Running head: PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Pursuit of Happiness
Jess Keck
PSY/220
February 8, 2015
Mrs. Brown

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2
Pursuit of Happiness

There are many aspects of life that the American culture and Asian culture have very
different views and practices, the pursuit of happiness are among these. This difference can be
summarized by two very specific contrasting cultural models, individualistic and collectivist
cultures. The individualistic culture, very prominent in North Americans, revolves around an
emphasis on individual rights, responsibilities, and freedom. The collectivist culture, or a
society which places the emphasis on an interdependent view of self, in which personal identity
is defined relationally, according to connections, and to the immediate social context, is more
prominent in Asian countries (Baumgardner & Crothers, 2009, p. 117). When it comes to the
pursuit of happiness it is going to be differ from person to person all over the world. For many
happiness may mean being loyal to their country, bringing honor to their home, graduating from
high school and going to college, there are many factors to how each one will influence each
person. It is important to note that the way happiness is portrayed for example in the United
States, other people coming into the country to chase the American Dream including those from
the United States. The portrait of the perfect family, the perfect job, and no problems everybody
looks happy; this would be a stereotype of what happiness looks like. In chapter 6, Keeping up
with the Joness, (Baumgardner & Crothers, 2009) is a popular saying in America today, and not
far from the truth, concerning the mentality and opinions concerning happiness and well-being.
The Declaration of Independence also states the pursuit of happiness is an alienable right
(Baumgardner & Crothers, 2009). Society today lends opportunities to fulfill anyones desires, or
dreams, yet as individuals we are concerned about what others think around us. This thought
process is evident throughout the American culture today and in history (Baumgardner &
Crothers, 2009). The concepts of culture and happiness are being compared as individualistic and

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collectivist (I-C) which provides the basis for over all well-being and what it means to be happy.
Research compared two cultures Americans to East Asians and found subjective wellbeing
(SWB) to be low in Japan where income trends are high, when compared to Americans. This
concept was considered void because the Asian cultures did not measure happiness to self or
individuality. Therefore the studies had to be modified. Later reviews revealed that Americans
are encouraged to identify and express their unique sense of self as a way to influence and
distinguish themselves from others, whereas or in contrast Asians are encouraged to identify and
express attributes that involves the community as a whole to develop self-critical and selfdiscipline which enables fitting in with others. This concept allows for improvement or enhances
decision making that improves the social norm (Baumgardner & Crothers, 2009). Because
happiness and feeling good about oneself is a part of the American culture, American Parents
want their children to think for themselves and pursue things that make a child happy or makes
them feel good about themselves; this perspective is consistent with subjective well - being
(SWB), and that happiness is both subjective and individualized. Americans appreciate modesty
and provide support to those who are self-critical and express personal deficiencies. However,
self-criticism is not the typical basis for relationships in individualistic cultures. In America
someone who is continually self-effacing might be regarded as shy, suffering from low selfesteem, lacking in confidence, or are way too dependent on others. Among East Asians, however,
a self-critical attitude is the basis for a social sensitivity that helps ensure close, supportive, and
mutually affirming relationships (Baumgardner & Crothers, 2009).
In the end, it does not matter where you live in the world everyone is going to have their
own views on the pursuit of happiness and there is nothing wrong with that. No one is the same
and we were not taught to be or think just like everyone else. It is also possible that one person

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in one culture views the pursuit of happiness as a completely different culture and I do not
believe there is anything wrong with that either. We are all different all think differently and that
is something that helps make an individual unique and a culture unique in their own way as well.

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Baumgardner, S. R. and Crothers, M.K. (2009). Positive psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall