In contrast to the traditional pathogenic paradigm, a paradigm of salutogenesis (tracing the origins of health) is suggested on the basis of Antonovsky's writings. Examples are presented to support the view that stressors are omnipresent, rather than the exception; however, it is also argued that people are nevertheless surviving and are remaining healthy. Five examples of salutogenic constructs which help explain such a concurrence are reviewed, namely, Antonovsky's ‘sense of coherence’, Kobasa's ‘personality hardiness’, Ben-Sira's ‘potency’, Thomas's and Colerick's ‘stamina’, and Rosenbaum's ‘learned resourcefulness’. Relationships between these constructs are discussed.

It is argued that Antonovsky's concept of ‘salutogenesis’, referring to the origins of health, should be broadened to ‘fortigenesis’, which refers to the origins of psychological strength in general. The argument is based on his own writings. A number of related constructs are referred to in which the metaphor of strength is also inherent. Research on the development of psychological strength through appropriate work experiences, through military and combat experience, and through work force participation in the case of homemakers is reviewed.

The central argument in this article is that there are psychological variables, subsumed here under the generic heading of resilience, that advance fortigenesis and thus create tendencies contrary to those that produce burnout, or favourable to its antipode of engagement. In a literature review, five theoretical variables are presented: engagement, meaningfulness, subjective well-being, positive emotions, and proactive coping, as well as five somewhat practical suggestions: personal strategic planning, restorative places, optimal experience (flow), interpersonal flourishing, and Balint groups. Some comments are made about research needs.

The Sense of Coherence (SOC) Scale purports to measure a disposition which engenders, sustains, and enhances health. However, reports of high negative correlations (average about À0.7) with negative aectivity (NA) measures raise doubt as to whether it does not only measure the absence of neuroticism. These relationships could also be interpreted as validation of the scale, if the low end of NA is conceived as emotional stability. In samples of nursing students, managerial and administrative personnel and life insurance consultants, the SOC scale related negatively to NA scales, and positively to positive aectivity scales, but more strongly to NA. An emotional stability scale correlated positively with the SOC scale, supporting the alternative interpretation. Stepwise multiple-regression analyses con®rmed the bivariate ®ndings but also indicated that from 25 to 47 per cent of SOC variability remained unexplained after the trait scales' predictions. The SOC appears to be a highly complex construct which partakes in a mixture of personality domains, and is taxonomically above the trait level.

Psychofortology is an alternative designation for positive psychology, and fortology (Latin fortis = strong) an antonym for pathology. The strengths paradigm has ancient origins. In this article brief reviews are presented of contributions made during the first eight decades of the twentieth century by mainly psychologists and psychiatrists. Among the most outstanding were James, Jung, Allport, Murray, Rogers, Frankl, Maslow, Csikszentmihalyi and Antonovsky; in all, some 40 forerunners are mentioned. By way of integration, their concepts are classified in terms of J. M. Digman's (1997) higher order personality factors a (socialisation process) and ß (personal growth), as well as spirituality/religiousness. A preponderance of the personal growth category was noticeable, particularly from the late 1950s until the early 1970s. The relative neglect of socialisation and interdependencies deserves to be remedied in fortological theory and research.