On the norm sensitivity of younger mobile phone users: Perceived social norms and phubbing in interactions between younger and older generations

Younger and older mobile phone users differ in their tolerance of phubbing, that is, using one’s phone in face-to-face interactions. Yet, there is limited knowledge of how phubbing norms influence phone use in intergenerational interactions. We conducted an online survey among younger (aged ≤ 41; n = 105) and older adults (n = 104), compared their generation-specific normative perceptions, and analyzed how these perceived norms were correlated with intergenerational phubbing. The results suggest a particular norm sensitivity of younger phone users, meaning that they not only had generation-specific normative perceptions, but that they also adapted their phone use to the older generation’s phubbing norms in interactions with them

Communication as the crucial link: Toward a multilevel approach to normative social influence

Social norms are informal rules within a group or society. Despite the consensus that social norms affect behavior, there is an inherent tension in the cross-disciplinary norms literature between the conceptualization of norms as individual and collective phenomena. The present paper capitalizes on the potential of communication as the link between different levels of social norms to develop an integrative approach to normative social influences. Concretely, it refers to the differentiation between perceived and collective norms, systematizes the current literature on the role of communication in social normative influences, and outlines how communication serves as functional link between the individual and collective level of norms. The resulting multilevel approach to normative social influences (MANSI) allows us to reflect on norms as dynamic phenomena that account for individual and social change. Ultimately, we discuss challenges and areas for further inquiry for the study of norms, and thereby derive recommendations for future research on multilevel normative social influences

Communication as the crucial link: Toward a multilevel approach to normative social influence

Social norms are informal rules within a group or society. Despite the consensus that social norms affect behavior, there is an inherent tension in the cross-disciplinary norms literature between the conceptualization of norms as individual and collective phenomena. The present paper capitalizes on the potential of communication as the link between different levels of social norms to develop an integrative approach to normative social influences. Concretely, it refers to the differentiation between perceived and collective norms, systematizes the current literature on the role of communication in social normative influences, and outlines how communication serves as functional link between the individual and collective level of norms. The resulting multilevel approach to normative social influences (MANSI) allows us to reflect on norms as dynamic phenomena that account for individual and social change. Ultimately, we discuss challenges and areas for further inquiry for the study of norms, and thereby derive recommendations for future research on multilevel normative social influences

Tracing-technology adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic: The multifaceted role of social norms

Tracing technology has been introduced as part of a broader COVID-19 containment strategy in many countries. However, little is yet known about the drivers and barriers to the adoption of tracing apps. Our theoretical framework integrates concepts from technology acceptance (i.e., perceived usefulness and ease of use), health protection (i.e., perceived threat), and social norms research (i.e., perceived norms). To understand the role of these perceptions in the decision process of people who hesitated to adopt the app (N = 327), we conducted a two-wave panel study after app release in Switzerland. We found that perceived usefulness and ease of use of the app, as well as perceived threat of COVID-19 were positively correlated with adoption intention, whereas perceived threat of data misuse was negatively correlated with it. Social norms played a multifaceted role: They were positively correlated with perceived usefulness of the app and adoption intention. Adoption intention, in turn, predicted app adoption 10 weeks later. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of these findings

Social Aspects of Health Communication – Towards a Research Agenda

Health and health-related behaviours are embedded in social contexts in various ways which comprise both risks and opportunities for health communication. We propose a research agenda on social aspects of health communication and introduce the articles of the present special issue. Owing to the complexity of individuals’ social contexts, the research agenda addresses questions lying at the individual, interpersonal, and societal levels. The issue’s articles cover different and highly relevant questions of this research agenda, ranging from stigmatisation to impression management to collective action and from experimental designs to qualitative interviews and netnography. In sum, the articles demonstrate not only the diversity but also the relevance of academic research on social aspects of health communication. We expect that this topic will continue gaining importance, given the ongoing digitalisation of the media environment and the increasing interconnectedness of producers and users, doctors and patients, and experts and laypersons

Everyday disconnection experiences: Exploring people’s understanding of digital well-being and management of digital media use

With the permeation of digital media into all spheres of life, individual-level efforts to manage information abundance and constant availability have become more common. To date, information on the prevalence of the motivations and strategies for such disconnection practices and how different sociodemographic groups experience digital disconnection is scarce. We surveyed a national sample of 1163 Swiss Internet users in November 2020. Thematic coding of open-text responses demonstrated people’s understandings of “balanced digital media use” as primarily concerned with subjectively appropriate amounts of use, purposeful use, social connections, non-addiction, and time for “real life.” Through principal components analysis, we provide a classification of the types of motivations people have for disconnecting and strategies people use to disconnect. Persistent age differences suggest that life-span approaches to studying digital disconnection are imperative. We formulate implications for disconnection research in the context of digital inequality and provide an outlook for evolving digital habits in future digital societies

The effects of social norms among peer groups on risk behavior: A multilevel approach to differentiate perceived and collective norms

Social norms have been found to be an important factor in individuals’ health and risk behaviors. Past research has typically addressed which social norms individuals perceive in their social environments (e.g., in their peer group). The present article explores normative social influences beyond such perceptions by applying a multilevel approach and differentiating between perceived norms at the individual level and collective norms at the group level. Data on norms and three road traffic risk behaviors (speeding, driving after drinking, and texting while driving) were obtained from a representative survey among young German car drivers (N = 311 anchor respondents) and their peer groups (overall N = 1,244). Multilevel modeling (MLM) revealed that beyond individual normative perceptions of peers’ behavior and approval, actual collective norms (peers’ actual risk behavior and attitudes) affect individuals’ risk behaviors. Findings are discussed with regard to theorizing normative influences on risk behavior and practical implications

Dynamic norms for dynamic times? An experiment on the effects of dynamic and static norms messages on COVID-19 vaccination intention

Social norms messages may motivate COVID-19 preventive behaviors, such as getting vaccinated. To date, however, the research has mainly focused on the established concept of static norms and widely ignored the potential of dynamic norms. Dynamic norms convey information about how norms are developing over time and have been shown to promote change when the behavior is not yet the majority norm. The present study investigated the potential of dynamic norms in the context of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. It examined (a) the effects of static and dynamic norms messages on vaccination intention, (b) the mechanisms through which dynamic norms may influence vaccination intention, and (c) the potential of dynamic norms to increase vaccination intention of vaccine-hesitant people. We conducted a preregistered online experiment with three conditions (static norm, dynamic norm, control message) among people who were not yet vaccinated (N = 2,289, 16-60 years) in May 2021, during the early vaccine roll-out period for the general population in Switzerland. We found no effects of exposure to the static or dynamic norms messages on vaccination intention and no specific influence mechanisms of dynamic norms (e.g., via perceived future norm) - neither for participants who were willing to get vaccinated nor for the vaccine-hesitant group. However, further analyses showed that, among vaccine-hesitant participants, the normative perception that formerly vaccine-critical people were changing their minds was correlated with a stronger vaccination intention. We discuss potential reasons why social norms messages did not show an effect in our study and derive theoretical and practical implications

Reasons for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19 in German-speaking Switzerland: An online survey among vaccine hesitant 16-60 year olds

Background: Several research studies have examined the reasons why people are hesitant to be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, there is no published data to date on Switzerland. Identifying these reasons among the Swiss population who are vaccine hesitant may help inform campaigns to encourage vaccine confidence. Aims: The primary aim of this study is to identify the reasons for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19 among Swiss residents who are vaccine hesitant. The secondary aim is to examine whether reasons differ by age, gender, education, and likelihood of accepting a vaccination to better target campaigns and design interventions. Design: An online survey asked participants to indicate the reasons why they were hesitant to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Setting: German-speaking Swiss Cantons, the survey was administered online between 5 May 2021 and 16 May 2021. Participants: The participants in this analysis were a sample of (N=1191) Swiss residents age 16-60 years old from German-speaking Cantons, who could answer an online survey in German, who had yet not been vaccinated, who had not yet registered for a vaccination appointment, and who did not indicate that they would definitely be vaccinated if offered the chance. Findings: Among people who are vaccine hesitant in Switzerland, the most common reasons forbeing hesitant were side-effect, safety, and effectiveness concerns. It was also common for people to indicate that they were healthy/at low risk, would decide later, and that they wanted to build immunity naturally. Less common, but still prevalent concerns included wanting more information, thinking COVID-19 was not a real threat, and concerns that the vaccine may serve another purpose. Differences in reasons for being vaccine hesitant were found by age, gender, education, and likelihood of accepting a vaccination if offered. Conclusions: To increase the likelihood of accepting a vaccination, vaccination campaigns should address side-effect, safety, and effectiveness concerns. Campaigns could also consider informing people why it is necessary for people in lower risk groups to be vaccinated, and why vaccination is preferable to infection for building immunity. While campaigns may be effective in reaching some of the population, alternative strategies might be necessary to strengthen the trust relationship with vaccines and vaccine providers in some groups. Less prevalent concerns, such as not liking needles, could be addressed through individual level interventions