The social psychology of latin american happiness

Abstract

Latin America is one of the happiest regions in the world. However, this high subjective well beingdoes not correspond to the modern prototype of happiness which is based on the belief that richness and autonomy are the basic building blocks of a good life. Latin American countries fall in the middle income group with not a single nation in the high income economies. It is a region low on individualism and high on collectivism. Therefore, the understanding of Latin American happiness is not just a cross-cultural curiosity, it is an important case study for Happiness Science in order to understand the basic building blocks of a happy culture. This chapter studies the cultural roots of Latin American happiness and challenge the widespread believe that modernization and individuality are fundamental drivers of happiness.