Paradox and Perception: Measuring Quality of Life in Latin America

摘要

This book falls into the 'economics of happiness' category of literature. It uses the method of perception survey data to measure human well-being in Latin American countries. When qualitative and quantitative data are compared, some paradoxes appear, such as 'unhappy growth' and 'happy peasants and frustrated achievers'. Some policy implications about these paradoxes are also discussed. The new field of happiness economics is intended to develop complementary measures of human well-being, providing analysis of the self-reported subjective well-being of individuals ('happiness' or 'satisfaction' about life).