and Considerations for Enhancing the Program

Kevin D. Stark

Janay Boswell

Section E. Discussion of Part II

Commentary: New Directions for Study

Stanley Rachman

How Negative Psychology Is Integral to Positive Psychology

Robert J. DeRubeis

Part III. Optimism in Families and Cultures

Section A. Optimism in the Family

Optimism and the Family

Frank D. Fincham

Optimism: Definitions and Origins

Judy Garber

On Chaos, Fractals, and Stress: Response to Fincham's ``Optimism and the Family''

Everett L. Worthington, Jr.

Section B. Optimism and Faith

Hope and Happiness

David G. Myers

Intergenerational Transmission of Religion

Lisa Miller

The Role of Faith in Shaping Optimism

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

Section C. Optimism and Culture

Optimism, Culture, and History: The Roles of Explanatory Style, Integrative Complexity, and Pessimistic Rumination

Jason M. Satterfield

Comments: Optimism and the Laws of Life, History, and Culture

Christopher Peterson

Michael P. Bishop

The Contribution of Flow to Positive Psychology

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Section D. Discussion of Part III

Pitfalls on the Road to a Positive Psychology of Hope

Barry Schwartz

Part IV. Seligman Address

Positive Psychology

Martin E. P. Seligman

Contributors

Index