Researchers at the University of Michigan published a set of studies in PNAS that argue cultural fit matters for poverty relief. The project, led by Catherine Thomas, examined how local values shape women’s sense of agency in rural Niger.
The team ran three linked studies. The first documented an interdependent model of agency, where relationships, social harmony and respect matter more than individual ambition. The second study provided empirical support: relational factors such as social standing operated alongside personal factors like self-efficacy as mechanisms that help women move out of poverty.
The third study tested two psychosocial interventions and a control condition. One intervention followed Western, individual-ambition ideas; the other was a culturally wise version based on interdependence and local goals. Only the culturally wise intervention produced measurable economic advancement for women over one year. Thomas summed it up: “Fighting poverty may require cultural wisdom, not just cash.” The authors caution that theories and programs developed in WEIRD contexts may fail elsewhere and suggest that attention to local goals and mental models could improve aid design, including in the United States.
Difficult words
- agency — ability to make choices and act
- interdependent — depending on relationships with other people
- self-efficacy — belief in one’s ability to achieve goals
- relational — connected to social relationships or status
- psychosocial — relating to psychological and social factors
- intervention — action or program intended to produce changeinterventions
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Discussion questions
- How could aid programs change to reflect local goals and values in a community like rural Niger?
- What challenges might aid organisations face when designing culturally wise interventions?
- Do you think a culturally wise approach would improve poverty relief in your country? Why or why not?
