Social Norms Theory
Background Information
A social norms campaign entitled 3/5 of “U” was launched in 2001-2002 as a part of Southern New Hampshire University's substance abuse prevention strategies. This strategy is centered on a theory that by reducing the misperceptions that exist regarding a behavior, one can impact actual behavior. In this case, by focusing on positive majority behavior and by reducing the myths that exist on our campus regarding alcohol and tobacco use, we can have a direct impact on how much people use and frequency of that use. In general, it is a case of “telling the students the truth” about what their peers are doing that is positive, low-risk and normative.
Campaign Strategy for 2003-2004
The Social Norms campaign continued with the messages developed in the 2002-2003 year, with changes in slogans to illustrate changes in data. The 10 messages focused on messages pertaining to alcohol use and negative consequences of use, marijuana use, sexual activity, and safer sex practices. Campaign materials included posters, life size cutouts, newspaper ads, radio spots, pens, and a postcard for Admission Open House packets. Cutouts were used to present the social norms messages in a passive programming method during orientation and “Social Norm” sponsored a station with Smokey the Bear at the CLASS Open House last fall. In addition, the messages appeared in the Campus Weekly and the Observer and are included as an essay option for the University's on-line application.
Presentations were held with the following groups pertaining to the social norms theory and our project at SNHU: FEX instructors, the Board of Trustees Student Affairs Committee, and 19 of 30 FEX classes. Alan Berkowitz, co-founder of the theory, held a session with athletic coaches and staff on building team culture. A student took an independent course in the spring semester employing social norms theory in a research project on body image and eating habits. Data from that study will be used in the 2004-05 campaign.
Survey Findings
A survey to measure impact on behavior and attitude was conducted in a cross-section of classrooms in the spring of 2003. A total of 501 surveys were collected.
Preliminary results of the social norms campaign (at a 2 year interval) indicate these statistically significant changes p value): changes in attitudes among students about drinking to a more permissive attitude for both SNHU (p=.02) and comparison schools (p=.01), reduction in misperception of other students' attitudes (p=.02), reduction in number of drinks reported to consume when “partying” (p=.02), and reductions in reported use of tobacco (p= -1.96) and alcohol (p=.01) in a six-month period. Other reductions that were reported but not quite statistically significant include: fewer nights per week of reported “partying” (p=.052) and perception of others' “partying” (p=.052).
The majority of students (54.4%) report “partying” 1 or fewer nights per week, which is a decrease in frequency from 2 or fewer in 2001.
The majority of students (55.1%) report having 6 or fewer drinks when they “party” as compared to 2001 data in which the majority of students reported 7 or fewer.
Binge drinking rates have fallen by 10% since the campaign started.
The number of students reporting they don't smoke has risen 8.6% since the campaign started.
The number of students reporting marijuana use has fallen 7% since the campaign started.
Students report fewer consequences in 19 of 23 categories as compared to data collected in 2001
A social norms campaign entitled 3/5 of “U” was launched in 2001-2002 as a part of Southern New Hampshire University's substance abuse prevention strategies. This strategy is centered on a theory that by reducing the misperceptions that exist regarding a behavior, one can impact actual behavior. In this case, by focusing on positive majority behavior and by reducing the myths that exist on our campus regarding alcohol and tobacco use, we can have a direct impact on how much people use and frequency of that use. In general, it is a case of “telling the students the truth” about what their peers are doing that is positive, low-risk and normative.
Campaign Strategy for 2003-2004
The Social Norms campaign continued with the messages developed in the 2002-2003 year, with changes in slogans to illustrate changes in data. The 10 messages focused on messages pertaining to alcohol use and negative consequences of use, marijuana use, sexual activity, and safer sex practices. Campaign materials included posters, life size cutouts, newspaper ads, radio spots, pens, and a postcard for Admission Open House packets. Cutouts were used to present the social norms messages in a passive programming method during orientation and “Social Norm” sponsored a station with Smokey the Bear at the CLASS Open House last fall. In addition, the messages appeared in the Campus Weekly and the Observer and are included as an essay option for the University's on-line application.
Presentations were held with the following groups pertaining to the social norms theory and our project at SNHU: FEX instructors, the Board of Trustees Student Affairs Committee, and 19 of 30 FEX classes. Alan Berkowitz, co-founder of the theory, held a session with athletic coaches and staff on building team culture. A student took an independent course in the spring semester employing social norms theory in a research project on body image and eating habits. Data from that study will be used in the 2004-05 campaign.
Survey Findings
A survey to measure impact on behavior and attitude was conducted in a cross-section of classrooms in the spring of 2003. A total of 501 surveys were collected.