Popular Press
Popular press articles by Dr. Michele J. Gelfand
August 23, 2021
A Failure of Fear: Why Certain Nations Flunked the COVID-19 Threat Test
Behavioral Scientist
An important lesson from the pandemic comes from a surprising source: the dodo, a flightless bird that went extinct four centuries ago.
July/August 2021
The Threat Reflex
Foreign Affairs
Why Some Societies Respond to Danger Better Than Others
February 1, 2021
Why countries with 'loose', rule-breaking cultures have been hit harder by Covid
The Guardian
Our research shows how ‘tighter’ societies do better – and how the rest must learn to adapt in order to defeat the pandemic
June 4, 2020
Why some people wear masks but others don’t: A look at the psychology
IDEAS.TED.COM
Reopening the economy has often been framed as a partisan issue in the US. But within households, many families are having their own arguments about how lax or strict they should be about the threat of the virus.
May 27, 2020
As states reopen, tensions flare between the rule followers and rule breakers
The Conversation
Different mindsets about rules can lead to different behaviors.
March 28, 2020
America's cultural weapon against COVID-19
The Hill
In the fight against coronavirus, we need every advantage. America’s scientific expertise is second to none, but are U.S. cultural attitudes and tendencies our achilles heel?
March 13, 2020
To survive the coronavirus, the United States must tighten up
Boston Globe
It’s not just about medicine. It’s about culture.
January 7, 2020
The dark side of supportive relationships
The Conversation
Your partner’s intentions might be good, but the outcome often isn’t.
January 2, 2020
Authoritarian leaders thrive on fear. We need to help people feel safe
The Guardian
Across the world, voters are falling prey to leaders who appeal to their worst instincts. Why?
October 25, 2019
Opinion: Can the diaries of ordinary people be used to bridge cultural divides?
Los Angeles Times
Words that carry weight: In a University of Maryland study, Pakistanis and Americans who read diaries from the others’ culture often came away with a more positive and tolerant perspective.
September 25, 2019
Could climate change fuel the rise of right-wing nationalism?
The Conversation
When people feel threatened, they’re more receptive to politicians who espouse xenophobic rhetoric.
September 16, 2019
Opinion: The science behind how Trump turns our unfounded fears into a potent political weapon
Los Angeles Times
Extremely rare but vivid threats often loom large in the human mind.
September 9, 2019
Understanding Cultural Differences Around Social Norms
Behavioral Scientist
Dr. Gelfand answers reader questions in Behavioral Scientist's "Ask a Behavioral Scientist" series
June 10, 2019
This is how Tesla can improve its company culture
Fast Company
This psychology professor and her research team argues that it’s not about remaking the company, but introducing structure without compromising on Tesla’s commitment to innovate.
May 12, 2019
Who was behind Sri Lanka's Easter Terrorist Attacks?
National Interest
While the Islamic State has claimed responsibility, the real story is a bit more complicated than that.
April 2, 2019
Women Don't Just Face a Pay Gap at Work. They're Also Punished Far More Than Men
TIME
On Equal Pay Day, we rightly focus on how a woman would have to work over three months more in order to make what her male counterpart did last year for the same full time work — a gender pay gap that amounts to about $900 billion in annual lost earnings for women holding full-time jobs. But inequities in the workplace go far beyond wage disparity.
January 28, 2019
Tight or Loose: How Culture Impacts Everything, Even Your Job
Glassdoor
According to a new book by cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand, “Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World,” much of the diversity in the way we think and act derives from a key difference—how tightly or loosely we adhere to social norms. Looking a countries, states, cities, workplaces and even families, Gelfand shows how tight and loose cultures shape our entire lives, and play a big role in the decisions we make around where we live, what company we work for and how we approach others.
January 28, 2019
Culture as the menacing force behind today’s crazy politics
The Economist
A book excerpt and interview with Michele Gelfand, an author and psychologist at the University of Maryland
December 27, 2018
A Big-Picture Look at Social Rules
Psychology Today
Research on how people make and break rules can help us understand each other.
December 17, 2018
Radicalism and Cultural Homelessness
Minerva Research Initiative
Events like the 2015 Paris attacks, the 2015 San Bernardino shootings, the 2016 Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting, the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and others since are seared into our memories. While many details of these attacks were different, they do have a striking commonality: these attacks were perpetrated by immigrant residents or citizens of the targeted country. Such tragedies raise a puzzling question: what would make someone turn against their own country?