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Cited by 141Cultural Differences and ValuesSocial and Intergroup PsychologyDeath Anxiety and Social Exclusion

Pathogen Prevalence, Group Bias, and Collectivism in the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample

Cashdan, Elizabeth, Steele, Matthew·2013·Human Nature
DOI 10.1007/s12110-012-9159-3
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Abstract

It has been argued that people in areas with high pathogen loads will be more likely to avoid outsiders, to be biased in favor of in-groups, and to hold collectivist and conformist values. Cross-national studies have supported these predictions. In this paper we provide new pathogen codes for the 186 cultures of the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample and use them, together with existing pathogen and ethnographic data, to try to replicate these cross-national findings. In support of the theory, we found that cultures in high pathogen areas were more likely to socialize children toward collectivist values (obedience rather than self-reliance). There was some evidence that pathogens were associated with reduced adult dispersal. However, we found no evidence of an association between pathogens and our measures of group bias (in-group loyalty and xenophobia) or intergroup contact.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s12110-012-9159-3

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  • In countries and cultures with historically higher parasite prevalence, people are less individualistic, exhibit lower openness, are more likely to conform, and more strongly endorse binding moral values.

    “in countries and cultures characterized by historically higher prevalence of parasitic diseases, people are less individualistic, exhibit lower levels of dispositional openness to new things, are more likely to conform to majority opinion, and more strongly endorse “binding” moral values that emphasize group loyalty, obedience, and respect for authority [15], [16], [17], [18], [19].”

    From Pathogens and Politics: Further Evidence That Parasite Prevalence Predicts Authoritarianism (2013) · cites this paper as [15]

  • The Cashdan and Steele measure of historical pathogen prevalence was internally reliable, with Cronbach's alpha = .81.

    “This measure was internally reliable, Cronbach’s alpha = .81.”

    From Pathogens and Politics: Further Evidence That Parasite Prevalence Predicts Authoritarianism (2013) · cites this paper as [15]

  • Cashdan and Steele's results provided important substantiation for the relationship between disease prevalence and collectivist values, especially adherence to group norms.

    “their results provided important substantiation for the relationship between disease prevalence and collectivist values—especially those values pertaining to adherence to group norms.”

    From Pathogens and Politics: Further Evidence That Parasite Prevalence Predicts Authoritarianism (2013) · cites this paper as [15]

  • The two parasite prevalence indices (Cashdan and Steele and Low) are highly correlated, r = .87 (p<.001).

    “These two indices [15], [36] are highly correlated, r = .87 (p<.001).”

    From Pathogens and Politics: Further Evidence That Parasite Prevalence Predicts Authoritarianism (2013) · cites this paper as [15]

  • Pathogen prevalence uniquely predicted 11 of the 12 individual variables comprising the authoritarian governance index.

    “Results are summarized in Table 3, and reveal that pathogen prevalence uniquely predicted 11 of the 12 variables: Higher levels of pathogen prevalence were associated with ethnographic observations indicating more authoritarian systems of governance.”

    From Pathogens and Politics: Further Evidence That Parasite Prevalence Predicts Authoritarianism (2013) · cites this paper as [15]

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Authors
Cashdan, E., & Steele, M.
Affiliations
University of Utah (US)
Corresponding author
Cashdan, Elizabeth
ORCID
Cashdan, Elizabeth
Venue
Human Nature
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2013-02-07
Volume
24
Issue
1
Pages
59-75
ISSN
  • 1045-6767 (ISSN-L)
  • 1936-4776
DOI
10.1007/s12110-012-9159-3
OpenAlex
W2123195182
Semantic Scholar
2364aa5b26b204ccff74a33cdbe44197e098455d
Cited by
141
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 5
FWCI
12.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Human Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Cultural Differences and Values
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Keywords
pathogen prevalence, Standard Cross-Cultural Sample, collectivism, in-group favoritism, xenophobia, intergroup contact, adult dispersal, child socialization, obedience, self-reliance, cross-cultural replication
MeSH terms
Cross-Cultural Comparison, Disease, Epidemiology, Group Processes, Humans, Social Behavior, Social Conformity, Prevalence

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