Imagine social change driven by scientifically verified observation that specific practices, therapeutic interventions, or meditations not only lastingly enhance human happiness, but also health and productivity.

What I find interesting in this talk and in other work in positive psychology is:

1. An acknowledgment of limitations of the disease model of psychology and the social costs.
2. The application of randomized placebo control methodology in the identification of the causes of happiness.
3. The categorization of three measurable forms of happiness including Meaningful Life.
4. The significant observation that pleasure on it's own makes no contribution at all on Life Satisfaction.
5. The acceptance in peer reviewed scientific journals of internet based data collection in psychological research, which will lower the economic cost of scientifically validating causes of suffering and happiness.
6. A mainstream trans-cultural catalog of positive human qualities, their interrelationships and specific impacts which is a response to the disease model's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) - somewhat reminiscent of the 16 Guidelines for a Happy Life.
7. Scientifically proven methods to enhance positive human qualities.
8. The potential for social change driven by the scientific observation (a current hypothesis now being tested) that health and productivity are functions of the application of one strengths to purposes larger than oneself (the meaningful life).

This group will share their web survey test framework www.authentichappiness.org with other research groups. So if one was to meet whatever requirements they have (probably academic plus experimental design) one might test one's own hypotheses.

Here also is a review of Positive Psychology as of 2005.