ABSTRACT
Man is capable of changing the world for the better if possible, and of changing himself for the better if necessary. The work of Barbara Fredrickson offers further evidence of a positive attitude as promoting resilience. Fredrickson’s research suggests we are better able to solve problems when we are in a positive frame of mind because a positive mind frame broadens our thought–action repertoire. Historically, research has been correlational, showing a relationship between social support and resilience where the direction of influence was not clear. Most people understand that people get sick from others who are have a contagious illness. However, research shows that there is a contagion effect for illnesses that are not transmitted biologically. Community-level support networks are very important sources of resilience or pathology for officers. A cornerstone of resilience is sleep. The lack of sleep is so damaging, sleep deprivation has been used as a form of torture.
