Cultural Similarities and Variations in the Conceptions of Happiness and Unhappiness: A Comparison Between Italy and Honduras

Abstract

The present study investigates the conceptions of happiness and unhappiness among university students from Italy and Honduras. A total of 193 Italians and 172 Hondurans took part in a questionnaire study. Respondents were asked to write down the things that made them happy (happiness sources) and those that made them unhappy (unhappiness sources). The content analysis of participants’ answers showed that there was a substantial agreement between Italians and Hondurans over the type of happiness and unhappiness sources they reported. However, the participants’ cultural background significantly influenced the perceived salience of a high number of these sources. Notably, we found several discrepancies between the participants’ cultural orientation and the semantic content of the happiness and unhappiness sources they assigned greater importance to. We also found gender differences in the perceived salience of happiness and unhappiness sources; however, these differences only referred to a small number of sources. The results were interpreted considering theory and research on individualism–collectivism.