Abstract: Seligman was the first psychologist who researched into learned helplessness and learned optimism. In the middle of the 20th century, he led the research of Positive Psychology, which shifted psychology’s focus from human frailty and weakness to the strength of the human character and the improvement of virtue. Mr. Seligman defined the three distinct studies of positive emotion, positive character, and positive institutions. He put forward the concept of three factors of happiness and employed the theory of happiness to cure depression and strengthen human sense of happiness. Recently he has concentrated on human virtue and strength research, and according to his PPT theory, human virtues and advantages can be helpful psychotherapeutics for mental illness

Key words: learned helplessness, learned optimism, positive psychology