Learning Objectives: Explain the social norm theory and how to apply it to tobacco reduction on campus. Describe the seven step model to create a social norm marketing campaign for a campus. Recognize the key content to developing a social norm message.
Abstract: Social norming research has shown that college students often believe that those engaging in healthy behavior are in the minority when, in fact, they are not. These distorted perceptions of group behavior and attitudes may lead students to comply with an inaccurate peer pressure. In social norming, the actual and perceived behaviors and attitudes of the target group are assessed and presented within a social marketing context to modify these misperceptions (Perkins & Berkowitz, 1986).
Social norms marketing approaches have been effective in reducing binge drinking on college campuses (Haines, 1998). For example, reductions of 18-21 percent in binge drinking rates among college students have been achieved over a two-year period by a number of campuses including Northern Illinois University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Western Washington University and the University of Arizona (Perkins et al., 1999). The use of this approach with an attempt at reducing smoking on campuses has had some success. One control group study found statistically significant changes in perceptions, tobacco use and in non-smokers who became more cognitively committed to non-smoking(Hancock, 2000). This program will highlight 8 campus demonstration sites using social norm marketing to address tobacco use on campus.
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