Download Social Norming - The BACCHUS Network

Social Norm Marketing
Correcting Misperceptions
on Campus
Jan L. Gascoigne, PhD, CHES
[email protected]
Olivia R. Jolly MPH, CHES
[email protected]
The BACCHUS Network
Traditional Health Education
Strategies

“If only you knew...”

“I’m okay...You, not so much...”

“Health Terrorism”
“If only you knew...”

Information

Motorcycle Helmets Save Lives

Seat Belts Save Lives: “Buckle Up for Safety”

Alcohol is a Drug

Smoking causes cancer
“I’m okay...You, not so much...”

Preaching

Smoking Doesn’t Make You Look Cool

I Don’t Drink, You Shouldn’t Either
Health Terrorism:

Scaring the Health into Students

There are bad things out there

Everyone is at risk
Traditional Health Education
Strategies

“Health Terrorism”

Sex = AIDS & Death or Pregnancy

“Drink, Drive, and Die”
Make Smoking History
Advertisement Campaign
3000 Kids Start Smoking Everyday
1st Bike
5 years old
1st Hamster
8 years old
1st Cigarette
11 years old
Traditional Health Education Strategies

Information
Raises awareness, but does not necessarily
translate to behavior


Skill Building
Often does not reach the target population
 May conflict with cultural and environmental
values


Scare Tactics
Negative marketing
 No credibility
 Sets a norm that the behavior is common

Commercial Marketing

The goal of commercial marketing is to
steer existing patterns of thought and
behavior in a certain directionconvincing consumers that a certain
brand of toothpaste is superior , for
instance, rather than that it is important
to brush teeth regularly
Social Marketing

Social marketing is a somewhat more complex
concept and sometimes also less effective than its
commercial counterpart, since it aims to influence
people’s ideas and behavior. Moreover, marketing
social products with a tangible base is even more
complex, as demand has to be created for the idea or
product concept, such as family planning, as well as
for the tools or products itself, such as condoms
Social Marketing





Is a health promotion strategy
Utilizes commercial marketing techniques to promote
health behaviors and social justice issues
Creates advertising and promotional materials for
organizations or concepts
Addresses the needs of the target population
Takes time and persistence to create change
Social Marketing
Has a focused message
 Take on one issue at a time
 Requires saturation of the target
community

Social Norm Theory
Pro-Active Prevention
Most students are making
HEALTHY CHOICES
and have
Healthy Attitudes
about pertinent
Life issues
Most Students
do not
know
they are
Most Students
Silent Majority
The “Perceived Norm”
of irresponsible behavior
becomes acceptable--
Healthy students become the
“Silent Majority”
Misperceptions of Peer Attitudes and Perceived Campus
Norms for Alcohol Use Among Students.
(Perkins & Berkowitz, 1986)

“Drinking is never a good thing to do.”

“Drinking is all right, but a student should never get
‘smashed’.”

“An occasional ‘drunk’ is okay as long as it doesn’t
interfere with grades and responsibilities.”

“An occasional ‘drunk’ is okay even if it does occasionally
interfere with grades or responsibilities.”

“A frequent ‘drunk’ is okay if that’s what the individual
wants to do.”
Where Do Misperceptions
Come From?
Extreme Behavior Stands Out
 The Media
 Perceptions of College Life
 Carriers of Misperception
 “Bystander” Syndrome

Misperceptions and
Social Norms Theory
“This theory holds that if students perceive
something to be the norm, they tend to alter their
behavior to fit that norm, even if it isn’t reality.
So if students think heavy drinking is normal,
they’ll drink more. If they think responsible
drinking is normal, they’ll drink more
responsibility.”
- Michael Haines, NIU
Social Norms Marketing
Social Marketing
Plus
Social Norms Theory
Why It Works?
It is cost effective
It is local- it is about me
Marketing is a powerful
It is tradition-forming
It is campus or community-wide

Downsides?
Telling the truth is dangerous
 People will want to add their own stuff
 Harm reduction focus
 It takes time and patience to get saturation
 You will get bored, your students/staff will
 get bored--keep the faith
 The “most” can isolate the “some”
 Very hard to get buy-in/consistent messages
 People may feel attacked--”that can’t work”

NCAAW National Campaign
NCAAW National Campaign
Smokeout National Campaign
Montana Model: Systemic Coordination
Montana Model Linkenbach & D’Atri 1998
Social Norm Marketing Steps & Components
Montana Model Linkenbach & D’Atri, 1998
Social Norm Marketing Steps & Components
Montana Model Linkenbach & D’Atri, 1998
Step 1 Planning and Environmental Advocacy
Research
 Goals and Objectives
 Assets & Liabilities
 Map Key Stakeholders
 Trainings
 Sustainability

Social Norm Marketing Steps & Components
Montana Model Linkenbach & D’Atri, 1998
Step 2 Baseline Data
Existing Data
 Quantitative Data
 Qualitative Data
 Triangulation

Social Norm Marketing Steps & Components
Montana Model Linkenbach & D’Atri, 1998
Step 3 Message Development
Normative Message Principles
 Create Samples
 Cross Check

Social Norm Marketing Steps & Components
Montana Model Linkenbach & D’Atri, 1998
Step 4 Market Plan
Customer Orientation
 Assess Communication Channels
 Strategic Plan
 The Five “P’s” Market Mix

Social Norm Marketing Steps & Components
Montana Model Linkenbach & D’Atri, 1998
Step 5 Pilot Test and Refine Materials
Sub-Population Testing
 Saturation of Feedback
 Refine and Re-Pilot
 Terminate and Go

Social Norm Marketing Steps & Components
Montana Model Linkenbach & D’Atri, 1998
Step 6 Implement Plan
Initiate Plan
 Pilot “on the run”
 Serve as Broker
 Trouble Shooting
 Data for Next Generation

Social Norm Marketing Steps & Components
Montana Model Linkenbach & D’Atri, 1998
Step 7 Evaluation
Formative
 Process
 Outcome
 Documents Notebook
 Ripple Effects
 Product Delivery

Lessons Learned: Stakeholders Groups

Creates Support for Campaign

Spend a Year Getting Campus Ready for Campaign

Create an Inclusive Group

Hold Regular Meetings

Value Peers in The Process
Train Carriers (RAs, Student Government, Peer
Educators)


Faculty, Administration
Lessons Learned: Survey Methods

Plan for Extra Time with Human Subject Review Board

Instrument Selection

Dillman Mailing Model

Incentives for Survey Return
Involve Students--Opportunity to Work With Statistics
Class


Definition of “Smoker” is Unclear
Lessons Learned: Message Development

Color

Photo Selection

Focus the Message

Vary Medium of Message

Consider Main Messages--Less is More

Prep to Answer Questions about Messages

Campus/Community Response- Smoker vs. Non-Smokers

Poster Quantity

Be Prepared for Those Who Want To Quit
Continuing to Create Change With Students A Peer Education Perspective
Point 1
We need to motivate students to be responsible
for their own health
Point 2
Continue to help students choose health by
inviting them to “positive” possibilities
Point 3
We need to promote the health of the
“most” while reaching out to the “some.”
Point 4
Create campus environments where
unhealthy behavior stands out and is
confronted
Resources




www.socialnorm.org
Schneider, Towvim, DeJong “The Social Norms Marketing
Research Project: Results for Study 1.” The Report on Social
Norms, Volume 4(5): February 2005
Larimer, Mallet, Geisner “Predicting drinking behavior and
alcohol-related problems among fraternity and sorority
members: Examining the role of descriptive and injunctive
norms.” Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2004 18(3): 203212.
Scholly, Katz, Gascoigne, HOlck, “Using Social Norms Theory to
Explain Perceptions and Sexual Health Behaviors of
Undergraduate college Students: An Exploratory Study.” Journal
of American College Health, Vol. 53, NO. 4, 2004
The North American Conference on the
Social Norms Approach
July 15-17, 2007
Cambridge, MA
www.bacchusnetwork.org