The theory of planned behavior was used to predict participants' (n = 219) sun protection intentions and (longitudinally) self-reported behavior from attitudes, perceptions of control, and subjective norms. Norm focus theory was incorporated by distinguishing injunctive and descriptive norms. In turn, subjective descriptive and injunctive norms were examined in relation to the norms of a salient referent group: university students. Referent group norms were found to be associated with subjective norms, and to influence intentions indirectly. A marginal interaction of referent group descriptive and injunctive norms was also observed on behavior. Results highlight the importance of examining indirect effects in order to capture the effect of group-level processes when multiple sources and levels of normative influence are examined.Skin cancers are potentially fatal diseases that affect thousands of people around the world every year (e.g., Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012; Cancer Council Australia, 2012). Melanoma, the most virulent form of skin cancer, is the third most common cancer among Australian men and women, and the most common cancer among young Australians between 15 and 44 years of age (Cancer Council Australia, 2013). Because many skin cancers are preventable, campaigns targeting sun protection have been running for decades, yet sun damage due to lack of sun protection is still a major problem with rates of melanoma diagnosis expected to continue to rise (e.g., Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012). The aim of this paper was to contribute to the large body of work examining sun protection behavior by addressing the theoretical importance of normative influence within the planned behavior model. In particular, the research integrated norm focus theory, referent informational influence, and the theory of planned behavior to investigate how direct, indirect, and interactive effects of referent group injunctive and descriptive norms could be observed, and thus to extend our understanding of the role of social influence in this domain. The theory of planned behaviorThe theory of planned behavior is an empirically supported model of the predictors of behavior (Ajzen, 1991;Armitage & Conner, 2001;Manning, 2009). It builds upon the theory of reasoned action and proposes that behavior is predicted by intentions that are, in turn, predicted by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Attitudes are the individual's evaluation or appraisal of the behavior; subjective norms refer to the social pressure from significant others to engage in the behavior; and perceived behavioral control is the individual's perception of the ease or difficulty of engaging in the behavior (Ajzen, 1991). The theory of planned behavior proposes that if an individual's attitudes and subjective norm are positive and perceived behavioral control is high, the individual is more likely to intend to act and ultimately more likely to engage in the behavior. The relative importance of each of thes...

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This study aimed to understand how people respond to different urban neighbourhoods. We explored whether participants’ mental health and wellbeing, judgements of resident wealth, family SES and sentiments reflected in descriptions of place features predicted in situ sense of threat and trust. Forty-six student participants walked in groups through 2 urban neighbourhoods, separated by a park, in the North West of England, noting responses at pre-determined stops. Significant differences existed in participants’ sense of trust and threat between the 2 neighbourhoods along with differences in perceived resident wealth and sentiments expressed. Participants’ levels of persecutory ideas and their sense of residents’ wealth predicted in situ trust in both neighbourhoods while level of personal resilience predicted the extent of threat felt in the more deprived neighbourhood. Demonstrating the value of the method, these findings have implications for the governance of urban neighbourhoods whereby obvious cues signalling a harsh environment need to be minimised to create more positive psychological responses to places.

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