@article{3057138,
    title = "Differences between tight and loose cultures: A 33-nation study",
    author = "Gelfand, M.J. and Raver, J.L. and Nishii, L. and Leslie, L.M. and Lun, J. and Lim, B.C. and Duan, L. and Almaliach, A. and Ang, S. and Arnadottir, J. and Aycan, Z. and Boehnke, K. and Boski, P. and Cabecinhas, R. and Chan, D. and Chhokar, J. and D'Amato, A. and Ferrer, M. and Fischlmayr, I.C. and Fischer, R. and Fülöp, M. and Georgas, J. and Kashima, E.S. and Kashima, Y. and Kim, K. and Lempereur, A. and Marquez, P. and Othman, R. and Overlaet, B. and Panagiotopoulou, P. and Peltzer, K. and Perez-Florizno, L.R. and Ponomarenko, L. and Realo, A. and Schei, V. and Schmitt, M. and Smith, P.B. and Soomro, N. and Szabo, E. and Taveesin, N. and Toyama, M. and Van De Vliert, E. and Vohra, N. and Ward, C. and Yamaguchi, S.",
    journal = "SCIENCE CHINA Information Sciences",
    year = "2011",
    volume = "332",
    number = "6033",
    pages = "1100-1104",
    publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",
    doi = "10.1126/science.1197754",
    keywords = "cultural change;  cultural tradition;  database;  ecological approach;  global perspective;  human behavior;  population density;  psychology;  resource availability;  tolerance, article;  controlled study;  cultural anthropology;  cultural value;  ecological niche;  environmental factor;  human;  population density;  population structure;  priority journal;  resource allocation;  social behavior;  socialization;  territoriality",
    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."
}