Various areas of research and the main findings in relation to positive psychology and happiness were the central topics of the conference held by Mg. Mauricio Cerda at the Extension Center of the University of La Serena.

The academic approached the topic from the importance of being and feeling happy in different instances, at work, with friends, in all interpersonal relationships, emphasizing that it has been studied to what extent, depending on the level of income, people are happier. The conclusion was that above the poverty line there is no relationship between happiness and the level of economic income. Likewise, he referred to interpersonal relationships and among them those of a couple.

''It has been studied that when people feel happy, their relationship improves and their marriages improve. Couples who are married have a higher level of happiness than those who live together (...). It has been seen that people begin to improve performance in their work relationships. It has also been found that they are people who tend to live longer,'' Cerda emphasized.

The different applications of positive psychology, in psychotherapy, specific disorders, in schools, among others, have led to thinking that a positive lifestyle should be recommended, was one of the conclusions of the rapporteur, who also analyzed happiness as a new paradigm, in economics, public policies and in psychology.

Cerda also referred to the example of Bhutan, ''a country in Asia that had the very good idea of ​​creating a Ministry of Happiness and created an indicator that they call Gross National Happiness, which they place parallel to the famous GDP, a product gross domestic which is one of the economic indicators. Well, they are basically looking for a development of the individuals of the groups, of the organizations of their nation, that is in line with people experiencing a significant degree of happiness and they are translating this into changes in public policies, in changes in health, in changes in education, in changes in the relationship between human activity and the environment, etc.''.

Finally, attendees received recommendations and mainly tools to live positively and attract happiness, among which were: eating healthy, doing physical exercise, practicing meditation, taking care of their interpersonal relationships, enjoying free time, among others.

One of the attendees at this conference, Carolina Henríquez, highlighted the presentation of the speaker, who ''addressed all the advances that have existed in this new paradigm of human development that addresses happiness and that in one way or another what is looking for is to have a healthier, more loving society, in which we respect each other more and people truly have more meaning in our lives in enjoying and relating in a more respectful way.''

Finally, Susana Alcazar referred to the style of the conference and the initiative of the institution. ''This is the first time I have come to a conference of this type and I found it very interesting, easy to understand (...). It is good that they make these types of instruments known so that we, common people, can be better,' she concluded.

This second conference of the cycle ''Psychology and contemporary society'' was organized jointly by the Directorate of Extension and the Department of Psychology of the University of La Serena.