The Psychology Podcast

Michele Gelfand || How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World

Apr 30, 2020

Cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand discusses tight and loose cultures, exploring the evolution and impact of social norms. She analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of different cultural mindsets, highlighting the importance of understanding perceived threats and organizational dynamics. The conversation delves into navigating cultural differences, negotiating norms, and promoting cooperation through meaningful dialogue and adaptive strategies.

49:08

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Episode guests

Michele Gelfand

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Quick takeaways

Social norms shape behavior and can range from tight to loose, impacting individual and group dynamics.

Tight cultures promote order and structure, while loose cultures foster creativity and innovation.

Cultural tightness or looseness is influenced by real or perceived threats, guiding societal norms and behaviors.

Deep dives

The Influence of Social Norms on Behavior

Culture is often ignored but surrounds everyone, influencing behavior through social norms. Social norms guide behavior and can shift from tight, rule-focused to loose, open-minded mindsets. Understanding the impact of social norms, such as the evolution and consequences of cultural tightness, is essential for comprehending individual and group behaviors.

The Tight Psychology of Threat

01:20

The Savior of the Balance

01:20

Introduction

3min

Navigating Tight and Loose Cultures in Society

13min

Exploring Tight and Loose Cultures in Pre-industrial Societies and Organizations

5min

Finding Balance Between Tight and Loose Cultures

12min

Building Understanding Through Daily Diaries

6min

Negotiating Cultural Differences and Social Norms

9min

Promoting Cooperation through Social Norms

4min

Today it’s great to have the cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand on the podcast. Dr. Gelfand is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park. Gelfand uses field, experimental, computational, and neuroscience methods to understand the evolution of culture– as well as its multilevel consequences for human groups. In addition to publishing numerous articles in many prestigious scientific outlets, she is the author of Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire the World.

In this episode we discuss:

What are social norms?
The difference between tight and loose cultures
The advantages vs. disadvantages of tight vs. loose cultures
Why did tight vs. loose cultures evolve in the first place?
How chronic threat produces a tight culture
Real vs. perceived (imagined) threats
How cross-cultural psychology is expanding
The interdisciplinary expansion of the study of social norms
How organizations can be tight vs. loose
Why the ambidexterity of an organizational culture matters
Why people welcomed ISIS in some contexts
How to anticipate radical shifts in culture around the world in ways that can be predictable
How people differ in terms of what is perceived a threat
The potential for meaningful conversation across the political divide
The importance of persevering in science
How understanding differing cultural codes can help us navigate and negotiate them
How can modifying a nation’s norms address protracted social problems?
Why Michele is so excited to be in the field now more than ever
How these contexts can breed negative behaviors
Why we need to exert more control to achieve the Goldilocks principle
Why we need to be mindful of social norms
Why Michele is hopeful that we can recalibrate social norms that facilitate greater cooperation among cultures

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The Psychology Podcast

Michele Gelfand || How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Influence of Social Norms on Behavior

Benefits and Drawbacks of Tight and Loose Cultures

Cultural Variations in Tightness and Looseness

Impact of Threat Perception on Cultural Tightness and Looseness

Negotiating Cultural Norms for a Balanced Society

The Tight Psychology of Threat

The Savior of the Balance

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts