The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms

Schultz, P. Wesley; Nolan, Jessica M.; Cialdini, Robert B.; Goldstein, Noah J.; Griskevicius, Vladas

doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x

Cited by 2,888 publications

(2,392 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Finally, there are experimental studies that have demonstrated powerful effects of normsbased interventions in changing adults' behavior [118,119]. Doping researchers could utilize these findings and develop norms-based interventions to reduce the risk for doping use.…”

Section: Practical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personal and Psychosocial Predictors of Doping Use in Physical Activity Settings: A Meta-Analysis

et al. 2014

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Key points-A meta-analysis including 63 independent datasets was conducted.-Use of legal supplements, perceived social norms, and positive attitudes towards doping were strong positive correlates of doping intentions and behaviors.-Morality and self-efficacy to refrain from doping were negatively associated with doping intentions and behaviors. AbstractBackground: There is a growing body of empirical evidence on demographic and psychosocial predictors of doping intentions and behaviors utilizing a variety of variables and conceptual models. However, to date there has been no attempt to quantitatively synthesize the available evidence and identify the strongest predictors of doping. Objectives:Using meta-analysis, we aimed to (i) determine effect sizes of psychological (e.g., attitudes), social-contextual factors (e.g., social norms), and demographic (e.g., sex and age) variables on doping intentions and use, (ii) examine variables which moderate such effect sizes, and (iii) test a path analysis model, using the meta-analyzed effect sizes, based on variables from the Theory of Planned Behavior.Data sources: Articles were identified from online databases, by contacting experts in the field, and searching the World Anti-Doping Agency website.Study eligibility criteria and participants: Studies that measured doping behaviors and/or doping intentions, and at least one other demographic, psychological, or social-contextual variable were included. We identified 63 independent datasets. Study appraisal and synthesis method: Study information was extracted by using predefined data fields and taking into account study quality indicators. A random effects meta-analysis was carried out, correcting for sampling and measurement error, and Running head: PERSONAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL PREDICTORS OF DOPING 2 identifying moderator variables. Path analysis was conducted on a sub-set of studies that utilized the Theory of Planned Behavior.Results: Use of legal supplements, perceived social norms, and positive attitudes towards doping were the strongest positive correlates of doping intentions and behaviors. In contrast, morality and self-efficacy to refrain from doping had the strongest negative association with doping intentions and behaviors. Furthermore, path analysis suggested that attitudes, perceived norms, and self-efficacy to refrain from doping predicted intentions to dope, and indirectly, doping behaviors. Limitations:Various meta-analyzed effect sizes were based on a small number of studies, which were correlational in nature. This is a limitation of the extant literature. Conclusions:This review identifies a number of important correlates of doping intention and behavior, many of which were measured via self-reports and were drawn from an extended theory of planned behavior framework. Future research might benefit from embracing other conceptual models of doping behavior and adopting experimental methodologies that will test some of the identified correlates in an effort to develop targeted anti-doping policies and programs.

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Section: Practical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personal and Psychosocial Predictors of Doping Use in Physical Activity Settings: A Meta-Analysis

et al. 2014

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“…The remaining 101 (66 female) participants (n = 29 in Condition 1, n = 27 in Condition 2, n = 23 in Condition 3, n = 22 in Condition 4; see Table 1 for sample characteristics) were sent four weekly email messages that started with the words: "Before taking part in this study you were drinking more alcohol than is recommended by health experts" (social norm messages that do not convey disapproval of unhealthy behaviors can inadvertently encourage them; Schultz et al, 2007). This preceded a message framed in one of four ways according to experimental condition (see Table 2); those in Condition 1 (Absolute only) were sent messages that simply stated the official guidelines for alcohol consumption; those in Chi-squared and orthogonal regression tests were used to test for differences in seeking of alcohol related information between conditions.…”

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confidence: 99%

Improving social norms interventions: Rank-framing increases excessive alcohol drinkers’ information-seeking.

Taylor¹,

Vlaev²,

Maltby³

et al. 2015

Health Psychology

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Objective: Two types of social norm message frame for encouraging seeking of alcoholrelated health information by excessive drinkers were compared: (a) how much the average person actually drinks, and (b) how their drinking ranks amongst others. It was hypothesized, in accordance with recent evidence of how the brain represents value, that frame (b) would be more effective than frame (a). This is the first test comparing these frames in any domain of social norms research.Methods: United Kingdom university students with excessive alcohol intake (n = 101, 66 female) were sent four weekly messages containing one of four types of information depending upon the experimental condition to which each participant was randomly allocated: (1) Official alcohol consumption guidelines; (2) how their alcohol consumption compared to official guidelines; (3) how their consumption compared to the sample mean; or (4) how their consumption ranked amongst the sample. They then had the opportunity to request up to 3 types of alcohol-related health information.Results: Participants informed of how their consumption ranked were more likely to request information (p < .01, OR = 6.0) and tended to request a greater number of types of information (p < .01, Wald = 7.17) than those in other conditions. Conclusions:Informing excessive drinkers of how their alcohol consumption ranked was more effective in eliciting their seeking of alcohol-related health information than informing them of how their consumption compared to the mean. Research investigating the effectiveness of this message frame in social norms interventions more generally is needed.

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“…One recent study conducted by the American Society for Microbiology (2010) used both telephone surveys (N = 3020) and observations of behaviors (N = 6028) and found that women are more likely to report and practice hand hygiene than man, regardless of what activity they just did. Other studies have discovered that women report hand hygiene intention and behavior more frequently than men due to greater acceptance of, and pressure from, social norms (Nichols, 2014;Schultz et al, 2007). Similar studies conducted among college students have reported similar findings (Taylor, Basco, Zaied, & Ward, 2010;White et al, 2005).…”

Section: Demographic Factorsmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…Perceptions about what important people think a person should do (Schultz, Nolan, Cialdini, Goldstein, & Griskevicius, 2007).…”

Section: Injunctive Normsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting and explaining behavioral intention and hand sanitizer use among US Army soldiers

Lin

Roberts

2017

American Journal of Infection Control

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Many pathogenic microorganisms are spread by contaminated hands and may lead to foodborne illness. The use of hand sanitizers can significantly reduce bacterial contamination and is an efficient and inexpensive method to prevent infections and sickness. Previous researchers have found that the routine use of hand sanitizers allowed the U.S. Army to significantly reduce illness. However, few studies have been conducted within a U.S. Army dining facility, which is considered to be one of the primary sources of foodborne illness within the U.S. Army. Therefore, using the Theory of Planned Behavior, the purpose of this study was to identify the behavioral intention, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceptions of control of using hand sanitizer among military personnel.The study targeted soldiers using a written survey during their lunch hour on the U.S.Army base at Fort Riley, KS. A total of 201 surveys were collected. All data were screened and entered into IBM SPSS for analysis.Results indicated that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control explained 64% of the variance in behavioral intention. Attitude and subjective norms were found to be significant predictors of behavioral intention, with attitude being the strongest predictor.In general, behavioral beliefs were positive among soldiers. Related to normative beliefs, soldiers did perceive negative social pressure from other soldiers not to use hand sanitizers.Analysis of control beliefs found soldiers perceived hand sanitizers were readily available, but disliked their smell and feel after application.Food production managers and Army commanders can use these results to implement hand sanitation behavioral interventions within military dining environments. Practical implications will likely translate to reduced healthcare costs, decreased absenteeism rates, and improved mission readiness.Some of the limitations include commonly perceived social psychology bias. Further, clustered samples were collected within one military installation in a relatively short amount of time.

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The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms

Abstract: ABSTRACT-Despite a long tradition of effectiveness in laboratory tests

Cited by 2,888 publications

References 26 publications

Personal and Psychosocial Predictors of Doping Use in Physical Activity Settings: A Meta-Analysis

Personal and Psychosocial Predictors of Doping Use in Physical Activity Settings: A Meta-Analysis

Improving social norms interventions: Rank-framing increases excessive alcohol drinkers’ information-seeking.

Predicting and explaining behavioral intention and hand sanitizer use among US Army soldiers

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