Beyond the “Third Wave of Positive Psychology”: Challenges and Opportunities for Future Research

Abstract

The positive psychology (PP) landscape is changing, and its initial identity is being challenged. Moving beyond the “third wave of PP,” two roads for future research and practice in well-being studies are discerned: The first is the state of the art PP trajectory that will (for the near future) continue as a scientific (sub)discipline in/next to psychology (because of its popular brand name). The second trajectory (main focus of this manuscript) links to pointers described as part of the so-called third wave of PP, which will be argued as actually being the beginning of a new domain of inter- or transdisciplinary well-being studies in its own right. It has a broader scope than the state of the art in PP, but is more delineated than in planetary well-being studies. It is in particular suitable to understand the complex nature of bio-psycho-social-ecological well-being, and to promote health and wellness in times of enormous challenges and changes. A unique cohering focus for this post-disciplinary well-being research domain is proposed. In both trajectories, future research will have to increase cognizance of metatheoretical assumptions, develop more encompassing theories to bridge the conceptual fragmentation in the field, and implement methodological reforms, while keeping context and the interwovenness of the various levels of the scientific text in mind. Opportunities are indicated to contribute to the discourse on the identity and development of scientific knowledge in mainstream positive psychology and the evolving post-disciplinary domain of well-being studies.

Context matters: Sociocultural considerations in the design and implementation of community-based positive psychology interventions in sub-Saharan Africa

“…Until recently, positive psychology has been criticized for its primacy on the individual and its stringent focus on empiricism and positivity. In response to these criticisms, scholars (Ivtzan et al, 2015; Lomas et al, 2021; Wissing, 2021; Wong, 2011) have argued for the expansion of the scope and priority of the discipline to include a consideration of the interplay between positive and negative life events as an integral part of human functioning and well-being, expand the context to include workplace, schools, families, and communities, appreciate the complex nature of biopsychosocial-ecological well-being, and embrace a wider range of methodologies.…”

“…Nonetheless, over the past decade, scholars have vociferously called for expansion in the epistemological assumptions and approaches to positive psychology research (Lomas et al, 2021; Wissing et al, 2022). Presently, many positive psychology-oriented scholars (Lomas et al, 2021; Wissing, 2021) and philosophers (Nwoye, 2018) agree that a transdisciplinary, multi-method, action-oriented approaches are required to produce data and knowledge that are trustworthy. As previously argued by Jaki, human knowledge comes from two realms, quantities and non-quantities, and these two realms are irreducible to one another.…”

Integrating positive psychology and spirituality in the context of climate change

“…(Lomas et al, 2020), it may help pave the way for the study of more subjective but meaningful phenomena such as themes pertaining to spirituality (Pargament et al, 2013). Wissing (2022) suggests that this new wave may actually be an early sign of a new domain of inter-or transdisciplinary wellbeing studies. This is better suited to understanding the complex nature of bio-psycho-social-ecological wellbeing, and thus to promoting health and wellness in times of enormous changes and challenges, such as the climate crisis.…”

“…For instance, linked to a lack of holistic authenticity (Held, 2002), the "tyranny of positivity" has fueled a cultural discourse in which negative emotional states are not only considered undesirable, but also pathological (Lomas and Ivtzan, 2016). Such does not correspond to the human being's quest for meaning and wholeness (Malette, 2019), which speaks of "cohering harmony" (Wissing, 2022). This calls for more conceptual strands of wellbeing to be woven into the fabric of multidimensional flourishing.…”

Teacher Evaluation of a Self-Directed Career Guidance Intervention for South African Secondary School Learners Amidst Severe COVID-19 Restrictions

“…The need to include the role and impact of context, social justice and values also belongs to the PP 3.0 as argued by Di Martino et al (2018) , as well as interconnectedness among various levels and domains of human functioning ( Wissing et al, 2020 ). Finally, PP 3.0 multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary approaches can add to the disentanglement (versus the un-doing) of well-being and its complexities ( van Schalkwyk and Naidoo, 2021 ; Wissing, 2022 ).…”