Deviance Regulation Theory Research Articles

Effects of a Brief Safe Drinking Intervention on Depressive and Anxiety Symptomatology: Examining Potential Side Effects of Deviance Regulation Theory Interventions.

College students are at a heightened risk of experiencing depression and anxiety symptomatology and engaging in maladaptive alcohol use. Understanding how alcohol interventions impact emotional functioning is essential. One such intervention uses Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT), which posits that behavior can be modified using targeted messaging as a function of perceived norms. DRT has been shown to be effective at increasing responsible drinking behaviors and decreasing alcohol-related consequences. However, it is unclear if this intervention influences emotional functioning. The current examines the impact of a DRT intervention on emotional functioning. Participants (n = 147) were recruited from a large Southeastern university. The study included a screening phase, intervention, and six-week follow-up. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a positive message condition about people who drink responsibly, a negative message condition about people who do not drink responsibly, and an active control condition. During the study, all participants reported on depression/anxiety symptoms, alcohol use, responsible drinking, and alcohol-related consequences. Mixed-effects regression was used to analyze the data. Results suggest an overall reduction of depressive and anxiety symptomatology in the intervention conditions but not in the control condition. In the positive condition, there was a decrease in depressive and anxiety symptomatology. The messaging was not moderated by normative beliefs. The negative condition also led to decreases in depression and anxiety symptomatology over time. In addition, perceived norms moderated the negative message in the first week after the intervention, an effect consistent with DRT. Prior research indicates this intervention is efficacious for the reduction of adverse alcohol outcomes; these data show that the intervention may also have positive effects on downstream mental health outcomes.

A Deviance Regulation Theory Intervention Affects the Association Between Narcissistic Traits and Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategies in College Students

Background: College students continue to report problematic alcohol use. To mitigate adverse outcomes, recent studies have employed harm reduction strategies known as Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS). Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT), an impression management intervention, has been used to promote the use of PBS. DRT relies on impression management to modify behavior. This may be especially important for individuals with higher levels of trait narcissism. Method: College student drinkers (n = 132) were randomly assigned to receive a positive message about PBS users, a negative message about non-PBS users, or control. Participants reported on current PBS use norms, daily alcohol use, PBS use, and any alcohol-related problems experienced during the previous week for the next 10 weeks. Results: Data were analyzed using multilevel regression to examine PBS use across time by condition. When PBS norms were low, narcissism was strongly associated with lower rates of PBS use in the control group. If individuals received a positive or negative message, the association between narcissism and PBS use was diminished, among individuals with low PBS norms. There were no significant differences at mean or high levels of norms, indicating the messaging was only important for the highest risk group (i.e., those with low PBS norms). Discussion: The results of this study suggest that message framing may be effective at reducing the robust negative association between narcissism and PBS use for individuals with low PBS norms. Positive messages about individuals that use PBS may be one approach to mitigating problematic alcohol consumption in this at-risk group.

Test of a deviance regulation theory intervention among first-year college student drinkers: Differential effects via frequency and quantity norms.

First-time-in-college (FTIC) students are relatively inexperienced with alcohol and have pressure to assimilate to new norms, and, therefore, are at a heightened risk of alcohol-related consequences. The present study investigates the use of a brief deviance regulation theory (DRT) intervention to increase the use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) among FTIC students. Participation took place completely online. Participants were first-year college students (n = 147, Mage = 18.11, 77.68% female) at a large southwest U.S. university. Participants were randomly assigned one of three conditions: (a) a positive message about individuals who use PBS, (b) a negative message about individuals who do not use PBS, or (c) an assessment-only control group. Participants then completed weekly assessments for 5 weeks, examining alcohol use and consequences, PBS use, and perceived PBS norms. Contrasting previous research, the present study investigated weekly effects of the intervention. In addition, norm type (quantity vs. frequency) was examined as moderators of intervention messaging. Across conditions, both quantity and frequency norms increased over time. The positive message produced immediate and lasting effects on SLD PBS among those with higher (+ 1 SD) frequency norms. The intervention effects for the negative message, using the quantity norm, grew across time on all PBS. These results provide initial support for the use of a DRT prevention program for FTIC students. Negative messages may promote long-term PBS use, while positive messages may be most effective in addressing immediate and lasting changes in the use of alcohol protective strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A comprehensive review of measures of protective behavioral strategies across various risk factors and associated PBS-related interventions.

Harm reduction is a framework that places substance use on a spectrum from total abstinence to continued controlled use. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are a set of individually implemented harm reduction strategies that have shown to reduce the rate of use and severity of consequences from risky behaviors. Previous research has shown that PBS use effectively reduces negative consequences. The present study provides an overview of the literature on PBS measures for various risk behaviors, and common interventions used in conjunction with PBS. Of the articles reviewed, 15 validated PBS measures were found and eight distinct categories of PBS interventions. The 15 measures reviewed included risk factors such as alcohol use/consequences (n = 8), dating and sexual behaviors (n = 4), gambling (n = 1), cannabis (n = 1), and condom use (n = 1). A survey of the literature produced eight distinct categories of interventions with varying degrees of effectiveness: (a) Brief Motivational Interventions, (b) Personalized Normative Feedback, (c) PBS Skills Training, (d) PBS Instruction, (e) Deviance Regulation Theory Interventions, (f) Behavioral Economic Based Interventions, (g) Counterfactual Thinking and (h) Episodic Future Thinking. Findings from the present study corroborate the notion that PBS effectively reduce negative consequences associated with behaviors, such as negative alcohol-related consequences, harmful cannabis use, and adverse sexual outcomes. Research on interventions targeting PBS is lacking in areas outside of alcohol use. Within alcohol use, the utility of interventions varies widely. Understanding the reason for this discrepancy is an important area for future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining the impact of weight bias on the association between exercise identity and maladaptive exercise behaviors

ObjectiveThough exercise behaviors are typically viewed as health-promoting, certain forms of exercise (i.e., excessive exercise, unhealthy muscle-building behaviors) are considered maladaptive and are associated with negative physical and psychological outcomes. Psychosocial factors may put people at greater risk for engaging in maladaptive exercise. Based on deviance regulation theory, weight bias was examined as a potential moderator of the association between exercise identity and both excessive exercise and muscle-building behaviors. DesignThe current study is a secondary analysis of a larger data set investigating associations between athletic identity, exercise behaviors, and disordered eating behaviors. Hypotheses were examined using moderation testing in multiple linear regression. Main outcome measuresParticipants (N = 225, 50.2% female) completed the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory as a measure of maladaptive exercise. ResultsControlling for sex, age, athlete status, and body mass index, weight bias moderated the association between exercise identity and both excessive exercise and muscle-building behaviors. Among individuals with high exercise identity, higher weight bias was associated with increased maladaptive exercise behaviors. ConclusionIndividuals with higher exercise identity and higher weight bias may be at greatest risk of engaging in maladaptive exercise. Preventive interventions for maladaptive exercise behaviors may consider targeting exercise identity and weight bias.

An application of deviance regulation theory to organ donation promotion

ABSTRACT Deviance regulation theory proposes that when a behavior is seen as common, a loss-frame message should be more effective; conversely, when a behavior is seen as uncommon, a gain-frame message should be more effective. The current study tests deviance regulation theory in the context of organ donation promotion. Non-donors (N = 386) were randomly assigned to view messages in a 2 (norm: high vs. low) x 2 (frame: gain vs. loss) factorial design. Dependent variables included behavioral intention and information seeking. Results were inconsistent with deviance regulation theory’s proposed interaction between norm and message frame. Rather, there was a main effect such that participants who read a low norm message engaged in greater information seeking than those who read a high norm message. Notably, the high norm message was seen as less believable than the low norm message. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Moderating Effects of Social Norms and Alcohol Consumption on Message Framing in Responsible Drinking Campaigns: Value from Deviance Regulation Theory

ABSTRACTThis study examined how the interplay between message framing and social norms affected college students’ responses to advertisements and their intentions to drink responsibly, using the lens of deviance regulation theory. The results showed more favorable responses to gain-framed messaging than loss-framed messaging, especially among college students who believed that most of their peers use alcohol irresponsibly (i.e., they observed an unhealthy social norm). This study also investigated how the moderating effects of social norms on message framing differ depending on the level of individual alcohol consumption, and found that the deviance regulation effects on intention to drink responsibly were mitigated among heavy drinkers. The findings suggest strategic potential for using messaging, social context, and individual factors to develop effective campaigns that promote responsible drinking.

A randomized control trial of a deviance regulation theory intervention to increase alcohol protective strategies.

Normative feedback remains an effective approach to reducing alcohol use among college students. However, this approach is difficult to extend to protective behavioral strategies (PBS), which are proximal to alcohol-related problems. Deviance regulation theory (DRT) is a social psychology theory that posits individuals engage in behaviors to standout out in positive ways or avoid standing out in negative ways. The current study tests a DRT-based randomized control trial. College student drinkers (n = 130) reported on PBS norm frequency, alcohol use, and PBS use. They were then randomly assigned to receive a positive message about PBS users, a negative message about non-PBS users, or a control. They reported on weekly PBS use, alcohol use, and alcohol problems for 10 weeks. Consistent with DRT, there were immediate postintervention effects on PBS use for individuals who believed PBS was uncommon and who also received a positive message. This remained stable across time. There was significant growth in PBS use among individuals who received a negative message and who believed PBS use was common. The intervention was not directly associated with alcohol use or problems. However, PBS use was associated with average alcohol use and lower weekly and global alcohol problems. This study shows that a DRT intervention may increase PBS use. This may translate into lower alcohol use and fewer alcohol-related problems. The results also identify conditions under which positive and negative messages are indicated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Personalized normative feedback for heavy drinking: An application of deviance regulation theory

Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT) proposes that individuals regulate their behavior to be in line with the behaviors of others. Specifically, individuals desire to stand out in positive way and not stand out in a negative way. DRT has been successfully applied to encourage other health behaviors and offers a unique method to utilize both injunctive norms in combination with descriptive norms in brief alcohol interventions. This randomized controlled trial evaluated a computer-delivered, norms-based personalized feedback intervention which systematically varied the focus on whether specific drinking behaviors were described as common or uncommon (a descriptive norm), whether the drinking behaviors were healthy versus unhealthy, and whether the drinking behaviors were positively or negatively framed (an injunctive norm). Nine-hundred and fifty-nine college drinkers completed baseline, three-month, and six-month follow-up assessments. Results indicated messages focusing on unhealthy drinking behaviors, particularly when described as uncommon, were most effective in reducing drinking and alcohol-related problems over time. This research utilizes deviance regulation theory as a way of improving personalized normative feedback by elucidating how to construct messages for brief interventions based on descriptive characteristics associated with specific target drinking behaviors in combination with perceptions of prevalence and acceptability of such drinking behaviors (an injunctive norm).

Deviance regulation theory and drinking outcomes among Greek-life students during spring break.

Alcohol use among college students increases during spring break, which often results in more alcohol-related consequences. Given the rates of heavy alcohol use among Greek-life college students, this population may be particularly at risk for experiencing negative outcomes during this time. Thus, the current study utilized a Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT)-based approach to increase the use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) among Greek-life college students during spring break. Greek-life college students going on spring break (n = 89) completed a screening before being randomly assigned to a pre-spring break condition (i.e., either a positively or negatively framed message about peers who do or do not use PBS during spring break). Participants then completed a post-spring break assessment of alcohol and PBS use over spring break (n = 70). There were no observed DRT effects on manner of drinking or stopping/limiting PBS use during spring break. However, there were effects on Harm Reduction PBS (HR PBS). In the positive frame, HR PBS use was positively associated with PBS norm discrepancy (the difference between spring break specific PBS norms and typical PBS norms). While these associations did not result in lower alcohol consumption, HR PBS was inversely associated with risk-related alcohol problems, but not other types of alcohol problems. A brief DRT-based approach may increase specific PBS types during spring break and may reduce risk-related alcohol-related problems among Greek-life students during spring break. (PsycINFO Database Record

An initial examination of the effects of deviance regulation theory on normative perceptions

ABSTRACTBackground: This study examines the effects of Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT) on changes in normative perceptions of protective behavioral strategies (PBS). Methods: Participants (n = 104 college student drinkers; 59.62% women) enrolled in a 6-week, web-based, longitudinal study to test the effects of a DRT intervention on indices of PBS use. Participants were assigned to either the high or low PBS norm group based on their self-reported PBS norms. Participants were randomized to receive either a positively framed message about individuals who do use PBS or a negatively framed message about individuals who do not use PBS. Participants reported the percent of their peers who they believed used PBS (PBS normative belief) each week for 6 weeks. Results: Participants who reported low preintervention PBS norms showed a moderate increase in mean PBS norms postintervention if they received a negatively framed message about those who do not use PBS. Participants who reported high preintervention PBS norms showed a slight, nonsignificant, increase in mean PBS norms postintervention if they received a positively framed message about those who do not use PBS. Conclusions: Both of these were counter to hypotheses and suggest DRT may anchor perceived norms, preventing an increase in normative beliefs

When do drivers conform? When do they deviate?

Traditional and dominant social influence strategies based on group research aim to motivate people towards compliance with the group norm for behaviours in general and in traffic in particular. Yet, deviance and dissent have the potential to motivate people towards action against group norm, as well. The deviance regulation theory (DRT) proposes that an individual might choose to deviate from the group norm to express his/her uniqueness. In addition, according to the normative conflict model, an individual might deviate because the target behaviour may serve for the group benefit. However, up to date no study has compared behaviours of different nature in terms of conformity and deviance motivations in traffic. The current study explores these motivations in the context of persuasive messages that aim to facilitate picking up hitchhikers, obeying speed limits on campus, and seat belt use, in three different samples. In the first study, we investigated the effectiveness of positive and negative message frames. These messages emphasized the attributes of people on uniqueness or group benefit who pick up or do not pick up hitchhikers with regard to the perceived group norms in a 2 (norm: picking up or not picking up a hitchhiker) by 4 (message frame: positive uniqueness, negative uniqueness, positive group benefit, negative group benefit) design among 249 participants. The results revealed that positive uniqueness frame is effective when the norm is picking up a hitchhiker, but not when the norm is not picking up a hitchhiker. In the second and third studies, we applied a 2 (norm) × 2 (uniqueness message frame: positive and negative) design for speeding on campus and seat belt use with 79 and 144 participants, respectively. The speeding study supports the DRT, as the negative frame in obeying the speed limit norm condition had a stronger effect on reducing speeding than the other conditions. Using seat belt emerged as impervious to norms and evaluation of group members, since none of the conditions differed from each other.

Using deviance regulation theory to target marijuana use intentions among college students.

Several large epidemiological studies have shown increasing trends on a number of indices of marijuana use among college age samples. This may be due to changing attitudes about marijuana use linked to legalization efforts. Interventions that can target problematic use on a broad scale are lacking. Recent research has shown that deviance regulation theory (DRT) can be used to design effective web-based substance use interventions. DRT relies on the interplay between perceived norms and an appropriately framed message about the given behavior. The current study examines the use of DRT to change marijuana use intentions. Participants (n = 694 college students) completed measures of marijuana use and marijuana use norms. They were then assigned to receive a positively framed message about marijuana abstainers or a negatively framed message about marijuana users. Following the manipulation, participants rated intentions to use marijuana over the next three months. Consistent with DRT, there was an interaction between message frame and marijuana use norms. The positive frame attenuated the association between marijuana use norms and use intentions. A negative frame resulted in the lowest levels of use intentions among those with low use norms. Results suggest that DRT may be used to modify use intentions in college students, a population that has shown increasing rates of use. (PsycINFO Database Record

An application of deviance regulation theory to reduce alcohol-related problems among college women during spring break.

Spring break (SB) can lead to heavy episodic drinking and increased alcohol-related risks. This may be especially relevant for women. The current study utilized deviance regulation theory to increase the use of protective behavioral strategies (PBSs) among female college students on SB. Female college students going on SB (n = 62) completed a screening, a pre-SB intervention (where they were randomly assigned to receive either a positively or negatively framed message about individuals who do or do not use PBS), and a post-SB assessment that provided alcohol and PBS use data for each day of SB (n = 620 person-days). Data were analyzed using a multilevel structural equation model. In the negative frame, SB PBS use was higher among those who perceived SB PBS norms to be more common on SB relative to non-SB. In the positive frame, SB PBS use was higher among those who perceived SB PBS norms to be less common on SB relative to non-SB. These associations did not result in lower alcohol consumption, but did result in a lower likelihood of experiencing alcohol-related problems during SB. These results suggest that a brief online intervention, that utilizes targeted messages based on normative perceptions of SB PBS use, could be an effective strategy for reducing alcohol-related consequences among college student women during SB. (PsycINFO Database Record

A road paved with safe intentions: Increasing intentions to use alcohol protective behavioral strategies via Deviance Regulation Theory.

Drinking remains a problem across college campuses. Changing this behavior requires interventions that can be easily and widely dispersed. Several theories place intentions as a proximal predictor of behavior change. The current study examines the effects of a Web-based Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT) intervention on (1) intentions to use alcohol protective behavior strategies (PBS) and (2) associations between these intentions and actual behavior. Participants (n = 76) completed a 6-week, Web-based study examining drinking behaviors. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a positive frame about individuals who use PBS or a negative frame about individuals who do not. They also reported normative perceptions of PBS use among college students. They subsequently logged onto a secure server each week to report on alcohol involvement, use of 3 types of PBS (Manner of Drinking, Stopping/Limiting, and Serious Harm Reduction), and intentions to use these PBS the following week. Consistent with DRT, negative frames resulted in higher PBS use intentions if individuals held high normative beliefs about PBS use. Positive frames resulted in higher Manner of Drinking PBS use intentions if individuals held low normative beliefs about PBS use, but only if individuals endorsed a high belief in the frame. In addition, there was a DRT consistent increase in intention-action associations, but only for Stopping/Limiting PBS. A brief Web-based DRT intervention was effective at increasing PBS intentions and increasing PBS intention-action associations. DRT may provide a mechanism to additively or synergistically improve other Web-based interventions for college drinking. (PsycINFO Database Record

Group and individual as complementary conceptual categories

Baumeister et al. depart from self-theories that contrast the psychology of the group with the psychology of the individual by considering how differentiated identities further collective interests. In concert with Deviance Regulation Theory, their framework offers a foundation for predicting the reward and punishment contingencies that will help groups function as more than the sum of their parts.

Fitting in and standing out: increasing the use of alcohol protective behavioral strategies with a deviance regulation intervention.

Heavy alcohol use remains a consistent public health concern on college campuses. The current pilot study used deviance regulation theory (DRT) to modify protective behavioral strategies (PBS) among college student drinkers to reduce alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. The sample was comprised of current college student drinkers (n = 76; 53.95% female) ranging in age from 18-24 (M = 19.29, SD = 1.42). Participants were randomly assigned to receive a positively or negatively framed message. They then reported on use of alcohol PBS (via the Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale), alcohol consumption (via the Modified Daily Drinking Questionnaire), and alcohol-related consequences (via the Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire) each week for 6 weeks. Among drinkers with low PBS use norms, a positively, versus a negatively, framed message resulted in increased PBS use and consequently less alcohol consumption and fewer alcohol-related consequences. Among drinkers with high PBS use norms, a negatively, versus positively, framed message resulted in increased PBS use and consequently lower alcohol consumption and fewer alcohol-related consequences. However, these effects were only relevant among those who strongly believed the DRT frame. Findings suggest assigning drinkers to frames based on perceived PBS use norms and increasing belief in the frame may be 1 approach to increasing responsible drinking patterns among college students. Furthermore, the current data suggests important boundary conditions for norm-based interventions.

Being Much Better and No Worse than Others: Deviance Regulation, Self-Guides, and the Motive to be Distinct

Five studies examined whether the concern for self-other distinction is moderated by self-guide activation, with the predictions based on deviance regulation theory that distinctiveness striving is amplified by activation of ideal self-guides and diminished by activation of ought self-guides. In Study 1, trait differences in self-guides predicted trait differences in self-reported distinctiveness motives. In Studies 2–5, state activation of ought versus ideal self-guides led to shifts in participants' self-reported interest in distinctiveness (Study 2), identification with common versus uncommon social groups (Study 3), preferences for common versus rare consumer products (Study 4), and emotional reactions to distinctiveness versus similarity feedback (Study 5). These findings suggest that self-guide activation can complement known cultural, dispositional, and contextual influences on distinctiveness striving.

Projection, conformity and deviance regulation: A prospective study of alcohol use

We examine how alcohol-related attitudes and behaviour are related to injunctive and descriptive norms over time, and how these perceptions are linked to the experience of alcohol-related problems. In a longitudinal study of alcohol use (n = 239, over three time points), we explored the presence of projection, conformity and deviance in college students – a group in the process of identity formation and redefining peer relationships. We found that the first year of college was characterised by both conformity and projection, and that positive attitudes towards alcohol, greater drinking, and higher descriptive norms were associated prospectively with more alcohol-related problems. However, in the second year, the pattern changed such that alcohol consumption behaviour was characterised by deviance such that those who believed others engaged in more drinking reported relatively lower consumption. The longitudinal findings support deviance regulation theory (Blanton, H., & Christie, C. (2003). Deviance regulation: A theory of action and identity. Review of General Psychology, 7, 115–149), which states that individuals form identities by deviating from peers in ways they perceive as desirable. In general, one must consider the role and stage of identity development when making predictions about how attitudes and perceived norms influence alcohol use and the experience of alcohol-related problems.

Understanding peer influence in children and adolescents

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