Higher Education Linked to 'WEIRD' Cultural Values Globally

Study finds university-educated people worldwide share more cultural similarities with Western nations.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 2:27am

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A new study published in Nature Communications has found that people with higher levels of education globally tend to hold cultural values more aligned with Western, industrialized nations like the U.S., U.K., and Canada. The research analyzed data from nearly 270,000 people across 95 countries and showed that higher education is strongly associated with 'WEIRD' (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) cultural traits, such as individualism, analytical thinking, and lower conformity to social norms.

Why it matters

The findings challenge the assumption that recruiting university students or highly educated participants from non-Western countries provides a representative sample of cultural diversity. Instead, the study suggests that even in non-Western nations, the cultural views of educated elites may be skewed towards Western norms, potentially leading to biases in cross-cultural research.

The details

The study, led by York University professor Cindel White and co-authored by Michael Muthukrishna of the London School of Economics and New York University, found that in 70% of the countries examined, highly-educated people were significantly closer to U.S. cultural values than those with lower education levels in the same countries. However, the researchers note this pattern reflects a broader alignment with Western cultural norms, not just American values specifically.

  • The study was published in Nature Communications on March 28, 2026.

The players

Cindel White

An assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at York University and the lead author of the study.

Michael Muthukrishna

A professor at the London School of Economics and New York University, and a co-author of the study.

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What they’re saying

“Education doesn't just teach skills or facts, to a certain extent it also shapes how people think about the world, so the findings make sense.”

— Cindel White, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, York University

“Schooling is one of the most powerful systems of cultural transmission ever invented. Education doesn't just change what you know, but how you think and what you value. What our results reveal is that school systems around the world still carry the fingerprints of their Western origins.”

— Michael Muthukrishna, Professor, London School of Economics and New York University

The takeaway

This study highlights the need for researchers to consider the influence of education, in addition to factors like nationality and ethnicity, when examining cultural differences. The findings suggest that relying solely on university student samples, even from non-Western countries, may not fully capture the true diversity of cultural perspectives globally.