The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms

P. Wesley Schultz; Jessica M. Nolan; Robert B. Cialdini; Noah J. Goldstein; Vladas Griskevicius

doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x

The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms

P. Wesley Schultz¹; Jessica M. Nolan²; Robert B. Cialdini³; Noah J. Goldstein³; Vladas Griskevicius³

¹ 1 California State University, San Marcos · ² 2 University of Arkansas · ³ 3 Arizona State University

Psychological Science 2007 open access

Despite a long tradition of effectiveness in laboratory tests, normative messages have had mixed success in changing behavior in field contexts, with some studies showing boomerang effects. To test a theoretical account of this inconsistency, we conducted a field experiment in which normative messages were used to promote household energy conservation. As predicted, a descriptive normative message detailing average neighborhood usage produced either desirable energy savings or the undesirable boomerang effect, depending on whether households were already consuming at a low or high rate. Also as predicted, adding an injunctive message (conveying social approval or disapproval) eliminated the boomerang effect. The results offer an explanation for the mixed success of persuasive appeals based on social norms and suggest how such appeals should be properly crafted.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x
Volume: 18 (5)
Pages: 429-434
Language: en
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