Climatoeconomic Roots of Survival Versus Self-expression Cultures

Authors: Van de Vliert, E.
Publication Year: 2006
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Language: English

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Climatoeconomic Roots of Survival Versus Self-expression Cultures (432.0 kb)

Abstract:

The circumstances under which societies adapt their cultural values to cold, temperate, and hot climates include the availability of money to cope with climate. In a country-level study, collective income, household income, and economic growth were conceptualized as moderators of the climate-culture link because money is primarily used to satisfy homeostatic needs for thermal comfort, nutrition, and health. The results demonstrate that members of societies in more demanding climates endorse survival values at the expense of self-expression values to the extent that they are poorer (n = 74 nations); household incomes in these lower-income societies are lower (n = 66 nations); and they face more economic recession (n = 38 nations). In addition to theoretical implications, the findings have practical implications for the cultural consequences of global warming and the effectiveness of financing for human development.

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