The Social Norms Approach: Changing Behavior through a Paradigm Shift

Transcription

1 The Social Norms Approach: Changing Behavior through a Paradigm Shift Food Forum Workshop September 4, 2015 * Washington D.C. jennifer bauerle, Ph.D. University of Virginia bauerle@virginia.edu

2 Successful Interventions Have the following characteristics: Express empathy Offer no argumentation Support self-efficacy Recognize discrepancy between individual s behavior & normative behavior in population

3 Revealing the Gap Between Perception & Norm NCHA, Fall 2014, n= 79,266 web surveys Q.: How many alcoholic drinks did you have/do you think the typical student at your school had the last time they partied or socialized?

4 What Is A Norm?

5 Perceptions of Norms Perceived norms are very important in explaining variances in certain behaviors Perceived norms can be accurate or inaccurate So What?

6 We Are Social Beings Landmark study by Solomon Asch Participants presented with standard lines Which line in Exhibit 2 matches Exhibit 1

7 How Do Misperceptions Occur

8 Whatever we focus on expands How many times do the people in the white shirts pass the basketball to each other? U2Mvo

9 Social Norms Approach Social Norms approach is a paradigm shift New way for many to bring about behavior change SN is a persuasive relationship It doesn t assume, lecture or terrorize

10 What Can We Do? Social Norms Programs Use normative data to highlight positive, healthy behaviors of majority Encourage protective behaviors, safety, & responsibility through empathy and support self-efficacy Develop discrepancies correct misperceptions between perceived and actual norms Avoid health terrorism (no arguing) Resonates with audience and encourages behavioral change

11 How to Design a Social Norms Campaign I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else. - Picasso Social Norms approach is a paradigm shift New way for many to bring about behavior change SN is a persuasive relationship It doesn t assume, lecture or terrorize Social Norms Practice is based on a long term relationship Sandboxes Social Norms Practitioners Intended Audience

12 How Social Norms Is Utilized Meta-analysis found participants were making food choices in type and quantity- based on what/how others were eating (Higgs et. Al, 2013) Findings showed that displaying he healthy descriptive norm resulted in more healthy food choices, compared to an unhealthy descriptive norm (Mollena et. Al, 2013) Study extents prior research on social norms and food by demonstrating influence of social norms beyond the laboratory setting (Burger et. Al., 2010) Two studies examined the effect of salient norms on women s food choices and found participants selected snacks consistent with what they believed others had chosen. (Burger, et. Al, 2010) Empirical evidence suggests that the taxpayers' inclination to cheat on taxes depends on the (perceived) behavior of their fellow citizens. (Demonstrated by Fellner et al., 2009) In a campaign to increase reuse of hotel towels, Descriptive Norms yielded a rate 9% higher than the Standard Environmental Message. (Goldstein et.al, 2008) Normative message on recycle bags given by block leaders resulted in a 28% usage rate compared to 3% in the Control Group (Shawn M. Burn, The Block Leader Approach)

13 Example of Behavioral Norm

14 Example of Attitudinal Norm

15 Does it work? Multivariate Analysis: First year students ( 01-06) exposed to the UVa campaign had 24% lower odds of having a Blodd Alcohol Concentration (BAC).08 (p = 0.024) First year students exposed to the UVa campaign had 22% lower odds of suffering at least two of the ten possible negative consequences (p=0.002)

16 Percentage of Consortium Experiencing Negative Consequences 40% 30% 20% % 0% Injured Fight Injuring Someone Regret Forget Force Sex Unprotected Sex Ref: Aggregate Data for NSNI Consortium, National College Health Assessment/ 2002, n=2436: FSU, MSU, VCU; 2004, n=4522: FSU, MSU, VCU, CSUF, GT; 2006, n=4186: MSU, VCU, CSUF, GT, UVA; 2008, n=5341: MSU, VCU,CSUF, GT, FSU

17 40% 30% 20% Negative Consequences: National College Health Assessment Reference Group Data % 0% Injured Fight Injuring Someone Regret Forget Force Sex Unprotected Sex Ref: National College Health Assessment, 2002, n= 28,258; 2004, n= 47,202; 2006, n=94,806; 2008, n=80,121

18 Social Norms Approach Corrects the misperceptions Changes behavior Does so by focusing on what s working already on the population Uses Social Marketing to convey a normative message

19 Use experts ask for feedback EARLY

20