Impact of Societal Culture on Covid-19 Morbidity and Mortality across Countries. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kumar, Rajiv
• Is Part Of: Journal of cross-cultural psychology. Volume 52:Number 7(2021)
• Page Start: 643
• Page End: 662
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Covid-19 -- culture -- GLOBE -- power distance -- collectivism -- institutional collectivism -- performance orientation; Ethnopsychology -- Periodicals; 155.805
• DOI: 10.1177/00220221211025100
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0221

Abstract

Researchers have begun exploring the impact of societal culture on Covid-19 outcomes (morbidity and mortality). However, emerging findings need integration with prior literature on societal culture and infectious diseases. Moreover, accumulation of knowledge warrants an update while overcoming certain limitations of samples as well as construct validity concerns. Accordingly, hypotheses are derived based on extant evidence proposing the impact of certain cultural practices on Covid-19 outcomes across countries. These hypotheses are tested using the cultural practice scores from GLOBE studies after controlling for certain covariates identified in literature. Multiple regression results reveal that societal culture significantly explains Covid-19 outcomes beyond the explanation due to control variables. Specifically, power distance and institutional collectivism show negative association with both Covid-19 morbidity and mortality. Additionally, performance orientation shows negative association with Covid-19 morbidity. It appears that power distance may ensure conformity to prescribed behaviors and features of performance orientation may facilitate swift and effective containment of Covid-19 cases. The significance of institutional collectivism—but not in-group collectivism—emerging as the form of collectivism showing negative association with Covid-19 outcomes is also discussed.