67. What Is Normal? How Culture Affects Communication Styles

In this episode, Michele Gelfand explains why social norms are the glue that keeps cultures together.

Show Notes

Why do we drive on only one side of the road? Why don’t we sing in libraries? Why wear a swimsuit?

For Professor Michele Gelfand, it all comes down to culture. As a cross-cultural psychologist, Gelfand is fascinated by social environments and their effects on human behavior, particularly, how strictly people adhere to social norms.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Gelfand joins host and lecturer of strategic communications Matt Abrahams to explain why some cultures are “tight” and “have strict social norms,” while others are “loose,” with “more permissibility of behavior.”

SHOW NOTES

Stanford GSB Insights

• Threatening Language Can Be Contagious. This New Tool Tracks Its Spread
• Why the Pandemic Slammed “Loose” Countries Like the U.S.

MicheleGelfand.com

• Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World
• Mindset Quiz: How Tight or Loose Are You?

Other articles: 

• The loosening of American culture over 200 years is associated with a creativity–order trade-off
• The relationship between cultural tightness–looseness and COVID-19 cases and deaths: a global analysis

Creators & Guests

Host

Matt Abrahams

Lecturer Stanford University Graduate School of Business | Think Fast Talk Smart podcast host

What is Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques?

Join Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, every Tuesday as he sits down with experts in the field to discuss real-world challenges.
How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How do I write emails to get my point across? How can I easily convey complex information? How do I manage my reputation? Whether you’re giving a toast or presenting in a meeting, communication is critical to success in business and in life.
Think Fast, Talk Smart provides the tools, techniques, and best practices to help you communicate more effectively.
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