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Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3-to-1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life [2009, PDF/EPUB, ENG]

by Barbara Fredrickson

(736 ratings)
Book cover
World renowned researcher Dr. Barbara Fredrickson gives you the lab-tested tools necessary to create a healthier, more vibrant, and flourishing life through a process she calls 'the upward spiral.'

You’ll discover:

• What positivity is, and why it needs to be heartfelt to be effective
• The ten sometimes surprising forms of positivity
• Why positivity is more important than happiness
• That your own sources of positivity are unique and how to tap into them
• How to calculate your current positivity ratio, track it, and improve it

With Positivity, you’ll learn to see new possibilities, bounce back from setbacks, connect with others, and become the best version of yourself..
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Book details


  • Author : Barbara Fredrickson
  • Publisher : Harmony; 1st edition
  • Published : 12-28-2009
  • Language : English
  • Pages : 288
  • ISBN-10 : 0307393747
  • ISBN-13 : 978-0307393746
  • Reader Reviews : 736 (4.5)
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About the Author


Barbara Fredrickson


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Reader Reviews

J
Coert Visser
Positivity is a wise choice
Reviewed in the United States on 05-08-2009
Barbara Fredrickson, Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina, and a pioneer of positive psychology, specializes in research on positive emotions and human flourishing. She is best-known for her so-called broaden-and build theory of positive emotions.

This book describes in an accessible and captivating way what the research by her and her colleagues has taught her about what positivity is and what is does. In her explanation of what positivity is, she mentions ten forms of positivity: joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, and love. As to what positivity does, maybe it is best to start with six facts she mentions about positivity: 1) positivity feels good, 2) positivity changes how your mind works, 3) positivity transforms your future, 4) positivity puts the brakes on negativity, 5) positivity obeys a tipping point, 6) you can increase your positivity. A briefer way of describing what positivity amounts to is that it opens your mind and helps you get on a positive trajectory, an upward spiral. In other words: it makes you flourish. Flourishing is more than being happy. In Barbara Fredrickson's words: 'Flourishing goes beyond happiness, or satisfaction with life. True, people who flourish are happy. But that's not the half of it. Beyond feeling good, they're also doing good -adding value to the world. People who flourish are highly engaged with their families, work, and communities.'

But that is not the whole story. The effects of positivity are not simple and linear. Rather, they are subtle and non-linear. Human flourishing works like a nonlinear dynamic system. In nonlinear systems, there are one or more tipping points at which the properties of the system can suddenly change dramatically. An example of such a non-linear system with a tipping point is how ice melts at zero degrees Celsius. Consultant and researcher Marcial Losada has helped Barbara Fredrickson uncover a tipping point in the positivity ratio. The positivity ratio is the ratio of people's experiences of positive to negative emotions. Fredrickson's and Losada's research show that there is a tipping point above which flourishing starts and below which it doesn't. This positivity ratio tipping point is 3-1. When there are three times or more as many positive experiences than negative ones, flourishing will start with all of its beneficial consequences. There also turns out to be a second tipping point, by the way, of 11-1, which is the upper bound of flourishing. Above this upper bound it seems that there is too much positivity. In other words, there will always remain a useful role for some negativity. Fredrickson has found that most people have more positive than negative experiences but are below the 3-1 tipping point. Fortunately, there are many known ways to raise your positivity (many of them are described in the book) so that flourishing is attainable for anyone.

I can hardly say how impressed I am with this book. This book presents the best that positive psychology has to offer. The writing is very clear and pleasant. At the same time, everything that is being written is linked to scientific findings (which are mentioned explicitly). My suggestion is: do yourself a favor and buy yourself this book..
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J
Juan Jacobo Mora
Deep wisdom and practical advice
Reviewed in Mexico on 01-24-2021
Dr. Fredrickson provides in a very readable way this masterpiece in two movements:
First she provides the evolutive origin of positive and negative emotions, as well as the scientific reasearch made by the author and other prominent psychologists (Daniel Kahnemann, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ed Diener, etc.) that suppports the benefits of cultivate positive emotions in our daily life.
In the second part she give the practical advice on how to cultivate positivity, of course, providing the same rigorous scientific basis as in the first part..
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J
homesteadlite
2.9013 to 1
Reviewed in the United States on 10-31-2022
You know that method where you sandwich something someone needs to improve in between two compliments or positive statements, to soften the blow a little? Well, the premise of this book is that people need THREE positive interactions for every negative one in order to feel as though they're satisfied with their life or flourishing (as opposed to languishing). Positive Psychology guru Frederickson had figured it all along as 3:1, but it was scientifically determined to be 2.9013 to 1. A good lesson for all of us to put a little sugar on it. Frederickson offers numerous ways to enhance these positive moments for others or ourselves..
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