Culture and National well-being: should societies emphasize freedom or constraint?

PLoS ONE • Vol/Iss. 10(6) • Public Library of Science • • Published In • Pages: 1-14 •
By Harrington, Jesse R., Boski, Pawel, Gelfand, Michele K.

Hypothesis

The relationship between tightness/looseness and mortality rates for cardiovascular disease and diabetes will exhibit a curvilinear relationship, such that very tight and very loose nations have worse outcomes relative to nations intermediate on tightness-looseness

Note

Mortality rates for cardiovascular disease and diabetes were greater in very tight and very loose nations for both men and women. Additionally, compared to the linear models, (men: F=.37, p=.55, R-squared=.01; women: F=.19, p=.67, R-squared=.01), the quadratic models were a significant improvement (men: F-change=21.81, p<.001, R-Squared change=.43; women: F-change=19.87, p<.001, R-squared change=.41).

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Stepwise multiple regressionSupportedp<.001 (men), p=.001 (women)R-Squared=.45 (men); R-Squared=.42 (women)UNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Tightness/loosenessIndependentGovernment Regulation, Legal Norms, Norms, Social Control
Cardiovascular disease/diabetes mortality rates (men)DependentMorbidity, Mortality
Cardiovascular disease/diabetes mortality rates (women)DependentMorbidity, Mortality

Related Hypotheses

Main AuthorHypothesis
Harrington, Jesse R.Tight states will exhibit a higher incidence of natural disasters, greater environmental vulnerability, fewer natural resources, greater incidence of disease and higher mortality rates, higher population density and greater degrees of external threat (7992).
Harrington, Jesse R.The relationship between tightness/looseness and happiness will exhibit a curvilinear relationship, such that very tight and very loose nations have worse outcomes relative to nations intermediate on tightness-looseness
Harrington, Jesse R.The relationship between tightness/looseness and dysthymia depression will exhibit a curvilinear relationship, such that very tight and very loose nations have worse outcomes relative to nations intermediate on tightness-looseness
Harrington, Jesse R.The relationship between tightness/looseness and suicide rate will exhibit a curvilinear relationship, such that very tight and very loose nations have worse outcomes relative to nations intermediate on tightness-looseness
Harrington, Jesse R.The relationship between tightness/looseness and life expectancy will exhibit a curvilinear relationship, such that very tight and very loose nations have worse outcomes relative to nations intermediate on tightness-looseness