Effect Of Descriptive Norms Research Articles

A Panel Study of Peer Norms and Adolescent Alcohol Consumption: Developing Strategies for Communication Interventions

Given that alcohol consumption and binge drinking among adolescents in the United States remain prevalent, this study assesses changes in the influence of peer norms—and their interactions with time, gender, and ethnicity—on alcohol consumption. Panel survey interviews of adolescents (N = 1,607) were completed in 9th grade and then again in 12th grade with students from Louisiana. Fixed effects multiple regression assessed the relations between the changes in 2 types of peer norms (i.e., descriptive norms and injunctive norms) and 2 alcohol consumption measures: 30-day alcohol prevalence and binge drinking. Increases in 30-day alcohol prevalence and binge drinking were associated with only descriptive norms. The effects of both types of peer norms intensified over time, and the effects of descriptive norms varied according to gender and ethnicity. Specifically, the influence of descriptive norms was greater on boys than on girls and on Caucasians than on African Americans. Communication interventions that target adolescents in the context of alcohol consumption should consider the temporal variability of peer normative influence and how it varies by gender and ethnicity.

Outcome expectancies, descriptive norms, and alcohol use: American Indian and white adolescents.

This study examined the relationships between adolescent alcohol use and outcome expectancies and descriptive norms for a sample of American Indian and white youth living on or near reservations. Three outcome expectancies proposed by the theory of normative social behavior (perceived benefits to self, perceived benefits to others, and anticipatory socialization) were examined. Survey data were collected from high school students in the 2009-2010, 2010-2011, and 2011-2012 school years. Stronger descriptive norms for use and higher perceived benefits to self from use were associated with alcohol use in the last month, drunkenness in the last month, and binge drinking. Perceived benefits to self also moderated the relationship between descriptive norms and both alcohol use in the last month and binge drinking, and the effect of descriptive norms on use became more robust as perceived benefits to self increased. Outcome expectancies of perceived benefits to others and anticipatory socialization did not moderate the relationship between norms and alcohol use. Implications for prevention are discussed.

When We Do What We See: The Moderating Role of Social Motivation on the Relation Between Subjective Norms and Behavior in the Theory of Planned Behavior

Two studies tested whether increased social motivation was associated with nondeliberative, or direct, effects of descriptive norms and injunctive norms on behavior in the context of the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991). In a 2-week longitudinal study, 142 participants in Study 1 completed planned behavior measures (injunctive and descriptive norms, perceptions of behavioral control, intentions and actual behavior) and perceptions of social motivation for 9 behaviors nested within individuals. Hierarchical linear modeling results indicated that increased social motivation was associated with a direct effect of descriptive norms and an inverse effect of injunctive norms (suppressor effect) on behavior. Using 56 participants in an experimental design, Study 2 threatened the need to belong with a rejection manipulation. Results indicated that norms only directly influenced behaviors where rejection was made salient. Altogether the results indicate that subjective norms will have nondeliberative effects on behaviors as social motivations increase.

Using Messages Promoting Descriptive Norms to Increase Physical Activity

While it has been known for some time that what others do (i.e., normative behavior) can influence individual behavior, the effect of normative social influence on physical activity behavior has not been well established. The purpose of this study was to examine whether exposure to messages containing descriptive norm information about the prevalence of others' physical activity would affect individual physical activity behavior to a greater extent than exposure to nonnormative messages. Two independent studies were conducted. The first manipulated normative and nonnormative messages to examine effects on physical activity in office workers. Participants were assigned to one of four conditions (descriptive norm, health, appearance, or control) and received e-mail messages specific to their condition encouraging them to be active. It was hypothesized that participants in the descriptive norm condition would experience the greatest increase in physical activity, and the results supported this hypothesis for mild activity. A second study attempted to extend these results by examining the effect of descriptive norms on the activity behavior of university students, but no relationship was found. Typical activity levels and group identity with the reference group were suggested as possible explanations for the differing findings in these two studies.

Partying Before the Party Gets Started: The Effects of Descriptive Norms on Pregaming Behavior

Pregaming (consuming several alcoholic drinks prior to going to a bar or party) has become a common practice on many college campuses. We propose that students often rely on descriptive norms when making decisions about pregaming. In Study 1, we provided undergraduate students with norm information indicating that relatively few college students regularly engage in pregaming behavior. Female students receiving this information engaged in pregaming significantly less often the following week than female students who received no norm information. The rate of pregaming among male students was not affected by the norm information. The effect of norm information on pregaming was replicated in Study 2 using only female students. In addition, providing information about gender-specific norms had a greater impact on pregaming behavior than presenting norm data for the general student body only. The findings indicate that descriptive norms play an important role in pregaming behavior and suggest avenues for intervention programs.