Oregon Rated Loose State
By Faith News Note:
A paper recently published by Jesse R. Harrington and Michele J. Gelfand, two psychology professors at the University of Maryland, delves into the differences between “tight” states (those with many strongly enforced rules and little tolerance for deviance) and “loose” states ((those that have few strongly enforced rules and greater tolerance for deviance). California takes the #1 spot of loose states, with Oregon at #2 and Washington #3. (Find a full list of states here.)
Nine indicators were considered including the legality and use of corporal punishment in schools, severity of punishment for violating laws, access to alcohol, legality of same-sex unions and state-level religiosity or lack of religious affiliations. Other factors, including the threat of natural disasters and disease prevalence, seemed to play a role in tightness. Tight states showed lowered drug use, less debt and less homelessness. Looseness was linked to greater impulsivity and lower ability to delay self-gratification; consequently, loose states report more incidents of illegal drug use and alcohol binge drinking. However, loose states show greater levels of creativity and innovation.
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