ABSTRACT
It is no coincidence that, as we enter the new millennium, questions regarding the meaning of human life and self-identity, the impact of the changing environment, and the role of work in these issues are arousing intense discussion. The rst issue of the American Psychologist in the year 2000 was dedicated to “Happiness, Excellence, and Optimal Human Functioning.” Twentieth-century psychology was focused mainly on healing illness and repairing dysfunction, based on a disease model of human behavior (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Much less attention was given to understanding human life in normal, everyday circumstances. Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi have proposed a major shift of attention toward “positive psychology” in order to learn more about happiness, excellence, and ordinary human functioning.
