Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life

Martin E. P. Seligman is widely regarded as one of the most influential psychologists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, having shaped contemporary understandings of resilience, well-being, and human potential. Seligman earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Princeton and a doctorate in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania; he has since been awarded 10 honorary doctorates for his contributions to the field. Seligman rose to prominence in 1998 when he was elected president of the American Psychological Association, using his role to formally launch positive psychology as a new, transformative direction in psychological research and practice. His writing blends philosophical inquiry with empirical rigor, offering a systematic framework for understanding happiness and human flourishing.

With extensive research credentials and leadership within mainstream psychology, Seligman has authored or coauthored more than 30 books and published widely in outlets such as The New York Times, Time, and Newsweek. While his work is grounded in scientific methods, it reflects a Western, largely individualistic viewpoint of well-being and may not fully consider cultural or systemic influences on emotional life. In addition, while the book makes an extensive argument for the relevance of positive psychology in preventing and treating depression, it largely does not address other diagnoses, which may limit the book’s relevance for people with mental illnesses.