![\"\u042d\u0442\u043e](\"https:\/\/bricsmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rtxyvzk-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nChileans approached the question of perceptions with a strong emphasis on character. Similar to the way Argentines viewed regional differences, 71% of Chilean respondents indicated that differences in Chile are mostly between the capital, Santiago, and all other areas. \u201cEverything happens in Santiago.\u201d Differences were linked to time (Santiago was viewed as faster-paced with tighter work schedules versus free time), resources (presence and availability of hospitals, businesses, banks, and universities), and general development and opportunity. Chileans used words such as \u201cconservative,\u201d \u201ccold,\u201d \u201creserved,\u201d and \u201cserious,\u201d to talk about how they feel their culture is perceived. At the same time, there was an emphasis on Chile\u2019s \u201cprogressive and successful economy\u201d (it ranks highest of all Latin American countries, excluding Puerto Rico, on the World Economic Forum\u2019s Global Competitiveness Index for 2013-2014 and 34th globally), and the \u201cfriendly,\u201d \u201csupportive,\u201d and \u201ccaring\u201d nature of people.
Costa Ricans used the most positive terminology of all six countries surveyed when asked about perceptions of their culture and people. Words such as \u201cpeaceful,\u201d \u201copen,\u201d \u201cpolite,\u201d \u201chappy,\u201d and of course the infamous \u201cpura vida\u201d (defined loosely as \u201ceverything is cool\u201d and used in a wide range of circumstances such as a greeting, a character trait, an affirmation of well-being, or a confirmation of understanding) came up time and again. Top values cited were \u201cpeace\u201d (Costa Rica has had no army since 1948), \u201cfamily and friends,\u201d and \u201cnature\/environment.\u201d Additionally, many Costa Ricans commented on the country and its culture in relation to the rest of Latin America. One respondent noted that, \u201cThe strong influence from the United States as well as the minimal connection to other Latin American countries make people perceive Costa Rica as alienated.\u201d
In Colombia, respondents viewed the culture as segregated. Regional differences were divided according to major cities such as Bogot\u00e1, Barranquilla, Cal\u00ed, and Medell\u00edn, and seen most starkly in speech, cultural traditions, physical appearance, and economic situations. One person commented that Colombians are perceived as \u201cserious and cold if they are from Bogot\u00e1, partiers if they are from the coast.\u201d Words such as \u201cwelcoming,\u201d \u201cfriendly,\u201d \u201chappy,\u201d and \u201cculturally rich\u201d were contrasted with \u201cdangerous,\u201d \u201cdrug dealers,\u201d \u201ccocaine,\u201d and \u201ccorruption\u201d when describing perceptions. The country\u2019s acute awareness of this gap can be seen in a recent Colombian tourism campaign slogan: \u201cColombia, the only risk is that you\u2019ll want to\u00a0stay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Outsiders Don\u2019t Know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When asked what outsiders don\u2019t know about Brazil, much of the focus shifted to business. Responses included the fact that there are many large, private high-t’echnology companies in the country, that Brazilians can be skilled negotiators, and that first names can be common in business meetings, an important difference from other South American countries such as Colombia or Chile where a higher degree of formality prevails.
Mexicans focused on misperceptions. For example, the often widespread confusion that Mexico\u2019s Independence Day is celebrated on 5\u00a0May (it is in fact 16 September) or that there is nothing more to Mexico than \u201ctequila, Corona, and the beach.\u201d Mexicans highlighted the variety of cultures within their own country and that even classic foods (e.g., tacos, mole, tamales, and pozole) are made differently in different regions. Despite a fear of being perceived as \u201cbarbaric,\u201d \u201cdangerous,\u201d and \u201ccorrupt,\u201d Mexicans emphasized a strong commitment to \u201cfamily,\u201d \u201cfriendship,\u201d and a \u201chope for a better future.\u201d
Argentine respondents continued with the theme of identity influences when asked this question. They talked about the importance of the gauchos (and traditions of cooking asado, which is directly linked to gaucho customs), the Italian influence on culture (almost half of the population are estimated to have ties to Italian descent), and the effects of European roots on the people. One person noted, \u201cSo-called \u2018Latin culture\u2019 is closer to the North of South America or Central American than Argentinean. Our culture, as well as our architecture, the progressive spirit of our people, etc., is closer to European culture.\u201d
A common theme in Chileans\u2019 answers to this question was society. As one person commented, \u201cIt seems like a pretty open society, but it isn\u2019t.\u201d Chileans, similar to Argentines, frequently remarked that Chile is more like the US and Europe than other countries in Latin America. There was an emphasis on the level of education and knowledge of arts and literature that distinguishes their country from others in the region. Another frequent comment Chileans made was related to language and expressions particular to Chilean Spanish, many of which are derived from the influence of the native indigenous languages Quechua and Mapudungun.
Costa Ricans emphasized that many outsiders are surprised by elements of daily interactions. A frequently cited case was the fact that, \u201cThe word \u2018no\u2019 is rarely used.\u201d Costa Ricans take things personally, and \u201cevery comment, positive or negative, affects us.\u201d Courtesy, saving face, and maintaining relationships are key factors for cultural success. Other surprises for outsiders were linked to \u201ctardiness\u201d and \u201cexcessive relaxation.\u201d While life in Costa Rica may move at a relatively slow pace and emphasize a work-life balance, it is still considered among the more punctual countries in the region.
Colombians felt that the main thing outsiders don\u2019t know is that not everything is related to drugs and violence. For example, Colombia produces flowers and emeralds and Colombians are very entrepreneurial. It is the birthplace of the Lasik eye surgery technique and the pacemaker. Geographically speaking, \u201cMany do not know there are three satellite islands in the Caribbean Sea (San Andr\u00e9s, Providencia, and Santa Catalina) that belong to Colombia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Formality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The degree of formality that is appropriate in social and business contexts can be a great differentiator across cultures. Using a definition of formality that included the degree to which titles, forms of politeness, and social protocol and rules were employed, we asked survey respondents to rank their countries as \u201cinformal,\u201d \u201cmoderately formal,\u201d or \u201cformal.\u201d
The results showed that Colombians highly value formality, ranking above any other Latin American country in the survey. Ninety-three percent of respondents believe that Colombia is moderately or very formal. Moving further down the spectrum, a clear majority of Mexicans (65%) said that Mexico is a moderately formal culture. Interestingly, Argentines and Costa Ricans both overwhelmingly straddled the line between moderately formal and informal with 96% and 86% respectively saying that their cultures are moderately formal or informal. Finally, 81% of Brazilians viewed their culture as informal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Punctuality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ma\u00f1ana has been jokingly defined as \u201canytime between tomorrow and never.\u201d Despite common labels of the region having a ma\u00f1ana culture, many do not take into account the role that context plays.
When it comes to social functions, it could almost be considered rude to arrive on time as your host or hostess would likely not be ready. Distinctions must be made between functions that revolve around a meal (30 minutes late as a general rule) and those that are simply social gatherings (one to two hours late as a general rule). Our respondents agreed, with 56% of Mexicans, 55% of Costa Ricans, 43% of Argentines, 62% of Colombians, 83% of Chileans, and 36% of Brazilians saying it is acceptable to arrive at least 30 minutes late for a social event.
However, work is another story. When asked about arriving on time for work in the morning, 73% of Argentines and Costa Ricans said it was expected to arrive to work no more than 10 minutes late; 71% of Colombians, 66% of Chileans, 63% of Brazilians, and 53% of Mexicans said the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Emotions and Trust<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
One of the keys to truly understanding any culture lies in finding ways to understand and connect with its people, with emotions and trust being two of the critical components in the relationship-building process. Several research studies have looked at these factors in countries across the world and can be used to highlight additional similarities and differences in Latin America.<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\u042d\u0442\u043e](\"https:\/\/bricsmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pg_055-436x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nEmotions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
One of the most interesting findings from the 2013 Gallup poll on positive emotions is that, \u201cOf the 10 countries in the world with the highest percentages experiencing all of these positive emotions, all but one of them (Denmark) is in Latin America.\u201d This has been linked, at least partially, to the fact that it is culturally common in the region to focus on many positive aspects of life, including the importance of family and relationships.
Positive Experience Index Scores (based on the 2013 Gallup survey) shows how Latin American countries stack up against one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trust<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The concept of trust can be assessed on several different levels, including the degree to which we trust people from our culture and the amount of trust that we place in our country\u2019s government, institutions, and systems. Regardless, most studies show that trust in a culture is related to income equality and corruption levels \u2013 the lower the level of income equality, the higher the level of corruption, hence a lower level of trust in society overall. Several years ago, the Pew Global Attitudes Project conducted a survey in which it asked whether people agreed that, \u201cMost people in society are trustworthy.\u201d They found that the percentage of people who agreed with that statement was 46% in Mexico, 42% in Argentina, 35% in Brazil, and 29% in Chile (Costa Rica and Colombia were not included).
Another study, conducted in 2013 by The Reputation Institute, asked 27,000 consumers in G8 countries about 50 countries around the world to determine those countries\u2019 overall reputation, whether the respondents had a \u201cgood feeling\u201d about the countries, whether they admired and respected the countries, and whether they trusted the countries. All Latin American countries included in the survey scored in the poor to weak range (see \u201cReputation Level\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Locals and Outsiders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As one anonymous respondent aptly pointed out, \u201cThose outside Latin America perceive all Latin American countries equally; they can\u2019t distinguish whether they are from Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, etc.\u201d
When cultural patterns are only slightly different, as is often the case with countries within a region such as Latin America, it can be harder to see the variations than when comparing countries that are more obviously distinct. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that shared language equals shared values equals shared behaviors. However, understanding how insiders view the region\u2019s countries as distinct rather than how outsiders view the region as a whole is a critical factor for success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
People often have the idea that Latin America is one homogeneous environment. Yet the vibrant and varied countries in the region have just as many differences as they do similarities. Each culture has particular geographic, historical, political, and economic backgrounds that have combined to make them the way that they are today. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2756,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"country":[928],"authors":[960],"class_list":["post-2755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-society","country-latin-america","authors-gelbtuch"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n