Lectores de literatura de autoayuda en dos contextos universitarios

This study analyzes students’reading of self-improvement books in twouniversity contexts. The initial hypothesisoriginates from market studies and nationalsurveys that show high consumptionrates among these types of popularliterature. One of the major goals was todiscover what makes them so attractive toteenagers and young people. A theoreticaldiscussion is presented here based in socioculturalstudies and positivistic psychology.Methodology was based on a qualitativeanalysis of a corpus integrated by marketplacestudies and public school student’stestimonies from the last two years ofhigh school and the university level. Datasheds light on the main topics of interestfrom the books themselves and from thereaders. Conclusions lead us to assert thatmore than contexts, the condition of youngpeople defines them as readers in a societyin movement. They just have different perspectivesabout happiness.
Esta investigación tuvo el objetivo de estudiar la lectura de libros de superación personal o autoayuda, que realizan estudiantes de dos contextos contrastantes: el urbano y el rural. Se partió de la hipótesis de los estudios de mercado y encuestas nacionales que evidencian altos consumos de este tipo de literatura popular. Interesó descubrir qué los vuelve tan atractivos entre los jóvenes. Se presenta la discusión teórica desde los estudios socioculturales y la psicología positiva. La metodología se basó en el análisis cualitativo de un corpus compuesto por el aparto mercadológico, los testimonios de estudiantes de escuelas públicas del nivel bachillerato y universitario. Los datos arrojan los principales temas de interés de los libros y los lectores. Concluimos que no hay diferencia sustantiva entre los contextos urbano y rural; la condición de juventud los caracteriza como lectores en una sociedad en movimiento. Solamente tienen perspectivas diferentes de la felicidad. Palabras clave: literatura popular, lector, mercado editorial, felicidad, conflicto emocionalThis study had the aim to analyze the reading of self-improvement books that students of two contrasting contexts do. These contexts are the rural and the urban ones. The initial hypothesis started from market studies and national surveys that show high consumption rates among these types of popular literature. One of the major goals was to discover what makes them so attractive to teenagers and young people. A theoretical discussion is presented here since sociocultural studies to positivistic psicology. Methodology was based on a qualitative analysis of a corpus integrated by marketplace studies and public school students testimonies of the baccalaureate and university level. Data enlightened the main topics of interest from the books themselves and from the readers.Conclusions lead us to asert that there is no a substancial difference between rural and urban contexts. Their condition of young people