Why Things Go Right. The Science of Psychology: An Appreciative View by Laura King (University of Missouri at Columbia) is the first text to bring a truly appreciative view of psychology--as a science and for exploring behavior--to introductory students. It is built around the idea that students must study the discipline of psychology as a whole, that the sub-disciplines are intricately connected, and that human behavior is best understood by exploring its functioning state in addition to its potential dysfunctions. For example, imagine that you have been asked to create a science of "watchology." You have two watches that both have had the unfortunate "trauma" of being left in the pocket of someone's jeans through the washer and dryer. One watch has suffered the worst possible fate--it no longer tells time. The other has emerged from the traumatic event still ticking. Which watch would you use to develop your new science of watchology? Clearly, the working watch will help you understand watches better than the broken one. What does watchology have to do with psychology? Quite simply, in psychology as in watchology, it makes sense to start with what works: to gain a general understanding of human behavior and then apply that knowledge to those who have emerged from life's experiences in dysfunction.

[美] 劳拉•金（Laura A. King）

从语言学到心理学

劳拉•金在美国凯尼恩学院接受本科教育,主修英语专业。在大学三年级的第二个学期她选修了心理学作为第二专业。1986 年,她以优异的成绩和荣誉获得英文学士学位,并以出色的成绩获得心理学学士学位。随后,劳拉在密歇根州立大学和加州大学戴维斯分校攻读研究生课程,并于1991 年获得人格心理学的博士学位。

劳拉最初就职于达拉斯的南卫理公会大学,2001 年转入密苏里大学哥伦比亚分校,现任教授。她除了开设性格发展研讨课、社会心理学和人格心理学研讨课,也教授本科课程,包括心理学导论、人格心理学和社会心理学导论。在密苏里大学,她获得6项教学奖,包括1999 年的持续优异奖；2004 年由于杰出研究和创造性活动她获得大学校长奖。

关注幸福与正常生活的新锐学者

在研究方面,她获得美国国家心理健康研究所的研究基金,主要关注与幸福生活相关的研究主题。她从事过的研究包括目标、生活故事、幸福、安适满意度和人生意义。总之,她的研究反映出她对那些对人们有益的和健康的内容表现出了持续的兴趣。2001 年,她的研究成果获得了积极心理学的坦普顿奖（Templeton Prize）。劳拉的研究（通常是与本科生和研究生的合作）曾发表在《人格与社会心理学》杂志、《人格与社会心理学》期刊、《认知、情绪与人格》杂志以及其他刊物上。一篇关于后悔对成熟的作用的新论文即将在《美国心理学家》杂志上发表。劳拉现在是《人格研究》杂志的主编,同时也是《人格与社会心理学》期刊和《人格与社会心理学》杂志以及众多研究基金会的副主编。

在现实生活中,劳拉擅长厨艺、喜欢听音乐（主要听爵士乐歌手和创作歌手的作品）、种花,还常常和三岁的儿子共享快乐时光。