Understanding Tight and Loose Cultures

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The chapter explores the concept of tight and loose cultures, discussing how different cultural norms influence behavior and societal dynamics. It differentiates honor cultures from dignity cultures, highlighting the impact of events like the Boston bombing on cultural tightening. The conversation delves into the factors influencing cultural tightness and looseness, such as population density and wealth, emphasizing the need for a balance in norms for innovation and stability.

Michele Gelfand is professor of psychology at the University of Maryland and author of the just-released Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World. In her conversation with Tyler, Michele unpacks the concept of tight and loose cultures and more, including which variable best explains tightness, the problem with norms, whether Silicon Valley has an honor culture, the importance of theory and history in guiding research, what Donald Trump gets wrong about negotiation, why MBAs underrate management, the need to develop cultural IQ, and why mentorship should last a lifetime.

Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links.

Recorded August 31st, 2018 Other ways to connect

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