When the frame fits the social picture:The effects of framed social norm messages on healthy and unhealthy food consumption

We investigated the influence of framed norm messages about food consumption on motivation to consume, and actual consumption of, healthy and unhealthy foods. We proposed that the effects of positive and negative message frames would vary by the type of underlying norms (i.e., injunctive, descriptive). More specifically, based on information processing theories, it was expected that injunctive norms would be more effective when framed negatively compared with positively, while the opposite was expected for descriptive norms. In both experiments, participants were randomly assigned to one of four framed social norm conditions or a no-norm control condition. In experiment 1, motivation to consume healthy and unhealthy foods was assessed by means of both indirect and self-report measures. In experiment 2, actual food consumption was assessed. In both experiments, the predicted interaction was found. Results show that injunctive norms benefit from a negative (vs. Positive) frame, while preliminary evidence suggests the opposite for descriptive norms

The role of issue familiarity and social norms: findings on new college students’ alcohol use intentions

<em>Background</em>. Scholars in a variety of disciplines are interested in understanding the conditions under which social norms affect human behavior. Following the distinction made between descriptive and injunctive norms by the focus theory of normative conduct, the theory of normative social behavior predicts that the influence of descriptive norms on behavior is moderated by injunctive norms, outcome expectations, and group identity. We extended the theory by testing the proposition that the influence of descriptive norms on behavior would be greater under conditions of greater issue familiarity, defined as the ease with which one can cognitively access the behavior or behavioral issue. <em>Design and Methods</em>. The model was tested in the domain of alcohol consumption intentions by conducting a survey among incoming students (n=719) to a large university in the United States. Data indicated that students in the sample were well representative of the university population. <em>Results</em>. The influence of descriptive norms on behavioral intentions was moderated by issue familiarity, as predicted. Familiarity was a facilitator of behavior: the influence of descriptive norms on behavioral intentions was greater under conditions of high, rather than low, familiarity. The overall model explained 53% of the variance in alcohol consumption intentions. <em>Conclusions</em>. Public health interventions promoting health behaviors need to take into account the extent to which the behaviors are familiar to the target audience. The influence of norms appears to be weaker when the behavior is unfamiliar or novel. Implications for theory and interventions for reducing alcohol consumption are discussed

The effectiveness of social norm information in stimulating financial help-seeking behavior: A field experiment

Early contact with people who need financial help is key in preventing financial derailment. It can prevent avoidable debt accumulation and accompanying psychological problems. In this field experiment, we investigated whether a descriptive social norm message mentioning an absolute number of customers who had previously reached out for help motivates customers of a Dutch mortgage lender to get in contact when they expect financial problems in the near future. The descriptive social norm letter did not result in more contacts. The results of our research contribute to the literature on social norm communication and debt prevention. Moreover, we present insights into the challenges associated with experimental field research on social influence and provide recommendations for future field work

Healthy and unhealthy social norms and food selection: Findings from a field experiment

AbstractThe behavior of others in people’s social environment (i.e., descriptive norms), as well as their opinions regarding appropriate actions (i.e., injunctive norms) strongly influence people’s decisions and actions. The goal of this study was to extend prior laboratory research on the influence of social norms on food choices, by conducting a field-experiment in an on-campus food court. One of three different messages was posted on a given day: a healthy descriptive norm, healthy injunctive norm, or an unhealthy descriptive norm. Effects of these social norms messages on food choice were compared against each other and a no-message control condition. In total, 687 students reported their food choice through a questionnaire provided to them. Food choices were analyzed for participants who reported being exposed to one of the social norms signs and those in the control condition (N=220). Findings showed that the healthy descriptive norm resulted in more healthy food choices, compared to an unhealthy descriptive norm, as well as the control condition. The difference between the injunctive healthy norm and the control condition was not significant, though those in the injunctive norm condition did make more healthy decisions, than those in the unhealthy descriptive norm condition. Implications with regard to theory and practice are discussed

Editorial: Unravelling social norm effects: How and when social norms affect eating behavior

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