Differences Between Tight and Loose Cultures: A 33-Nation Study
Michele Joy Gelfanda✉, Jana L. Raverb c, Lisa H. Nishiid, Lisa Michelle Lesliee, Janetta Luna, Beng Chong Limf, Lili Duang h, Assaf Almaliachi, Soon Angj, Jakobina Arnadottirk, Zeynep Aycanl, Klaus Boehnkem, Paweł Boskin, Rosa Cabecinhaso, Darius K.‐S. Chanp✉, Jagdeep S. Chhokarq, Alessia D’Amator, Montserrat Subirats Ferrers, Iris C. Fischlmayrt, Ronald D. Fischeru, Márta Fülöpv, James G. Georgasw, Emiko S. Kashimax, Yoshihisa Kashimay, Kibum Kimz, Alain Pekar Lempereuraa, Patricia Marquezab, Rozhan Othmanac, Bert Overlaetad, Penny Panagiotopoulouae and 15 others
- aDepartment of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- bQueen’s School of Business, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
- cQueen's School of Business, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
- dCornell University Industrial Labor Relations School, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- eCarlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- fMinistry of Defense, Singapore and Nanyang Business School, Defense Technology Towers, 5 Depot Road, #16-01 Tower B, Singapore
- gMcKinsey &
- hCompany, Washington, DC 20036, USA
- iBIP Institute of Psychology Ltd., Vita Towers, 11 Ben-Gurion Street, Bney-Brak 51260, Israel
- jNanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue 639798, Singapore
- kKaplaskjolsvegur 29, IS-107 Reykjavik, Iceland
- lDepartment of Psychology, Koc University, Sariyer 34450, Turkey
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Abstract
With data from 33 nations, we illustrate the differences between cultures that are tight (have many strong norms and a low tolerance of deviant behavior) versus loose (have weak social norms and a high tolerance of deviant behavior). Tightness-looseness is part of a complex, loosely integrated multilevel system that comprises distal ecological and historical threats (e.g., high population density, resource scarcity, a history of territorial conflict, and disease and environmental threats), broad versus narrow socialization in societal institutions (e.g., autocracy, media regulations), the strength of everyday recurring situations, and micro-level psychological affordances (e.g., prevention self-guides, high regulatory strength, need for structure). This research advances knowledge that can foster cross-cultural understanding in a world of increasing global interdependence and has implications for modeling cultural change.
TL;DRThe differences across cultures in the enforcement of conformity may reflect their specific histories and advances knowledge that can foster cross-cultural understanding in a world of increasing global interdependence and has implications for modeling cultural change. (Semantic Scholar)