GÜNDEM
approach that emphasizes individual
accountability and gives few high level
guidelines for safe behavior. What Tur-
key needs to get compliance fast is:
sage was “stay at home”, which is not very clear, and “isolate
yourself”, which can elicit fear. Also, at first there was no cont-
rol, just appealing to peoples to follow these new rules. But
high power distance means that control is expected. Compli-
ance with rules that are not controlled is optional.
1. A loud, clear, consistent and specific
message from the top by authority figu-
res: physical distancing but still social
“proximity” through social media and
telecommunication.
Turkey is a collectivistic society. Writes Hofstede: “In Individu-
alist societies people are supposed to look after themselves and
their direct family only. In Collectivist societies people belong to
‘in groups’ that take care of them... . ... This means that the “We”
is important, people belong to in-groups (families, clans or or-
ganizations) who look after each other in exchange for loyalty.
Communication is indirect and the harmony of the group has
to be maintained, open conflicts are avoided. The relationship
has a moral base and this always has priority over task fulfill-
ment.“ 7
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The whole concept of “protecting yourself to protect all ot-
hers” is in itself a highly individualistic concept – typical for
WEIRD cultures. The message to “isolate oneself” is in abso-
lute contradiction to Turkey’s traditional family and society
structures. It is not only difficult to understand for people,
but it’s also difficult to put into action. Many people, especial-
ly elders, depend on support from their extended families in
their daily lives. It’s difficult for me to understand how the go-
vernment could keep repeating this message without further
elaborating in the beginning. Appealing to individual accoun-
tability is a concept that clashes with collectivism.
When taken together with power distance, which also inclu-
des respect and deference to elders, collectivism also avoids
conflicts, so people will accommodate the needs and wishes
of their elders for contact and support. Also the moral base of
relationships is very important, because it can outweigh the
obedience to the external authority.
Turkey has a feminine culture. “This means that the softer as-
pects of culture such as leveling with others, consensus, sympat-
hy for the underdog are valued and encouraged. Conflicts are
avoided in private and work life and consensus at the end is im-
portant. Leisure time is important for Turks, it is the time when
the whole family, clan and friends come together to enjoy life.” 8
This sympathy for the less powerful, caring for people in need,
caring for relatives, family members, socializing and spending
time together with family and friends are important values in
daily life. This cultural tendency directly opposed the notion
of “isolation” or “social distancing”, unless the term is clearly
explained to mean “physical” distancing.
Lastly Turkey has a very high Uncertainty Avoidance. “The di-
mension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a
society deals with the fact that the future can never be known:
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
2. Turning the message of “protect
yourself to protect all around”: Protect
your loved ones, your social in-group,
be loyal to them and express the impor-
tance of the relationship and the res-
pect for others by first protecting each
single member. Even if this is not what
you would normally do. Now it is neces-
sary. This is the most paradox message
for collectivistic society.
should we try to control the future or just let it happen? This
ambiguity brings with it anxiety and different cultures have
learnt to deal with this anxiety in different ways. ... [t]here is
a huge need for laws and rules. In order to minimize anxiety,
people make use of a lot of rituals.” 9
This means that in particular if the government wants to ac-
hieve effects quickly and effectively, people need to be told cle-
arly and in detail what they are expected to do and what they
are expected not to do. Otherwise, people will compensate
the ambiguity of “evde kal” with their own interpretations or
“follow the herd” (collectivism) and behave according to the
majority; unless there are clear and specific instructions for
everyone (rules for children, rules for adults, rules for elders),
unless there is visible control of these rules and sanctioning
for people who do not follow them, compliance will neither be
achieved quickly nor in a large extent of the population.
An example was the behavior or elder people after the an-
nouncement that people over age 65 were not allowed to le-
ave their houses. This was (and still is) mostly ignored until
the police started informing people individually and warning
them to go to their homes and finally on the second day star-
ted levying monetary fines for noncompliance. In one news-
paper I even saw a photograph of three old men hiding behind
a small truck at the side of the road from a police car.
As I have been writing this article over that past few days, the
instructions of the Health Minister in
his evening press conferences have be-
come more and more detailed. And this
is necessary. I wish the government had
started with clear and specific rules of
behavior earlier.
To summarize, what is needed to achie-
ve quick result in a culture like Turkey’s
is different from the typical Western
Conclusion
3. Detailed, clear and specific roles of
Dos and Don’ts for different groups of
people. For the risk groups (elderly pe-
ople, people with pre-existing immune
deficiency conditions etc.), as well as
for their relatives, adults, children.
Everybody has to be clear which rules
apply to them leaving as little ambigu-
ity as possible. Such rules – for a certain
time – could include, but are not limited
to:
a. Staying at home means your home.
Don’t go visiting other parts of your (ex-
tended) family by driving to their home.
b. Don’t visit grandparents, uncles,
aunts. Kids, don’t hug your grandpa-
rents. Grandparent, don’t ask for your
grandchildren to visit you. Instead call
– with video.
c. Don’t play your with cousins – unless
it’s via the Internet.
d. Don’t kiss hands, don’t embrace and
kiss cheeks for greetings.
e. Don’t pray in groups together. Don’t
break your fast together (iftar!) in the
upcoming month of Ramazan. Organize
“virtual iftars” via video chats.
f. Do use all available live social media
like WhatsApp video calls, FaceTime,
Zoom to talk and spend time with fa-
mily and friends. Use these to keep so-
cially close and empathize with people,
even though physically apart.
g. Do explain these rules to your elders
and convince them that they – as autho-
rity figures – need to embrace and im-
pose them, to be effective.
h. Do stick to these rules through the
COVID-19 times even if your inner va-
lue compass may tell you that you are
disrespectful.
i. ... and of course wash your hands...
The Turkish authorities reacted early in the unfolding epidemic in Turkey. This has given our country an advantage
to stay ahead of the curve and slow the rate of new infections early. But a part of this advantage has already been
lost by ineffective communication adopting counterproductive terms like “social distancing” and “isolation” and
giving vague or ambiguous messages like “stay home” open to interpretation. That is why the inherent resistance
of Turkish culture to the necessary protective measures (“physical distancing”) has obstructed a fast and wide be-
havior change. More clear and specific, target group oriented and detailed instructions, framed to the specifics of
Turkish culture together with early controls and visible enforcement might have been conducive to achieve earlier
and more widespread compliance.
We can only hope that Turkey will not continue to develop on the same trajectory of infections and deaths as we are
on now, but that the measures taken and gradually tightened and specified over the last two weeks and gradually
tightened will prove to be effective to flatten the Covis-19 curve for Turkey.
9 Ibid.
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