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Although the topic of psychological well-being has generated considerable research, few studies have investigated how adults themselves define positive functioning. To probe their conceptions of well-being, interviews were conducted with a community sample of 171 middle-aged (M= 52.5 years, SD= 8.7) and older (M= 73.5 years, SD= 6.1) men and women. Questions pertained to general life evaluation, past life experiences, conceptions of well-being, and views of the aging process. Responses indicated that both age groups and sexes emphasized an" others orientation"(being a caring, compassionate person and having good relationships) in defining well-being. Middle-aged respondents stressed self-confidence, self-acceptance, and self-knowledge, whereas older persons cited accepting change as an important quality of positive functioning. In addition to attention to positive relations with others as an index …