Conflict

As we learned in the cultural foundations chapter, all cultures have social norms. Cultures vary in the strength of their social norms along a tight-loose continuum. There is a tension between personal liberties and societal constraint or in other words, somewhat like what Hofstedt called individualism and collectivism.

Gelfand's research indicated that the degree of threat that cultures face from the outside world determines whether they evolve to be tight, loose, or somewhere in the middle. Countries such as China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Pakistan have survived threats like war, famines, and flooding by "tightening up". Strict enforcement of social norms has been key to their survival.

On the other hand, cultures that have faced fewer threats have had the luxury of being loose. Loose cultures such as the US, the Netherlands, Spain, and Brazil have social norms that are more lax and offer more personal freedom. Loose cultures are known for creativity and innovation, but they can also be chaotic and have slower responses to crises such as Covid-19.