Michele Gelfand: What Tight & Loose Cultures Tell Us About the World & Ourselves

Dastardly Cleverness in the Service of Good

In Singapore, you can face a heavy fine or even jail for offenses like spitting on the sidewalk and importing chewing gum. Meanwhile in New Zealand, a man who hatched himself from a giant egg was appointed the country’s “official wizard.”

These are examples of tight and loose cultures. Much of what’s going on in America and the world right now can be understood better through knowing more about tightness and looseness: for example, the appeal of authoritarian leaders, or refusals to follow COVID safety guidelines.

Spencer's guest this time is Michele Gelfand, an expert on tight and loose cultures, a Stanford University cultural psychologist and the author of the fascinating book Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: Tight and Loose Culture and the Secret Signals That Direct Our Lives.