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This introductory chapter attempts to bring together the main ideas and findings of this book within an integrative perspective, based on a broad theoretical framework encompassing interdisciplinary and methodological issues. Special emphasis is given to some open issues in the theory and assessment of culture-related dimensions and to the potential of positive psychology in addressing them. An overview of the contribution to current research in positive psychology provided by each chapter of this volume is also offered.

This chapter reviews scientific evidence relating to positive education as it is broadly understood today – that is, an educational approach where individual strengths, well-being, and positive social relations are taught and used as foundation for the pedagogy, with the aim of facilitating joyful, effective, and responsible learning for every learner. The evidence presented includes both studies produced before and after the formal inception of the positive psychology movement around year 2000, as most of what is called positive psychology, for natural reasons is based on a great body of earlier work that remains valid and relevant to this day. Also included is a brief view on very promising Danish approaches to educational application of positive psychology. The argument is made that in the future education may benefit far more from many psychological findings than have hitherto been the case, despite the huge potential already at hand, if only psychological evidence is given the same status as much of the so-called “hard evidence” such as grades ranks, drop-out-rates, and money that have completely dominated the educational debates until now.