Individual and social dimensions of subjective well-being: Evidence across latin-american countries

Abstract

In this chapter, we explore the effect of individual and of interpersonal variables on the individual and social domains of subjective well-being. Using data derived from the Latinobarómetro 2007, we analyze if some of the variables affect differently individual or social dimensions. We estimate generalized probit models to allow the effects to be different also across the distribution of subjective well-being in each dimension. We further explore if there are some domains for which there is some possible degree of substitution between personal characteristics (resources) and interpersonal relationships as to improve well-being. We find that substitution is a possibility for individual dimensions, but not for social or institutional ones.