The Actively Caring for People Movement: A Synergistic Integration of Behaviorism, Humanism, and Positive Psychology

• Published in: Behavior and social issues Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 566 - 586
• Main Author: Geller, E. Scott
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral psychology; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Behavioral sciences; Clinical Psychology; Companies; Empowerment; Happiness; Humanism; Leadership; Original Paper; Personality and Social Psychology; Psychology; Quality of life; Well being; humanism; positive psychology; prosocial behavior; behaviorism; applied behavioral science
• ISSN: 1064-9506; 2376-6786
• DOI: 10.1007/s42822-021-00072-0

This article reviews the Actively Caring for People (AC4P) Movement, initiated in 2007 to increase occurrences of interpersonal acts of kindness worldwide. Resources to support the AC4P Movement, including research-based training manuals and AC4P wristbands for adults and children, are available at www.ac4p.org . This prosocial movement incorporates principles from three diverse disciplines of psychological science: humanism, positive psychology, and applied behavioral science (ABS). With this article, I explicate seven evidence-based “life lessons” that operationalize select principles from humanism and ABS, and rejuvenate a seemingly forgotten applied psychology concept from the 1970s: humanistic behaviorism. Whenever and wherever practiced, these life lessons benefit human well-being and quality of life. Certain life lessons reflect the essence of empowerment and self-motivation and thereby illustrate critical distinctions between management and leadership. Next, I exemplify synergistic connections between positive psychology and ABS, highlighting practical techniques for promoting and supporting human welfare and personal happiness. Previous and ongoing research by my students and colleagues demonstrates how ABS can apply findings from positive psychology to promote subjective well-being on a large scale. The need for worldwide application and dissemination of practical procedures to increase occurrences of AC4P behavior is strikingly obvious, perhaps more so now than ever before in our contentious, fractured, and polarized society. This article explores evidence-based strategies for increasing occurrences of AC4P behavior in various settings, with the mission to cultivate an AC4P culture in families, educational settings, corporations, and communities throughout the world.