Why tightness alone is not enough: The varying anti-pathogenic effects of rational values and cultural tightness at different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Gelfand et al. demonstrated that tight cultural norms lowered COVID-19 transmissions and deaths, but can’t account for the lag between the beginning of the pandemic and the significance of tightness. Rational values help citizens adopt novel behavioral norms necessary to inhibit viral transmission. Multiple regression analysis on COVID-19 cases and deaths within twelve 25-day stages of the pandemic revealed that rational values were particularly significant in subduing COVID-19 cases and deaths by facilitating citizen adoption of novel behavioral norms during the acceleration phase of two pandemic waves. Rationality’s significance was highly correlated with the period to period increase in cases r(7) = −0.9, p < 0.001 and deaths, r(7) = −0.72, p < 0.05. Tightness became significant several months into the pandemic only after novel norms had become widely accepted. While rational values facilitate speedy adoption of effective anti-viral behavioral norms, tightness exerts pressure on citizens to comply with the new norms.