Strong-Ties and Weak-Ties Rationalities: Predicting Public Stigma, Support Networks, and Health Behaviours During the COVID-19 Pandemic Across Four Societies

Abstract

In this study, we test the theory of strong-ties and weak-ties rationalities (STWTR) (Sundararajan 2020) and the criterion validity of its measures using strong-ties rationality and weak-ties rationality scales to predict COVID-19 related perceptions and behaviours. These include public stigma, help-seeking networks, and health behaviours across four societies (Han-Chinese, Chinese-Malaysians, Malay-Malaysians, and White-Australians, n = 918). The standardized coefficient results indicate that strong-ties rationality, compared with weak-ties rationality, has a stronger positive association with public stigma, help-seeking from strong ties, and personal care behaviours. In contrast, weak-ties rationality, compared with strong-ties rationality, has a stronger positive association with public health behaviours. Between the Han-Chinese and White-Australians samples, the impact of strong-ties rationality on public stigma is weaker among the Han Chinese, while the impact of weak-ties rationality on public health behaviour is stronger among the White Australians. We attribute our nuanced analysis of these results to the explanatory power of STWTR theory, which decomposes culture into three units of analysis—rationality, ecological niche, and behaviour, enabling an examination of the match or mismatch among these cultural components characterizing any society. Indigenous features of a cultural system can then be more fully represented in cross-cultural psychological research.