Impact of cultural tightness on vaccination rate.

Abstract

We find that cultural tightness, that is, the level of social punishment for violating norms, is associated with lower vaccination rates against COVID-19 across both states and counties in the United States. This is consistent with individuals in tighter cultures being more likely to base risk management decisions on social norms rather than on advice from experts and leaders. It is also consistent with our documentation of a social norm against COVID-19 vaccination. This implies that when a society depends on individual action to help manage society-wide risks, social norms can influence the degree to which individuals in tighter societies will engage in actions that minimize the overall risk to the society.