The Power—and Pitfalls—of Positivity: Can Happiness Really Be Engineered?

A deep dive into the science of happiness, the rise of 'power posing,' and what happens when optimism outpaces evidence.

In recent years, the language of happiness has become a staple of classrooms, boardrooms, and even military training. From gratitude journals to superhero stances, we’re told that a few simple tweaks can boost our well-being and unlock our potential. But does the science really back up these claims?

Jesse Singal’s 'The Quick Fix' traces the arc of positive psychology, from its hopeful beginnings to its current crossroads. The movement offered a refreshing alternative to pathology-focused psychology, but its most viral ideas—like power posing—often overshot the evidence. Large-scale replication studies failed to confirm many popular findings, and even the original researchers sometimes walked back their claims.

Still, the desire for hope is powerful. Schools teach resilience, companies run happiness workshops, and armies invest millions in positivity training. Some interventions work, but the effects are usually modest—and context matters. The lesson? Optimism is valuable, but it must be paired with rigorous testing and a willingness to revise our beliefs.

The future of happiness science lies in humility: recognizing what we know, what we don’t, and the limits of even our best ideas. By embracing both hope and skepticism, we can build a more honest and effective approach to well-being.

In our next post, we’ll explore the replication crisis and what it means for the future of science and public trust. 1 3