

The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not (Ep. 469 Replay)
46 snips Aug 4, 2022
Michelle Gelfand, a renowned cross-cultural psychologist, and Joe Henrich, an expert in human evolutionary biology, dive deep into the intricacies of American cultural identity. They discuss the concept of 'tight' versus 'loose' cultures, revealing how America's unique traits impact everything from policy adoption to social behaviors. The conversation touches on COVID-19's different effects based on cultural rigidity and employs a humorous Muppets analogy. They also critique the dominance of Western perspectives in psychology, advocating for a broader understanding of human behavior.
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Caning Controversy
- American teenager Michael Fay was caned for vandalism in Singapore.
- This caused an international crisis, highlighting cultural differences between the U.S. and Singapore.
Defining Culture
- Culture is defined as shared values, beliefs, and behaviors learned through social interaction.
- It's not solely based on genetics, biology, or individual traits.
Tight vs. Loose Cultures
- Michelle Gelfand's research categorizes cultures as "tight" or "loose" based on adherence to social norms.
- Tight cultures have stricter rules and stronger disapproval of norm violations, while loose cultures are more permissive.