The Power of Positive Thinking Happiness," published in 1950, and "Inspiring Messages for Daily Living", published in 1955. "The Power of Positive Thinking" appeared at a time when Christian church attendance was drastically increasing, national views of spirituality, individuality, and religion were shifting, and the Cold War was a growing concern for many Americans. These factors, as well as Peale's growing popularity as a motivational public figure and the book's clear prose, propelled "The Power of Positive Thinking" into a self-help book still popular today. Peale begins by stating ten rules for “overcoming inadequacy attitudes and learning to practice faith”. The rules include the following:
Divergent thinking an interesting long-term study as it would help parents and teachers identify this behaviour (or lack thereof) in children, specifically at an age when it can be reinforced if already displayed, or supported if not yet displayed. In a study at the University of Bergen, Norway, the effects of positive and negative mood on divergent-thinking were examined. In this study, nearly two hundred arts and psychology students participated, first by measuring their moods with an adjective checklist before performing the required tasks. The results showed a clear distinction in performance between those with a self-reported positive versus negative mood: A