Role Flexibility, International Differences in

Loose versus Tight Culture

Role flexibility is easier to achieve in a loose culture than it is in a tight culture. Loose cultures are cultures with relatively fluid norms, while tight cultures have norms that are more rigid, and there is less room for deviations. Loose cultures include countries such as Brazil, Hungary, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and the United States. Conversely, countries such as Pakistan, India, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea have been identified as tight cultures. In tight cultures, norms are preserved through the application of harsh sanctions such as the death penalty. The fear of sanctions in tight cultures mediates behavior, and people are more unwilling to strain the boundaries of established roles. In addition, people in tight cultures tend to identify with the ideals of the culture and develop self-regulatory beliefs and behaviors that parallel social expectations. As such, people in tight cultures exhibit less flexibility than people in loose cultures.

Gender Role Flexibility

One role that is significantly mediated By culture is gender. Gender role flexibility is the ability to challenge and go beyond social prescriptions of what it means to be masculine or feminine. While there have always been individuals who reject gender stereotyping, historically, masculinity has been associated with strength, dominance, independence, and assertiveness, and femininity has been associated with passiveness, expressiveness, and dependence. These definitions of masculinity and femininity are tied to social roles. In some cultures, there are clear lines of demarcation between the roles, but in other cultures, some lines are blurred. In Western societies, for example, there is a movement toward egalitarian-ism, and women and men are increasingly enacting roles that were once reserved for the opposite sex. This flexibility is evident in choice of occupation, dress, and domestic responsibilities.

The shift in traditional gender roles is partly a result of social and economic changes that are impacting the structure of families worldwide. An increasing number of women are now accessing education and gaining paid employment. In some instances, women are earning more than their spouses, and their income is necessary for the economic well-being of the family. These realities have influenced changes in attitudes about the roles women and men are expected to carry out.

In spite of the widespread change in gender attitudes, there are some cultures—particularly in rural areas—where gender ideologies remain fixed. In regions of some developing countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, an androgynous or transgendered individual may experience violence for violating social norms. Even a man who carries out domestic chores sometimes receives the ridicule of other men and risks losing the respect of the women. Similarly, women who venture into traditional male roles are criticized for failing to embrace their prescribed roles as wives and mothers. On the other hand, men and women who act according to their stereotypical gender roles receive the approval of their communities. These social sanctions and reinforcements result in inflexible role boundaries, particularly among males. Internationally, men tend to have a deeper aversion to moving between gender [Page 1150]roles, and women have greater gender role flexibility. The difference in gender role flexibility between men and women is probably most evident in social attitudes toward lesbians and gays. In general, heterosexual individuals demonstrate more favorable attitudes for lesbians than they do for gays.

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