This article presents some specific criteria that can be used to assign a society a place on the tight-loose continuum. Political authority, management of property, religion, labor, and trade are among the cultural elements considered. The author explains that these criteria can be organized into a 12-point Guttman scalogram.

This paper studies Pelto's (1962, 1968) operational definition for the tightness and looseness of societies in relation to child rearing practices. Results suggest that societies with a "tight" social structure will have child training practices that promote conformity and obedience and vice versa.

This study proposes ways in which the environment may affect behavioral and psychocultural processes. Results provide moderate support for a relationship between climate and emotional expressiveness.