The internet research site for Suzanne C. Segerstrom, Ph.D.,
and the Personality and Immunity Research Laboratory
Click here to participate in a study by taking a short personality test.
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See Dr. Segerstrom's faculty web page at the University of Kentucky.
See her book on optimism, Breaking Murphy's Law, now available in paperback from booksellers and on line.
"Many [tales] may make you laugh (and maybe make you feel happier) in Segerstrom's book. Its readability is in keeping with her belief that science-based happiness research needs to be shared. "
- Alison Roberts, Sacramento Bee
"Although its topic is optimism, this book is not a pep-talk about the power of positive thinking. Quite the contrary; Segerstrom gives pessimists permission to go right on seeing the gloomy side of things if that suits their personality. Instead of commanding the reader to think happy thoughts, she focuses on what she calls "doing optimism," or mimicking certain behaviors of optimists. . . She lightens it with humor in unexpected places, and makes a compelling argument for acting like an optimist to achieve your goals. That taste of success can promote a genuinely sunnier outlook, she adds - so next time, maybe you won't even have to fake it."
- Kristin Taveira, Newsday (READ WORTHY: HOW-TO BOOK OF THE WEEK)
"Is optimism the key to success, happiness, and well-being? Can optimism be developed or is it an innate personality trait? Suzanne C. Segerstrom tackles these questions and more in her intriguing and thoughtful book, Breaking Murphy's Law: How Optimists Get What They Want from Life—and Pessimists Can Too. . . . Perhaps the tide is changing and the view that people who study positive psychology are, as Segerstrom states, “not serious scientists” is falling by the wayside. Segerstrom's book tackles the topic of optimism with a vigorous scientific skepticism. The book imparts the lessons of years of research on optimism with humor, thoughtfulness, and a convincing amount of evidence that it is possible to break “Murphy's Law” through optimistic expectations."
- Jeni L. Burnette, Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books
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Modified January 21, 2008 .