Wellbeing literacy as a socially constructed, socially driven, and socially supported undertaking

Wellbeing literacy, the capability for understanding and communicating effectively about wellbeing in different contexts, is primarily a social endeavour emersed in the networks and norms of society. It develops through social interactions and is shaped by the unique social systems and contexts in which we live. This chapter discusses how social networks and social norms are crucial for developing and maintaining wellbeing literacy, with a particular focus on the context and conduit of one’s need to belong. The chapter examines how individuals leverage their relationships to gain, test, refine, and apply wellbeing knowledge. This social process includes absorbing information from direct interactions, as well as synthesising societal norms and values that influence an individual’s wellbeing actions and decisions. Through interactions within various social contexts, from families and schools to workplaces and online communities, individuals can develop the capability for wellbeing literacy.