Improving income—through work, a business, or training—is one of the four goals most widely shared by Peruvians (37%) and identified as an urgent need, according to a recent study.
It is followed by character and tolerance (18%), discipline and organization (13%), as well as improvements in physical and mental health (8%).
Social psychologist Jorge Yamamoto underscored the emergence of the need to improve character and tolerance identified among Peruvians.
He added that this stems from a growing awareness that living in constant conflict "does not lead to either happiness or development."
"The need to improve one's character and become more disciplined may be linked to the crisis of social media overuse, which generates a great deal of anxiety and addiction. To address this issue, greater discipline and organization are required," he told Andina News Agency.
In that context, the expert highlighted that countries such as Australia have banned adolescents' access to social media in order to protect their mental health.
"It is becoming part of countries' policy agendas, and many high-performance schools—both primary and secondary institutions, as well as universities—are banning the use of mobile phones," he said.
What are Peruvians most proud of?
Yamamoto noted that the same study asked Peruvians what they feel most proud of, with the majority pointing to work, perseverance, and struggle (53%).
This was followed by honesty and responsibility (25%), family: parenthood and support (22%), kind mutual assistance (14%), and patriotism (5%).
"The study explores national self-esteem, identifying what Peruvians share in common that makes us feel proud and comfortable. In this way, we find that Peruvians are hardworking, family-oriented, and honest," Yamamoto noted.
"From that sense of confidence and well-being, we should set shared goals such as improving economic conditions, strengthening character, discipline, and mental health," he concluded.
The study, which surveyed 1,003 citizens, was funded by Mallplaza and conducted by Ipsos Apoyo.
In turn, data analysis was carried out by Bienestar y Productividad (ByP).
Given these findings, Mallplaza launched the installation "The Cloud Swing" in its shopping centers to promote positive interaction among people.
(END) RAI/RRC/MVB
Published: 5/6/2026