The Impacts of Culture on COVID-19 Protocols

Throughout the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen countries respond in a variety of ways to protect their citizens and their economy from the illness. Many different factors contribute to the method these nations take towards ensuring the safety and security of their people and socioeconomic status. Some include elements of culture, such as showing a need for certainty, universal versus individualistic ideologies, and reception to authority.

The need for certainty can change our actions and our decision-making processes. The Berkeley School of Policy says, “The Hofstede Institute explains: “Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? This ambiguity brings with it anxiety, and different cultures have learned to deal with this anxiety in different ways” (The impact of culture on covid-19 responses, 1). One way this can present is through social distancing adherence. For example, American and British cultures are more comfortable with not knowing whether someone will be positive for COVID at a social gathering, so they may be more likely to attend that event. On the other hand, a country like Italy may have a greater need for controlling outcomes, so they may adhere more strictly to social distancing standards once they are in place. This need for control may be based on the political ideologies present in the country as well and whether they have roots in individualism or universalism.

Universalism is defined as a perspective that prioritizes the wellbeing of a collective community over the individual. Individualism prioritizes the needs and wants of the individual over the collective. These mindsets can influence the willingness of people to adhere to COVID-19 protocols. For example, in America, the mask mandate had a lot of opposition because Americans view the act of wearing masks as an individual right. On the other hand, countries like China had established mask-wearing practices on their own even before the government stepped in because it was seen as an act that would protect the wellbeing of the community. This shows the difference in actions based on cultural priorities.

Reception to authority can impact whether people follow COVID protocols with seriousness. In France, polls taken from the citizens indicated a lack of trust in the French government to deal with the pandemic overall. Political divides in America caused people to undermine the rules set in place by the political party in power. Countries with more of an authoritarian presence result in more people following COVID protocols because there is a little choice in the matter. In addition, there can be more severe consequences in place in these countries.

Overall, culture has many impacts on the implementation of and response to COVID-19 protocols. Their implications can not be ignored and should be recognized as hurdles we can work together to overcome. Cultural responses should be dealt with from a perspective of cultural humility and respect. This way, we can collectively move forward to a safer, healthier future for people all around the world.

References

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Peter Dizikes | MIT News Office. (n.d.). When culture clashes with covid-19. MIT

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