261272 History and principles of social norms interventions

Sunday, October 28, 2012 : 9:10 AM - 9:50 AM

Jennifer Bauerle, PhD , Student Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
This 40 minute presentation is the second presentation in the full-day Learning Institute, “Social norms marketing interventions: Context, evidence, planning, implementation & evaluation. This presentation will provide participants with the information needed to understand the development of social norms theory and interventions and how social norms relates to leading social behavior theories. In this presentation audience response technology (clickers) will be used both to stimulate discussion and to illustrate differences between perception and reality for several belief and behavioral patterns. The presentation will include a review of social psychology research, beginning with Solomon Asch's experiments, demonstrating the influence that the choices that others make has on one's personal choices. Some of the leading theories of social psychology that are particularly relevant to social norms will be reviewed briefly including Learning Theories/Behavior Modification, Health Belief Model, social Learning/Social Cognitive Theory, Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior, Ecological Approaches, and Social Support. The Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior will be considered in more detail, with a diagrammatic representation of how misperception of norms fits into the theory. Having established the relevance of perceptions of others' beliefs and behaviors to one's own choices, the presentation will then shift to a historical overview of social norms theory and intervention. This overview will include the foundational work of Perkins and Berkowitz, as well as the adaptation to a more behavior-oriented approach through the work of Haines. Current data from the American Health Association's National College Health Survey will be used to illustrate typical perception-reality discrepancies in relationship to hazardous drinking among college students. The presentation will include the use of a “snowball survey” to provide participants with a hands-on experience in collecting perception and reality information from a small group without the use of technology.

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the evidence from social psychology for the importance of perceptions in determining behavioral choices 2. Describe the Theory of Planned Behavior and how social norms interventions fit into the theory 3. Discuss the foundational work in social norms interventions 4. Name and explain the components of PIE as guiding principles for social marketing interventions.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been Director of the National Social Norms Institute, University of Virginia for 5 years and have given numerous presentations and workshops, nationally and internationally, on the social norms approach. I have also published in peer-reviewed journals on social norms.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.