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The Strength of Self-Acceptance pp 121–137Cite as

Self-Acceptance and Happiness

Abstract

The nature of happiness and the good life have preoccupied people for millennia, and the idea that what matters is not just to live, but to live well has been central to both Eastern and Western thought (Kesebir & Diener, 2008). Democritus, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics and Epicureans were the first Western philosophers to ponder over the nature of happiness, inaugurating a tradition that has spanned over the centuries into the twenty-first century. Philosophical treatments of this issue have been predominant for a long time (Kesebir & Diener). However, more recently, it has become the subject of intense scientific scrutiny, as behavioral and social sciences have begun to devote increased attention to this topic (Kesebir & Diener; Ryan & Deci, 2001).

Keywords

  • Positive psychology
  • Eudaimonic ­happiness
  • Hedonic happ­iness
  • Authentic happiness
  • Signature strengths
  • Flourishing
  • Rational happiness
  • Irrational happiness
  • Albert Ellis
  • REBT
  • Positive emotions
  • Self
  • Self-rating
  • Self-esteem

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Aurora Szentagotai Ph.D. & Daniel David Ph.D.

  2. Department of Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA

    Daniel David Ph.D.

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  1. Aurora Szentagotai Ph.D.
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  2. Daniel David Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Aurora Szentagotai Ph.D. .

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  1. , Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Michael E. Bernard

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Szentagotai, A., David, D. (2013). Self-Acceptance and Happiness. In: Bernard, M. (eds) The Strength of Self-Acceptance. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6806-6_8

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