Social Validity Research Articles

The role of norms as promoters of social change

AbstractLife in society revolves around social norms. These norms play a crucial role in regulating and influencing individuals’ behavior, both at the societal and individual levels. They offer a psychological framework that reduces uncertainty, guides behavior, and aids people in adapting to their social surroundings. Moreover, by observing prevailing social norms, individuals gain insights into societal trends that preserve cherished values and traditions across generations, thus mapping the dynamics of social stability and change. Social change is closely tied to shifts in these norms, which can occur at varying speeds, influenced by factors at multiple levels of analysis, including societal, group, and individual levels. In this article, I analyze the various concepts of social norms found in the literature, with a particular focus on their role in psychology. I describe the main sources of normative influence and illustrate, with multiple examples, how they operate in different social contexts. In this way, I address how these norms guide and facilitate participation in collective actions, their intergenerational transmission, and their role in the emergence of radicalization in social protest contexts. Furthermore, I delve into how group norms are linked to intergroup contact experiences involving both advantaged and disadvantaged group members, as well as the expression of prejudice and affective polarization. I conclude by emphasizing the necessity of adopting a multilevel approach to comprehend the connection between norms and social change.

Green Marketing, Business Sustainability and Marketing Practices of Selected Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Muntinlupa City

This descriptive-correlational study aimed to determine the green marketing, business sustainability, marketing practices and profitability of selected Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Muntinlupa City, Philippines and compare the significance of each variable in the context of business profitability. The findings of the study revealed that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Muntinlupa City are engaged in green marketing initiatives and business sustainability practices while moderately involved in the whole gamut of marketing activities. SMEs in Muntinlupa City, are likewise earning a generous income making their business profitable. The results of the study showed that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) engaged in green marketing initiatives using marketing strategies have a better chance of improving their business sustainability practices which can result in business profitability. Further results revealed that promotion of products and services, engaging in green technology, social approval and support, using renewable energy and recyclable resources were significant predictors of business profitability. Three hundred one (301) Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from Muntinlupa City have completed the survey. The study calls for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to continuously adapt marketing strategies and engage in green marketing initiatives and sustainability business practices that contribute to long-term business profitability. It was noteworthy to mention that green marketing initiatives and business sustainability practices are becoming a norm among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Muntinlupa City not only in contributing to the economic development of the city at the same time, preserving the environment for future generations of entrepreneurs.

Social validity of acceptance-based workplace mental health training for use in a low resource setting. A qualitative study with Ugandan mental health providers

In low-resource settings, working age adults suffer a disproportionately higher mental health burden due to precarious work environments; yet access to evidence-based worksite mental health promotion programs remains severely limited due to the lack of professional service providers. Alternative mental wellness programs that are affordable, accessible and help build resilience to deal with the daily demands of work and life need to be introduced in workplaces of low-resource contexts. Such programs should however be acceptable and of social importance to the targeted contexts. Acceptance-based approaches meet these criteria but have mainly been implemented and evaluated in high-income countries. Gauging the appropriateness of such programs for low-resource workplace settings before wide-scale implementation is necessary. We engaged n = 14 mental health providers living and working in Kampala-Uganda in a one-day workshop focused on using acceptance and commitment training in the workplace. During in-depth interviews, these providers shared feedback on the social importance of the program’s goals and effects, and acceptability of the program’s procedures to Ugandan society. A deductive thematic approach was used to analyze data (codes organized according to a priori thematic categories that aligned with the Social Validity Framework). Findings showed that the program’s goals and effects were gauged as socially significant and the training process was acceptable. However, key adjustments were recommended, including introducing communal values into the program, reducing session load, integrating mental health awareness strategies, and adding contextually relevant metaphors. These adjustments are likely to enhance the appropriateness of this type of acceptance-based worksite mental health promotion program for use in Uganda.

Mathematics teachers’ intention to participate in an online community: an investigation using the Theory of Planned Behaviour

AbstractThis study employs the Theory of Planned Behaviour to investigate mathematics teachers’ beliefs regarding their intention to collaborate regularly in an online community. The central premise is that initiating such a community necessitates an implementation strategy informed by a better understanding of underlying beliefs influencing teachers’ participation intention. Accordingly, this research examines the intention of Australian mathematics teachers (N = 430) to engage in an online community proposed by their peak state-based professional association. Central to this study, participants’ intentions to engage in regular collaboration predominantly ranged from ‘somewhat disagree’ to ‘agree’, with the average rating approaching ‘somewhat agree’, highlighting the need for targeted strategies to increase this intention. A prominent finding was that participants’ attitudes towards regular collaboration were the strongest predictor of their intention to participate. While participants felt somewhat in control of their collaboration behaviour, this perception did not directly influence their intention; instead, it mediated the influence of subjective approval from others and personal attitudes on their intention. Demographic factors and past online community experiences had far less impact on predicting intentions than the Theory of Planned Behaviour beliefs. Notably, the subjective norm related to perceived approval from others was rated the highest, whereas the norm related to others’ actual behaviour received the lowest ratings, reflecting a significant divergence in the perception of social approval versus actual behaviour. These findings culminate in implications for interventions and extend the application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, enhancing knowledge about factors impacting teachers’ engagement in online communities.

The beauty of tipping: customer decision-making during COVID-19 in African beauty salons

ABSTRACT Research has been limited to investigating tipping in other hospitality industries, while ignoring beauty salons. The objective of this study is to present tipping behaviours in the context of beauty salons in two ways: first, by examining tip predictors; and second, by looking at the amount customers are willing and able to offer as tips. We employed a binary response strategy and a limited dependent-variable approach to test several factors with the use of STATA 17. Results show that tipping depends on service quality, individual social approval, future expectations, religious beliefs, the educational level of the consumer and a customer’s income level. Likewise, the loss of work or sources of income caused by COVID-19 reduces the probability of tipping and, because of health measures and social distancing during COVID-19, people’s tipping decisions and tip amounts increase. Thus, beauty salon practitioners (customers, stylists and managers) should keep their services up-to-date to attract more tips, and customers should not feel embarrassed when they do not have the ability to tip.

A qualitative analysis of parents' beliefs about portable pool safety behaviours.

The aim of this study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the beliefs parents hold regarding portable pool safety behaviours using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents (N = 15) of children aged 5 years and younger who owned a portable pool. Interviews examined three key safety behaviours: supervising within arms' reach, fencing portable pools deeper than 30 cm, and emptying and storing portable pools safely after use. Parents identified a range of advantages, disadvantages, normative influences, and facilitators and barriers towards the three behaviours. The identification of these salient behavioural, normative, and control beliefs enrich limited understandings of portable pool safety behaviours of parents with young children. Current findings fill a knowledge gap in portable pool safety and provide potential targets for messages to improve parents' behaviours for their young children around portable pools in the hope of preventing loss of life.

The Moderating and Mediating Roles of Self-Esteem and Susceptibility to Normative Influence in the Relationship Between Brand Love and Brand Loyalty

Purpose: The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the role of Self-Esteem (SE) and Susceptibility to Normative Influence (SNI) in the relationship between brand love and brand loyalty within the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry in Sri Lanka. Specifically, this study aims to determine whether SE and SNI act as moderators or mediators in this relationship. Since there is an unambiguously identified gap in the literature, there still exists insufficient agreement and acceptance in the existing literature about the correct role of Self-esteem and SNI in the relationship between brand love and brand loyalty, and previous researchers' findings are contradictory. Examining the relationship between brand love and brand loyalty across cultures and industries is another well-stated necessity. Design/methodology/approach: This investigation used a quantitative methodology and thus, a self-administered survey was distributed to the 390 participants in the sample who are consuming FMCG products in Sri Lanka. The sample was selected using a purposive sampling technique. Regression analysis was carried out to test the hypothesized relationship between dependent, independent, mediating, and moderating variables. Findings: Researchers concluded that in the FMCG sector of Sri Lanka, SE and SNI do not exert significant moderation on the relationship between brand love and brand loyalty. However, it was observed that SE and SNI do play a partial mediating role in this relationship. Originality: Despite a clearly identified gap in the literature, there remains insufficient consensus regarding the role of SE and SNI in the relationship between brand love and brand loyalty. Existing studies present contradictory findings, highlighting the need for further investigation to clarify these roles. This research is the first to clarify whether SE and SNI function as moderators or mediators in the relationship between Brand Love and Brand Loyalty, with a specific focus on the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods industry in Sri Lanka. It makes a substantial and original contribution to the existing body of knowledge. Implications: This research addresses a gap in empirical knowledge by clarifying the precise roles of SE and SNI as evidenced by the findings. Additionally, the study contributes to the literature by examining the brand love-loyalty relationship in the Asian context and the FMCG industry, offering a more generalized theoretical conclusion applicable worldwide. The findings support the Brand Resonance Model's emotional path, particularly in Sri Lanka's FMCG industry.

Testing the theory of normative social behavior in Italy and the USA during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of understanding how social norms influence preventative health behaviors across cultures. Based on the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB), this study investigates the direct and moderated effects of social norms on intentions to wear masks and practice social distancing cross-culturally during the peak of COVID-19 in 2020. Representative samples were recruited from the United States (N = 333) and Italy (N = 331), two countries with different cultural tightness-looseness and orientations (individualistic-collectivistic; indulgence-restraint; uncertainty avoidance). Results revealed that perceived descriptive norms directly influenced behavioral intentions in the U.S., while perceived injunctive norms were more influential in Italy. Outcome expectations moderated the relationship between descriptive norms and mask-wearing intentions in both countries. Specifically, as perceived benefits increased, the effect of norms on mask-wearing intentions attenuated in both countries. Group identity strengthened the association between descriptive norms and mask-wearing intentions only in Italy. These findings highlight that cultural differences play an important role in normative influence mechanisms, with the U.S. being more influenced by what others do (descriptive norms) and Italy by what others approve of (injunctive norms). The study contributes to the refinement of the TNSB and emphasizes the importance of considering cultural factors in developing effective norm-based interventions to address global health challenges.

드라마 등장인물에 대한 개인 평가어 연구: 체계기능언어학의 평가어 이론의 관점

Objectives The purpose of this paper is to analyze Appraisal, one of the theories of discourse meaning analysis in Systemic Functional Linguistics(SFL), in relation to the Appraisal patterns of specific individuals. In SFL, this is called Signature. Methods Therefore, this paper focuses on the Signature of 11 characters in the entire script of episode 1 in <What is Love?>. The specific work was conducted in two stages. First, lexical evaluators (I), which examines the types and frequency of Affect, Judgment, Appreciation, and Graduation; and second, grammatical evaluators (II), which examines the number of sentences, types of Mood, types of addressee deference and Engagement words. Results To summarize the results of the above two steps, (A) Need-dissatisfaction type Sim-ae is overwhelmingly frequent in Affect, Judgement, Appreciation, Graduation, and Engagement. She expresses all kinds of lexical evaluatives in a bold way. (B) Repressed and perverse type Sun-ja uses about half as many evaluatives as Sim-ae, but with very different ups and downs. Affect, which express how she feels, and Graduation, which control the intensity of her speech, are high, but Judgement, which evaluates the actions of others, and Appreciation, which express social respect or social approval of a given situation, are low. (C) Paternalistic and assertive Isa-jang is good at utilizing Judgement and Graduation, and is relatively low in Affect and Appreciation. (D) indecisive Park-isa rarely uses Jedgement. He uses the other evaluative words, Affect, Appreciation, Graduation, moderately frequently and appropriately. (E) Women are more likely than men to use Engagement for both setting(‘case-open’) and settled(‘case-closed’). Conclusions The study of Appraisal has a wide range of applications and is a highly scalable area of research. It is expected that the study of Signature can also find some generalizable patterns of Appraisal system if the analysis target is broader.

The Effects of Social Approval Signals on the Production of Online Hate: A Theoretical Explication

This essay explicates a middle range theory to predict and explain the propagation and magnification of hate messages on social media. It builds upon an assumption that people post hate messages in order to garner signals of social approval from other social media users. It articulates specific propositions involving several constructs, including signals of social approval, disapproval, and sufficiency of social approval. Six derived hypotheses predict how these dynamics apply in certain contexts of social media interaction involving hate posting. It reviews empirical research that applies to these hypotheses, raises issues for future research, and reviews concurrence and distinctions between this approach and other theories.

NAVIGATING THE METAVERSE: UNRAVELING ITS IMPACT ON TOURISM

This study aims to explore the influence of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social norms and attitudes towards the use of metaverse on the behavioural intention to use Metaverse in tourism, providing valuable insights into the potential impact of metaverse on the future of the tourism industry. To assess the influence of the variables, a questionnaire was administered to 50 participants from generations X, Y and Z with a gender distribution of 54% male and 46% female participants. The survey demonstrated good internal reliability and validity. The results indicate that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and attitude have an impact on participants' behavioural intentions. However, the influence of social norms on behavioural intention was not found to be significant in this study. These results provide valuable insights into understanding the factors that influence people's behavioural intentions when using metaverses in tourism. Further studies with more refined questions and larger samples need to be conducted.

The Normative Influence of the Belt and Road Initiative in Europe

This article analyses how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is used as a tool to spread Chinese normative language and soft power in the European Union (EU), as well as the potential governance effects of the BRI. Through in-depth elite interviews and comparative qualitative analysis of the BRI Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between EU countries and China, it provides a comprehensive overview of the content of the MoUs, most of which are not publicly available. It finds that, while little normative influence can be seen, the MoUs represent a partially successful exercise of soft power. However, growing scepticism and even resentment towards China are emerging among EU BRI countries. This, paired with the securitisation of Chinese foreign direct investment that originated from the paradigm shift in EU trade policy towards economic security, has led to greater unity in the EU and a more antagonistic vision of China by its Member States.

Psychometric characteristics of the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire (NARQ): Arabic version.

Narcissists are characterized by confidence, fragility, a desire for social approval without showing interest in others, charm, self-assurance, arrogance, and aggression. This study assesses the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire (NARQ) among Algerian students (N=714). Confirmatory factor and Rasch analyses were used. The NARQ consists of 18 items addressing six narcissism subscales under two main dimensions: rivalry and admiration. The results showed good saturation of the items on the six subscales and the three sub-scales on each of the two main dimensions, revealing a modest but positive correlation between rivalry and admiration. Moreover, the results of the Rasch model demonstrated that the scale aligns with the data, confirming the validity of the scale. This study offers valuable perspectives on assessing narcissism among Arabic populations and enhances our comprehension of the traits linked to narcissistic personalities.

The use of visual schedules to increase academic-related on-task behaviors of individuals with autism: a literature review

A literature review was conducted to examine the existing studies on visual schedules to increase academic-related on-task behaviors for individuals with autism. Systematic searches of electronic databases and reference lists identified 10 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies were evaluated in terms of the effectiveness of visual schedules based on (a) participant characteristics; (b) intervention settings and activities; (c) independent variables including visual schedule forms, presentation modes, and other methods or strategies combined with visual schedules; (d) research design and measures; and (e) generalization, maintenance, and social validity. Also, the methodological rigor of each study in this review was assessed (e.g. against Reichow’s evaluation standards). The results provided evidence that visual schedules could be utilized in combination with other strategies or methods, especially prompting and reinforcement, to increase the academic-related on-task behaviors of individuals with autism. Seven studies reported social validity, six studies programmed for generalization, and four studies reported maintenance effects. According to Reichow’s evaluation standards, six studies met strong criteria and one study met acceptable criteria, indicating that they provide good evidence for the effectiveness of VS on the academic-related on-task behaviors of individuals with autism. Implications and suggestions for practitioners and researchers are provided.

Values, prices and natural liberty: on the dual role of prices in the history of economic analysis

Natural liberty is a powerful idea of social order. However, a tension has always existed between its reality and social values. Here, I try to identify where the fault line may lie between an order that fulfils social expectation and one that does not. I claim that throughout history, this fault line had been manifested in the distinction drawn between the concepts of price and value. The first emerges in markets and the second reflects social expectations. Juxtaposing the two reveals either harmony or dissonance between natural liberty and social expectations. Convergence then is a necessary condition for social validity.

К вопросу об эпистемологии, сознании и интеллекте

This paper is devoted to issues of epistemology, which has recently acquired par­ticular relevance in the national philosophy. The role of cultural-historical episte­mology in the modern theory of knowledge is revealed, where the authors hold the idea that knowing the origin and development of knowledge itself, and its cultural conditioning in specific historical experiences contributes to a better un­derstanding of its significance and the scope of use. The authors present their vi­sion of the problem of transition from gnosiology to epistemology as from a strict prescribed methodology to the choice of one’s ways and methods of con­ducting science, where a significant role is given to such disciplines as computer science and logic. In this context, the relationship between consciousness and in­telligence with the theory of knowledge, in particular with cultural-historical epistemology, is also analyzed, since both the philosophy of consciousness and epistemology seek to understand the nature of knowledge and beliefs based on our conscious experience. This approach, considering the influence of social norms, values and cultural traditions on our cognition and thinking, stimulates the development of the theoretical basis of epistemology and its practical appli­cation. The authors conclude that modern research in the field of consciousness and artificial intelligence and their application in the methodology of epistemo­logy contribute not only to rethinking views on the nature of subjectivity but also to establishing the objectivity of our judgments. Ultimately, this leads to the inte­gration of collective and individual consciousness as an important factor in un­derstanding the world and forming scientific knowledge

The Influence of Affordances and Personalization Value of OTT: Reinforcing Effects of Technical Support and Susceptibility to Normative Influence

The Influence of Affordances and Personalization Value of OTT: Reinforcing Effects of Technical Support and Susceptibility to Normative Influence

Leveraging Social Cues for Patient–Physician Interactions: The Impacts of Empathy, Interactivity and Social Validation in Mobile Medical Consultations

Social cues play a critical role in the exchange of information during patient–physician communication. Although previous research has recognized the impact of social cues on patients’ perceptions and behaviors in mobile medical consultations, little is known about how different combinations of social cues affect the interactions. Employing a within-subject factorial design experiment, this study examined the effects of three social cues—empathic cues, interactivity cues, and social validation—on patients’ perceptions of interactivity, social presence, and trust. A total of 103 participants was recruited. The results revealed the various significant impacts of empathic cues, interactivity cues, and social validation on perceived interactivity, and social validation affected trust, as well as the relationships among these perceptions. The findings suggested strategies for integrating various social cues to enhance patients’ positive perceptions, offering potential benefits to patient–physician communication in mobile medical platforms.

The Impact of Reference Group Influence and Self-Value Judgment on Civilized Tourism Behaviour

This research focuses on tourists visiting Beijing, examining the influence of self-perceived value and reference group impact on their civilized tourism behavior and willingness. The study finds that both normative and informational reference group influences, along with perceived value, significantly positively affect tourists' civilized behaviors.

Structure and dynamics of growing networks of Reddit threads

Millions of people use online social networks to reinforce their sense of belonging, for example by giving and asking for feedback as a form of social validation and self-recognition. It is common to observe disagreement among people beliefs and points of view when expressing this feedback. Modeling and analyzing such interactions is crucial to understand social phenomena that happen when people face different opinions while expressing and discussing their values. In this work, we study a Reddit community in which people participate to judge or be judged with respect to some behavior, as it represents a valuable source to study how users express judgments online. We model threads of this community as complex networks of user interactions growing in time, and we analyze the evolution of their structural properties. We show that the evolution of Reddit networks differ from other real social networks, despite falling in the same category. This happens because their global clustering coefficient is extremely small and the average shortest path length increases over time. Such properties reveal how users discuss in threads, i.e. with mostly one other user and often by a single message. We strengthen such result by analyzing the role that disagreement and reciprocity play in such conversations. We also show that Reddit thread’s evolution over time is governed by two subgraphs growing at different speeds. We discover that, in the studied community, the difference of such speed is higher than in other communities because of the user guidelines enforcing specific user interactions. Finally, we interpret the obtained results on user behavior drawing back to Social Judgment Theory.