Cultural Tightness Increases Lay Theory of Learned Prejudice

Incorporating research on lay theories of prejudice and culture, the present research ( N total = 1,912) investigates cultural tightness-looseness as an antecedent of a lay theory of learned prejudice. Studies 1 and 4, recruiting across nine countries (United States, Mexico, Germany, Israel, Chile, France, Greece, South Africa, and Japan), demonstrated that people who lived in tighter societies more strongly believe that prejudice is learned. Studies 2 and 3 experimentally showed that U.S. participants who imagined themselves in a tight (vs. loose) society endorsed this lay theory more, regardless of the prejudice level in the simulated society. Notably, lay theory of learned prejudice was associated with greater support for educational activism and policies (Studies 3 and 4). Together, these findings expand the understanding of how people conceptualize the origins of prejudice, while advancing a cultural psychology of lay theories.