Putting Text in Context: The Conflict between Pro-Ecological Messages and Anti-Ecological Descriptive Norms

In the present work we test whether the effectiveness of ecological messages may be canceled out when they conflict with the descriptive norm that is salient in the situation. In two studies, participants were unobtrusively observed while performing an ecologically relevant behavior: leaving lights on or off when exiting a public space. The results of Study 1 showed in two different settings (i.e., public washrooms of a university and of a restaurant) the powerful influence of focusing a descriptive norm that refers to such behavior, even when this descriptive norm is not sustained by the injunctive norm. The results of Study 2 showed the overall ineffectiveness of ecological messages when the information in the message was in conflict with the descriptive norm made salient by the context. Additionally, the results of a Follow-up Study suggested that vividness-congruency may increase the effectiveness of the message. Both the theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

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Handen wassen na het plassen. Jong geleerd, oud gedaan?

Tijdschrift voor Communicatiewetenschappen ◽

10.5117/2011.039.003.041 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 39 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Maartje J.M. de Kort ◽

Aart S. Velthuijsen

Keyword(s):

Social Influence ◽

Descriptive Norm ◽

Critical Importance ◽

Injunctive Norm ◽

Descriptive Norms ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Persuasive Strategies ◽

The Social ◽

Normative Social Influence ◽

The Impact

Do you wash your hands after using the bathroom? Two studies about communicating the injunctive and descriptive norm, and practicing informational and normative social influence in order to promote handwashing behavior. Do you wash your hands after using the bathroom? Two studies about communicating the injunctive and descriptive norm, and practicing informational and normative social influence in order to promote handwashing behavior. Increasing handwashing compliance after using the bathroom was the main goal of the two studies. Handwashing is of critical importance for preventing the spread of bacteria. Most people do know this, but they don’t behave in accordance to this fact. Lack of knowledge does not explain the discrepancy and therefore we investigated two strategies from the social influence literature. The effects on the handwashing behavior were observed unobtrusively. In the first study the impact of communicating the injunctive and descriptive norms regarding handwashing were examined. Results indicate that handwashing is promoted by communicating the injunctive norm. The impact of the descriptive norm is less important. In the second study informational and normative social influence were examined under different experimental conditions. Both informational and normative social influence promoted handwashing behavior and increased handwashing compliance after using the bathroom. Implications for influencing automatic and routine behavior by the use of communication and persuasive strategies are discussed.

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Perceptions of the Self and most People’s Reactions towards Innocent and Noninnocent Victims

The Spanish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1017/sjp.2013.78 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hélder Alves ◽

Isabel Correia

Keyword(s):

Experimental Study ◽

University Students ◽

The Self ◽

Descriptive Norm ◽

Injunctive Norm ◽

Descriptive Norms ◽

Secondary Victimization ◽

Innocent Victim

AbstractResearch has shown that: individuals positively distinguish themselves from most other people; being consistent is positively valued; injunctive and descriptive norms are perceived to protect victims. Joining these findings, we argue that individuals present themselves as following injunctive and descriptive norms towards victims to a higher extent and more consistently than most people. In an experimental study 273 university students of both sexes indicated what they and most other people would approve of (injunctive norm) or typically do (descriptive norm) regarding various reactions towards either an innocent or a noninnocent victim. The reactions involved secondary victimization (devaluation/derogation, avoidance, suffering minimization, blaming the victim) and non secondary victimization (valuation, contact, suffering acknowledgment, not blaming the victim). Participants perceived themselves and most people as approving of more non secondary than secondary victimization reactions, except for blaming the noninnocent victim. Participants indicated they approved of most of the normative reactions to a higher extent than most people, which is interpreted as a new instance of the Primus Inter Pares effect. Participants also indicated they would show more consistency between their injunctive and descriptive norms, especially towards the innocent victim. Results suggest that individuals perceive themselves as more immune to perverse norms than most people.

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Guilt Enhances the Persuasive Effects of Injunctive But Not Descriptive Social Norms

Social Psychological and Personality Science ◽

10.1177/1948550620950585 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 194855062095058

Author(s):

Ryan P. Jacobson ◽

Kathryn J. L. Jacobson ◽

Allecia E. Reid

Keyword(s):

Social Norms ◽

State Level ◽

Public Service Announcement ◽

Descriptive Norm ◽

Injunctive Norm ◽

Injunctive Norms ◽

Descriptive Norms ◽

Norm Violations ◽

Control Message ◽

Guilt Proneness

The focus theory of normative conduct asserts that distinct processes are involved in responding to injunctive norms versus descriptive norms. This research tested the prediction that guilt would be more strongly involved in motivating conformity to injunctive than descriptive norms. Study 1 demonstrates that people anticipate feeling guiltier following injunctive than descriptive norm violations. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrate that guilt proneness and state-level guilt enhance the persuasiveness of messages framed with injunctive norms but not control-framed or descriptive norm–framed messages. Finally, Study 4 shows that a guilt-arousing public service announcement is more effective if framed using an injunctive norm than a descriptive norm or a control message. These results augment understanding of the different ways that injunctive and descriptive norms influence behavior and have applied implications for social norms marketing interventions.

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Examining Holland’s model for Ecuadorian youth. Tool development and psychometric implications for vocational counseling

Educational Psychology ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0014.6220 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (18) ◽

pp. 7-18

Author(s):

Mariusz Tomasz Wołońciej

Keyword(s):

Short Version ◽

Vocational Counseling ◽

Tool Development ◽

Vocational Personality ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Reliability Indicators ◽

Circular Model ◽

Vocational Preferences ◽

Practical Implications

Holland’s (1997) scale is one of the most frequently used measures of vocational personality. The study describes the multiphase development and cultural validation of a short version of the sixfactor scale on a representative sample of 1735 Ecuadorian undergraduates. The Questionnaire of Vocational Preferences of Youth (Inventario de las Preferencias Profesionales de Jovenes: IPPJ) as the first culturally-rooted tool for Ecuadorian youth corresponds with the circular model by Holland (1997). Factorial analysis (EFA and CFA), validity, follow-up study, and reliability indicators support the factorial equivalence of the new, short version of the IPPJ. Some practical implications are outlined for vocational guidance in Ecuador.

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Electron Microscopy of Human Gallstones

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100065523 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 296-297

Author(s):

C. Wolpers ◽

R. Blaschke

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Bile Pigment ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Triclinic Crystal System ◽

X Ray ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Infra Red ◽

Main Components

Scanning microscopy was used to study the surface of human gallstones and the surface of fractures. The specimens were obtained by operation, washed with water, dried at room temperature and shadowcasted with carbon and aluminum. Most of the specimens belong to patients from a series of X-ray follow-up study, examined during the last twenty years. So it was possible to evaluate approximately the age of these gallstones and to get information on the intensity of growing and solving.Cholesterol, a group of bile pigment substances and different salts of calcium, are the main components of human gallstones. By X-ray diffraction technique, infra-red spectroscopy and by chemical analysis it was demonstrated that all three components can be found in any gallstone. In the presence of water cholesterol crystallizes in pane-like plates of the triclinic crystal system.

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