Why did it take so long for the field of psychology to be seriously interested in and study positive emotions?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

It's no surprise that the study of positive emotions attracted the attention of researchers in the area of positive psychology. However, what is surprising is that these emotions were largely neglected by investigators who, until the 1980s, focused almost exclusively on negative emotions. Why exclude positive emotions in favor of negative ones? There are a number of reasons.

First, we associate negative emotions with problems and the focus of psychology has historically been, with good reason, on how to alleviate suffering and help those with problems. Second, there are fewer positive emotions than negative ones. For example, there appears to be "only one positive emotion for every three or four negative emotions." Third, positive emotions seem less distinct from one another and more difficult to define operationally. For example, how do you sharply define joy or bliss so that they differentiate well from each other? Contrast that with how much easier it is to define anger or anxiety so that we can easily tell them apart. Fourth, in recent years, with the increased focus on how to live an effective life, there is a greater interest in the study of positive emotions. And last, we now know that strategies that support and sustain positive emotions can help those who experience problems like coping with stress and other difficulties.