1. Social norms and pro-environmental action
Janet K. Swim, Ph.D.
The Pennsylvania State University

2. Norms Injunctive norms Norms can be personal or social
Descriptive norms
Actual behaviors; Base rates
Expectations about average typical behaviors
Injunctive norms
Behaviors one ought or ideally would do
Often have a moral town
Norms can be personal or social
Group Identification increases the influence of social norms

3. Following social norms satisfies psychological goals (Cialdini & Trost, 1998)
1) Effective action:
Doing things accurately
2) Fitting in:
Gain approval and acceptance of others
3) Manage self-concept:
Avoid self-conception as being different, deviant, or intransigent.

4. Social norms and pro-environmental behaviors
Descriptive norms more powerful than
Injunctive norms
Economic gains
True, even though most do not anticipate this (Nolan, Cialdini et al.)

5. Research questions
Is there evidence for importance of injunctive norms?
Cultural and individual Values as social norms.
Enforcing and following gender role norms
What is the role of interpersonal communication in the transmission, maintenance and changing of social norms?

6. Cultural values
Hegemonic values
Unquestioned value structures that support the dominance of particular groups
Hierarchy > egalitarianism
Mastery > harmony
Ecofeminism
Same values that support masculinity (hegemonic masculinity) support dominance of nature

7. Correlation among country level data
Cultural values
Correlation among country level data
-.49
Status of women
Hegemony:
Hierarchy > Egalitarianism
Mastery > Harmony
.28*
-.28
Vitality of eco-system
Control for each Nation’s GDP
Bloodhart & Swim, 2010

8. Cultural values
Do countries with different degrees of hegemony have citizens with different degrees of environmental concerns and behaviors?
German versus the United States
Swim & Becker, 2012

9. Cultural values Germany United States B = -.42, p < .05 in SEM
Yale Environmental Performance Index, specifically the subscale of ecosystem vitality
GHG Emissions (50%); Agriculture (8%), Fisheries (8%) Forestry (8%) , Biodiversity (8%), Air pollution (8%), Water Quality (8%)
B = -.42, p < .05 in SEM

10. Behavioral differences
Cultural values
Behavioral differences
Swim & Becker, 2012

11. Explaining behavioral differences via environmental concerns
Cultural values
Explaining behavioral differences via environmental concerns
Egoistic
Concerns
-.17**
-.11*
Country
0 = U.S.
1 = Germans
Pro-Env
behaviors
Biospheric
concerns
.31**
.11*

12. gender role norms

13. Predicting policy support
Gender role norms
Predicting policy support
Gender differences in environmental concern and pro-environmental attitudes
Consistent with gender role norms
Could lead to greater policy support among women than men
National Opinion Research
Sporadic gender differences
Perhaps policies are gendered?

14. Gender role consistency
Gender role norms
Gender role consistency
Preference for consistency
Especially in men
Especially when gender and/or gender role norms are important

15. Gender role norms
Sample 1:
Gender norms: expectations for gender differences in endorsement of 34 policies
Sample 2:
Rate preferences for policies
Complete measures of likelihood to conform to gender role norms
Gender role identity

16. Women: Gender identity
Gender role norms
Results
Men:
Gender identity
Support Policies expected to be endorsed by men more so than endorsed by women
Women: Gender identity

17. Communication of norms
1) Interpersonal communication
2) Social networks

18. Interpersonal communication:
Approving other’s behaviors
Admonishing other’s behaviors
Ignoring other’s behaviors
Rewards are more potent than punishments at molding behaviors.
Preference for positive over negative reactions
Avoid negative messaging (e.g., Moser)
Fear the fear
Avoid the guilt
Individuals are more comfortable with approval than admonishments (Nolan, 2012)
Self-regulation processes guide behaviors
Guilt signals failure to meet expectations, responsibilities or goals
Guilt leads to efforts to undo moral violations

19. Effect of feedback on subsequent behavior?
Interpersonal communication
Effect of feedback on subsequent behavior?
Stairs
Elevators
“Oh, you took the elevator? Most people take the stairs. Taking the elevator wastes a lot of electricity and is bad for the environment.”
“I’m glad you took the stairs… most people take the elevator. Taking the stairs saves a lot of electricity and helps the environment.”

20. Dependent measure: Go up stairs
Interpersonal communication
Dependent measure: Go up stairs
Interaction F(1, 207) = 8.48, p = .004 eta = .04

21. Dependent measure: Lights and monitor off (Behavioral spillover)
Interpersonal communication
Dependent measure: Lights and monitor off (Behavioral spillover)
Feedback: p = .09 Behavior down: p = .03

22. Social networking: Work in progress
Social Networks
Social networking: Work in progress
Sharing knowledge, motivation, and skills
Influence of connection on perceived norms
Networks: Bonding and Bridging within social networks
Eco-reps and energy challenge in residence halls
Friendship and peer networks among employees in Aquariums
Institutionalizing communication in religious organizations via “creation care committees”

23. Summary/Conclusions
Culture sets the context for defining social norms
E.g., through Cultural values & Gender role norms
Interpersonal processes
Enforce social norms
Anticipate that social network characteristics of individuals & groups will influence perceptions & transmission of social norms