Agency
WorkOn 3 shows in Health & Science over 30 days
In Agency, psychologist Martin Seligman argues that human progress is driven by agency—the combination of efficacy, optimism, and imagination. The book traces how this psychological capacity has shaped innovation and human flourishing across history, including periods when material conditions alone cannot explain progress.
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Mentions of Agency per 1,000 mentions of anything, 7-day rolling, health & science.
Show the data
| Day | Share (7-day) | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | 0.53‰ | 1 |
| Sep 4 | 1.08‰ | 1 |
| Sep 8 | 1.63‰ | 1 |
| Sep 11 | 1.19‰ | 1 |
| Sep 21 | 0.49‰ | 1 |
| Sep 28 | 1.51‰ | 3 |
| Sep 29 | 2.11‰ | 1 |
| Oct 8 | 1.16‰ | 2 |
Why is it trending?
Martin Seligman’s book frames agency as a force behind human progress
Martin Seligman’s book Agency is driving discussion of how optimism, confidence, and imagination can help people shape their lives.[1][2]
On Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam interviewed Seligman about imagination as a component of agency and expanding it through practices such as writing about one’s best possible self.[1]
On Something You Should Know, Mike Carruthers presented Agency as Seligman’s new book and described its focus on optimism, confidence, imagination, and personal control.[2]
On Passion Struck, John Miles said Seligman argues agency is among the defining forces behind individual flourishing and societal progress.[3]
The shows largely agree on agency’s connection to human capability and progress, while the excerpts emphasize different applications: imagination, personal control, and flourishing.[1][2][3]
Sources · 3 moments
- 1.Hidden Brain · How to Make a Difference: Part 2Shankar Vedantam · Sep 28 · Listen at 32:41 ↗
“Use the subject line, How to Make a Difference. Again, that's feedback@hiddenbrain.org. At hiddenbrain.org. Martin Seligman is a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania. He's the author of many books, including Agency: The Psychologi”
- 2.Something You Should Know · How to Have Great Conversations & The Surprising Truth About OptimismMike Carruthers · Oct 8 · Listen at 29:40 ↗
“And that experience has helped lead him to a bigger question. What gives some people the belief they can change their circumstances and shape what happens next. That idea is at the heart of his new book. It's titled Agency, the Psychologica”
- 3.Passion Struck with John R. Miles · Your Kids Don’t Need More Achievement. They Need More Freedom | Dr. Peter Gray - EP 826John Miles · Sep 29 · Listen at 26:55 ↗
“Thank you for all this background. I want to switch gears just a little bit and talk about agency, because as I was reading the book, to me, agency is something that sits in the background of it. So I recently interviewed Marty Seligman, wh”
Written by AI from the cited moments; every quote is checked against the transcript.
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