An Introduction to Ideal Psychology

Ideals are central to human life and psychology. Over the past decade, mindfulness-based interventions have aimed to cultivate ideal mentalities not yet realized at a societal level, giving rise to 'ideal psychology.' This article introduces that approach, outlining six features of ideal mentalities, a design–achievement–evaluation cycle for studying them, and seven methodological principles. It clarifies how ideal psychology relates to critical, positive, and transpersonal psychology, as well as to Eastern spiritual traditions, Marxism, transhumanism, and Plato's philosophy. Recent applications include cultivating mentalities of emptiness, Confucian oneness, and nondifferential four immeasurables, and advancing research on mindfulness, mortality salience, and beliefs about human nature. The article discusses contributions, limitations, and future directions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Ideals play important roles in human life and psychology. Over the past decade, several mindfulness-based interventions have directly cultivated ideal mentalities that have not yet been achieved at the level of humanity, leading to the establishment of ideal psychology. Beyond research on ideal mentalities, ideal psychology has evolved into a general psychological approach characterized by future-oriented perspectives and associated methodologies. This article provides the first detailed introduction of this emerging approach. It summarizes six defining features of ideal mentalities, presents the design–achievement–evaluation cycle for research on them, and outlines seven methodological principles for enhancing studies on both ideal and existing mentalities with similar features. It further illustrates three aspects of future-oriented perspectives that shape research, through which it clarifies how ideal psychology relates to previous schools of psychology such as critical psychology, positive psychology, and transpersonal psychology, as well as to other traditions including Eastern spiritual traditions, Marxism and the critical tradition, transhumanism, and Plato’s philosophy. The article also exemplifies recent applications of ideal psychology in cultivating ideal mentalities such as mentalities of emptiness, Confucian oneness, and the nondifferential four immeasurables, as well as in advancing research on existing mentalities such as mindfulness, mortality salience, and beliefs about human nature. Finally, it discusses the major contributions, limitations, and future directions of ideal psychology.