Across Cultures Family Happiness is Valued More than Individual Happiness, and Happiness in General is Valued More in Individualistic than in Collectivistic Societies

Cross-cultural studies document that conceptualizations and the desirability of happiness vary across cultures. Extending this area of research, we argue that focusing on the family (as compared to the individual) as the subject of happiness may be another important distinction in how happiness is conceptualized and valued. With the data collected in the Happiness Meanders study, we document that family happiness is pan-culturally valued over personal happiness, although we show also that happiness in general (no matter which type) is valued more in individualistic than in collectivistic societies.