This article is centered in a positive perspective of psychology, to analyze subjective well-being during the adulthood and the old age. It reviews diverse conceptions, indicators, sociodemographic and sociocultural correlations of subjective well-being; it presents alternatives in order to evaluate this aspect, as well as international, and mainly Brazilian investigations about this topic. It places emphasis on psychological processes associated with the operation of the selflike regulator, mediator and motivator of subjective wellbeing. Finally, it pleads to invest efforts in the systematic research about subjective well-being, and psychological well-being, with the aim of knowing their effects on the adaptation processes of the people during the life span.34416715574