Differences Between Tight and Loose Cultures: A 33-Nation Study

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.

Cite this

Michele Joy Gelfand, Jana L. Raver, Lisa H. Nishii, Lisa Michelle Leslie, Janetta Lun, Beng Chong Lim, … Susumu Yamaguchi (2011). Differences Between Tight and Loose Cultures: A 33-Nation Study. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1197754

@article{joy2011differences,
  title  = {Differences Between Tight and Loose Cultures: A 33-Nation Study},
  author = {Gelfand, Michele Joy and Raver, Jana L. and Nishii, Lisa H. and Leslie, Lisa Michelle and Lun, Janetta and Lim, Beng Chong and Almaliach, Assaf and Ang, Soon and Arnadottir, Jakobina and Aycan, Zeynep and Boehnke, Klaus and Boski, Paweł and Cabecinhas, Rosa and Chan, Darius K.‐S. and Chhokar, Jagdeep S. and D’Amato, Alessia and Ferrer, Montserrat Subirats and Fischlmayr, Iris C. and Fischer, Ronald D. and Fülöp, Márta and Georgas, James G. and Kashima, Emiko S. and Kashima, Yoshihisa and Kim, Kibum and Lempereur, Alain Pekar and Overlaet, Bert and Panagiotopoulou, Penny and Peltzer, Karl and Pérez-Floriano, Lorena R. and Realo, Anu and Schei, Vidar and Schmitt, Manfred and Smith, Peter B. and Soomro, Nazar and Szabo, Erna and Taveesin, Nalinee and Toyama, Midori and Vliert, Evert Van de and Vohra, Naharika and Ward, Colleen A. and Yamaguchi, Susumu},
  year   = {2011},
  journal = {Science},
  doi    = {10.1126/science.1197754}
}

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