What is the Science of the Positive?
The Science of the Positive is the study of how positive factors impact culture and experience. It focuses on how to measure and grow the positive, and has been applied over decades with agencies, communities, and businesses. It is based on the core assumption that the positive is real and is worth growing – in ourselves, our families, our workplaces, and our communities (Linkenbach, 2007).
Understanding the Science of the Positive
Those of us who work in health and safety can become hyper-focused on the dangers and problems we are trying to decrease. The Science of the Positive reverses this problem-centered frame, and focuses on growing the healthy, positive, protective factors that already exist in our communities. When we start to look at the world through this positive, hopeful lens, it has a profound impact on the questions we ask, the data we collect, and the way we address health and safety issues.
The Science of the Positive should not be confused with simple “positive thinking.” It is a rigorous process that works across entire cultures. And while the Science of the Positive is based on the core assumption that the positive exists in every community and culture, it recognizes that suffering, pain, and harm are very real. One of its principal outcomes is to reduce suffering in our families, our communities, and ourselves.
Four essential domains – Spirit, Science, Action, and Return – make up the transformational process of the Science of the Positive. These stages, when fully engaged, work together to create a synergistic Cycle of Transformation.
The Core Assumption of the Science of the Positive
Dr. Jeff Linkenbach, the founder of The Science of the Positive framework, explains the Core Assumption of the Science of the Positive and why it matters.
