Whether we discuss psychology, business, entrepreneurship, education, or society in general, resilience has become a hot-button issue. But, what do we mean by it, and how can we develop it in others?
In this comprehensive New Yorker article, we see a thorough breakdown of the research and conceptions around resiliency. From the research of Norman Garmezy, we learned that situational factors play a huge role, but there are also dispositional variables to consider in an individual’s resiliency.
Following Garmezy’s work, Emmy Werner discovered that resiliency could change in an individual’s life; it can actually increase and decrease based on situational factors and the frequency of negative stressors.
Researchers are now assessing what causes us to gain (or lose) resilience. While there are always new discoveries to be made, the work of individuals like Martin Seligman tells us that one huge factor to consider is how we interpret negative events and the stories that we tell ourselves about them.