The Groundwork for Resilience. There are so many challenges to our sense of equilibrium and well-being these days — from diverse politics and the nonstop flow of information to our own personal struggles with life, studies, work, and busyness. But, members of the Vassar community are on the case, conducting new research on and reintroducing ancient approaches to mindfulness with a goal of building resilience. [Read the full issue]
Learning How to Bounce Back – Prof. Michele Tugade helps students, astronauts cope with stress: Stress is part of everyone’s life, but there are ways to bounce back from adversity. Prof. of Psychological Science Michele Tugade has devoted her research to helping students—and even astronauts – confront stress and bounce back. [Full article]
The Handbook of Positive Emotions (edited by Michele Tugade, Lani Shiota, and Leslie Kirby, foreword by Barbara Fredrickson).
Order from Guilford Press, Amazon, or a favorite bookstore. This book is available as a print or e-book.
This authoritative handbook reviews the breadth of current knowledge about positive emotions: their nature, functions, and consequences for individuals and society. Specific emotions are analyzed in depth, including happiness, pride, romantic love, compassion, gratitude, awe, challenge, and hope. Major theoretical perspectives are presented and cutting-edge research methods explained. The volume addresses neurobiological and physiological aspects of positive emotions as well as their social and intrapersonal contexts. Implications for physical health, coping, and psychopathology are explored, as are connections to organizational functioning and consumer behavior.
United Way – Opioid Epidemic Panel: Dr. Michele Tugade joined government, public health, and community leaders in a panel discussion on ways to address the opioid epidemic. Her discussion focused on pathways to resilience. [information here]
Learning and the Brain: “Positive, Resilient Minds” conference. In order for students to thrive and succeed in today’s high-stress, changing and chaotic world, they will need skills well beyond good test scores. Brain, behavioral and positive psychology research has shown that the most important skills for school/college success and achievement, life satisfaction, good health and wellbeing are resilience and positive emotions: optimism, gratitude, empathy, kindness and happiness. [information here]
Brainwave Lecture Series: In this talk, Dr. Michele Tugade, David Nichtern, and Ethan Nichtern discuss the perspective that mindfulness can bring to our unsettled political climate. Lecture series sponsored by The Rubin Museum [information here]
Choice Reviews: This handbook provides a rich and valuable summary of the current knowledge about positive emotions, the diverse theoretical orientations used to understand them, and the neurobiological, physiological, and psychological methodologies employed to study them. (R. B. Stewart Jr.) [Full article]
Happiness 101: The field of positive psychology is casting new light on our most coveted emotion. Michele Tugade discusses the science of positive emotions and resilience in the Chronogram Magazine. (Wendy Kagan)
Putting Resilience to the Test: Research being conducted by the Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory is featured in the Vassar Quarterly Magazine (Julia Van Develder).
Does Money Buy Happiness? Michele Tugade comments on research on money and happiness in Vassar Quarterly Magazine. (Larry Hertz)
Harvesting Positivity: Michele Tugade discusses the intersections between positive emotions, worry, and burn-out on college campuses. (Maria Shine Stewart) [Full article]
Mapping Happiness: Michele Tugade speaks with Joe Donahue on NPR’s The Roundtable about research being conducted in the Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory of Vassar College. [Listen here]