With our attention focused on scientific and technological innovations in response to COVID-19, there is much missed with respect to cultural innovation during this time. We often think of culture as stagnant, but the truth is that as we evolve to meet the challenges of life, the cultures we nest in evolve with us. The era of COVID-19 presents an opportunity to study the flexibility and adaptability of cultures due to international differences between pandemic responses, on a governmental and societal level. It allows us to question: Is there a connection between the strength of a country’s trust in their government and the strength of its society’s trust in other fellow citizens? And more importantly, how do these cultural attitudes and relationships impact a country’s response to and outlook on the pandemic?
Research on how different societies react to pandemics has found that countries with a generally collectivist framework have a faster, more effective response, as their citizens are more likely to comply with social distancing and hygiene practices that help reduce the spread, while individualist countries respond less successively. The media has pointed to the U.S.’s highly individualistic culture as the primary reason behind it having the most COVID-19 cases globally. Yet, analyzing the dimensions of intersocietal trust between citizens and between citizens and government leaders reveals that the alignment of these two types of cultures with a certain COVID-19 response is far more dynamic. While some societies respond to COVID-19 by reinforcing traditional cultural norms, other countries evolve their social fabric to better control the virus’s impact.
Individualism vs Collectivism: How Mindset Affects Societal Relationships
Societal reactions towards governmental action to COVID-19 depends largely on the culture at hand. “People create the societies they live in. … Every country has to find a new kind of structure in a certain way,” explained Jody Tangredi, an expert in intercultural relations from the University of the Pacific, to the HPR, “And one of the ways we’ve identified that people really differ in is how their attitudes are towards rules.” Adherence to societal norms and rules impacts group cohesion, known as collectivism, which directly relates to how people feel about their government.
“You have countries and cultures that really do not like rules. … The government only gets involved so much,” but “the ones that accept more rules and regulations and tend to go along with structure in their society are what people refer to as tight cultures,” Tangredi added. Essentially, whether societies hold an individualistic or collectivist worldview impacts the degree to which they accept government involvement. This then is reflected in a culture’s relationship with the regime in power and determines their approach to the COVID-19 era.
Socially Individualistic Cultures that Reject Government Intervention
Some countries in the world foster attitudes rejecting state interference, such that citizens tend to hold individualist worldviews such that they largely only feel trusting of their immediate social networks. Though societies in these states find comfort in others in the face of COVID-19, they stand critical and demanding of their governments otherwise. Laeticia Allache ’24, a student at Harvard University with French family roots, attested to France’s unified social scene by pointing to the commitment to family and friendships. She described an individualistic culture where even in the time of COVID-19, individuals have prioritized family bonding and socialization, despite government advice. She also painted a culture of high standards, whether it be regarding the quality of their food or the government’s policies.
Just earlier this year, the yellow vest movement reflected what Laeticia characterized as a revolutionary, activist culture that doesn’t shy away from political action. “The relationship between the people and government [is one] where people in France are a lot less afraid of demanding radical change,” she noted. Adding to this relationship, France was late to respond to the epidemic and unprepared once it did. Despite recent attempts to improve public image, President Macron’s and his party’s political and electoral downfalls attest to societal discontent. Taking into account French society’s concern over their ability to continue maintaining social networks and their preexisting hostile relationship with the government, Macron’s increasing unpopularity in France, especially regarding his government’s COVID-19 response, is not surprising. According to a study by the Pasteur Institute, this lack of trust made containing the pandemic more difficult, which in turn further fueled discontent.
There is another breed of individualist societies: one whose individuals find themselves both distrusting of others and their government during the COVID-19 crisis. As the “melting pot” of differences in ethnicity, socioeconomic class, race, and more, the United States is a diverse, fragmented country with a particular ideology that tends to push people away from each other and away from authority figures. “If you think about how the United States was started, it really was [by] rebelling,” Tangredi explained, with a basis in “independence and individual rights,” differing greatly from collective societies. In fact, Hofstede Insights indicates that the United States is the most socially individualist culture in the world, arguably because of the staunch codification of these attitudes through the Constitution.
With an emphasis on this ideological root, Tangredi noted it is not surprising that the “the United States really is quite unique” in its response to COVID-19. Higher local levels of individualism reduce compliance with state lockdown orders by 41% and reduce pandemic-related fundraising by 48%, according to a Social Science Research Network study. It follows then that in the U.S., masks, social distancing, and general caution to COVID-19 warped into political statements, and medical professionals found themselves at odds with politicians. While some Americans readily accept government involvement in their lives in response to COVID-19, others reject it as a violation of their individual freedom, and both sides criticize one another for their responses.
Individualistic Cultures that Mold to Accept Government Intervention
Another country whose citizens have strong connections to one another, but interestingly also to their government, is Germany. Despite being demonstrating individualistic characteristics, German society is an example of cultural flexibility in the times of COVID-19 as they follow the leadership of their government. Sandie Hanke, vice president of Strategic Alliances for Microsoft in a small enterprise in Germany, spoke to the HPR about her tight-knit culture defined through rules and structure. “We are this culture of discipline,” she noted. This means that life values such as hard work, independence, improvement, and family reliance are central to Hanke. “I was brought up in a situation where you work hard, give your best, follow the rules.”
With COVID-19 looming over German society, such life values directly influence the structured social procedure that allows Germans to trust one another. Hanke explained the acceptance of government procedures such as staying 1.5 meters apart, wearing masks, and social distancing. She also described an image of societal responsibility and solidarity — traits that align more closely with a collectivist culture — among Germans in response to COVID-19. This tightness in social norms and expectations frames the way in which the German people view their government. “I think that is a reason why … we are dealing quite okay with the whole situation [is] our discipline, that we are listening to our government,” Hanke explained.
Essentially, with procedure and structure being essential frameworks of everyday life, citizens of Germany tend to be more accepting towards greater government regulation of their actions, which holds true now more than ever considering the virus’s danger. Strong government leadership in response to COVID-19 has also been positively received and even embraced in Germany. Hanke particularly pointed to the leadership of Markus Söder, the Prime Minister of Bavaria, because “he was very present” and presented a very clear, concise, and emotionally stable political response — characteristics appreciated by German culture. “He was never the one panicking,” she noted as she explained Söder’s rise in politics for his COVID-19 response.
So what about more fragmented, diverse societies, those whose national makeup tends to be less cohesive? Individuals of such societies have found themselves at odds with one another, and thus may find strength through state-led initiatives. Sonja Johnson and her daughter Kaiya are residents of Alberta, Canada, and take pride in their country’s “social safety net” — with features such as universal healthcare and high government assistance — especially during COVID-19. This aspect is important as it has created a positive perception of the government in citizens, thus fostering a strong relationship between the government and citizens. Canada has also earned a reputation for embracing multiculturalism through pro-immigration government policies and initiatives. As a result, the government has taken an active role in promoting tolerant and accepting attitudes in its society, positively strengthening the relationship between citizens.
Sonja and Kaiya accounted for Canada’s overall diversity, calling it “a mosaic” with “pockets of different cultures.” On their account, the emphasis is placed on accommodation rather than assimilation because multi-cultural heritages are embraced. Sonja discussed the public school system’s recognition of multiple religious holidays as an example and Kaiya spoke to the popularity of cultural events, which Sonja explained are supported by the government through public broadcasting in an interview with the HPR. Their examples showcase the government’s role in trying to promote tolerant attitudes in its citizens.
However, with the threat of COVID-19, Sonja said that “relationships between people are changing” as she personally experienced harsh judgment while adjusting to new rules on life, so she feels trust in the government has been the backbone of Canadian life. Sonja described the government as a source of stability, providing information every day through briefings and assistance through compensation and programs. However, this extends beyond the Prime Minister of Canada with the devolvement of leadership to Provincial Chief Medical Officers. While the federal government has handled assistance, CMOs have managed the procedural response in each local area, leading to a multi-layered culture of trust that furthers cohesiveness even amidst tense conditions.
Socially Collective Cultures that Accept Government Involvement
Other societies have always found strength in both their fellow citizens and their government, with the COVID-19 era merely reflecting, if not amplifying, that. Members of such states are collective and boast cohesive attitudes that tend to accept and trust their government’s actions in response to COVID-19. Japanese citizen Miho Suzuki and Canadian Rob McLaughlin of Shizuoka City, Japan see their society as tightly knitted by social etiquette and unwritten social norms. For example, honorifics are an important linguistic part of formal Japanese culture that denote an underlying hierarchical structure, usually based on age or status. Tangredi explained this aspect of Japanese culture to the HPR, noting “language changes to reflect who you are talking to.”
Even in his professional environment of higher education, McLaughlin sees cultural norms as “an important part of the social fabric” that defines his interactions with colleagues. He emphasized that one “need(s) to follow the social rules of conduct” because “everything is group-oriented in Japan,” and by not adhering, he especially risks being singled out. Suzuki painted a similar picture of a tight culture, describing the importance of the ideological acquisition of cultural principles throughout her childhood, such as respect for elders and educational achievement. Societal cohesion is especially important to individuals of Japanese culture. “It’s a group culture — groupism — I represent the group,” noted McLaughlin.
This aspect of Japanese culture proved critical in their response to COVID-19. Masks have always been utilized in Japan when an individual gets sick, indicating a long-established custom of taking actions for the betterment or protection of others. Their usage has become especially important now that they play an essential role in halting transmission of COVID-19. Everyone expects one another to wear a mask because otherwise, “if I’m not wearing a mask, it says that I’m in it for myself,” said McLaughlin. This is a sign of disrespect and, as Suzuki explained, it disrupts the “wa” or harmony that Japanese society values. “Japan is so centered around the other,” he added. “If you don’t wear a mask, you feel peer-pressured … There’s going to be comments, I know there will be.”
Japan’s mutually established custom of mask-wearing is interesting to Tangredi because it is often upheld with non-verbal communication. Another interesting phenomenon that builds off of the collectivist nature of Japanese society is what Suzuki calls a “culture of shame,” often derived from the principle of “Jishuku” or self-restraint. A typical practice of people who contract COVID-19 is to publicly apologize for troubling those around them. Since the transmission of COVID-19 can be possibly prevented through hygienic measures, Tangredi explained although it may not be your fault, the individuals feel a sense of shame and apologize to show remorse and respect to those around them.
Unlike the French, whose social unification is a force against the state, Japanese culture usually embraces their government’s response to COVID-19. As a native, Suzuki is “used to the way it is” and felt that the government’s occasional communication approach was adequate. Having previously lived in Canada, McLaughlin had a very different perspective. He felt he “wasn’t getting much information or direction from the Japanese government” and “there wasn’t a particular government stance,” so he would instead turn to Canadian news sites for “concise, clear, and direct” information. He recalled how the government addressed the public in April, emphasizing Japanese principles such as self-restraint for protection, but provided little medical advice or testing information. He also called the response to COVID-19 a “slow shut down” because the government has little authority over businesses. For example, the government could only “request” the shut down of potential COVID hotspots such as Pachinko Parlors.
Culture as a Muscle of the World’s Social Fabric
Ultimately, societal reactions to their governments’ and fellow citizens’ responses to COVID-19 are deeply impacted by traditional and newly-adopted cultural attitudes and expectations. This is important to consider because societal responses to COVID-19 demonstrate how culture is a muscle of social interaction that, in addition to reverting to ingrained habits, also is capable of adapting to new struggles and pressures. We shape our cultures every day through our interactions with one another. But challenges like COVID-19 put new pressure on our cultures, and our responses to that pressure can truly mold our world in a powerful way. If a culture of collectivism encourages a faster and more effective COVID-19 response, as research and empirical evidence have shown it does, then the governments of individualist countries have a duty to follow in Canada and Germany’s footsteps and encourage a cultural shift in that direction.
Image Credit: Image by Gordon Johnson is licensed under the Pixabay License.