Cultural norms persist for centuries, but some change faster than others

It turns out that cultural norms, like how people behave and what they believe, stick around for a very long time. But some norms, like those about sharing and helping others, can change more quickly than deeply held historical values. This means that policies designed without considering local culture often fail or have unexpected results.

Governments and aid organizations often try to change behavior through new laws or programs. This paper shows that if those efforts don't account for existing cultural norms, they are likely to fail. It means that understanding the deep history of a place is as important as the policy itself. For example, a program promoting individual entrepreneurship might struggle in a community with strong collective traditions.