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Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal Climatoeconomic roots of survival versus self-expression cultures

Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal

Van De Vliert E
2007
Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 38 (2): 156-172

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), that household incomes in these lower-income societies are lower (it = 66 nations), and that 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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Resource Description

    Precipitation, Temperature
    • Precipitation, Temperature: Cold, Heat
    General Geographic Feature
    Global or Unspecified Location
    General Health Impact
    Research Article
    Adaptation, Sociodemographic Vulnerability, Vulnerable Population
    • Adaptation, Sociodemographic Vulnerability, Vulnerable Population: Adaptation Co-Benefit/Co-Harm, Vulnerability Assessment
    • Adaptation, Sociodemographic Vulnerability, Vulnerable Population: Low Socioeconomic Status
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