An Explication of Social Norms
Abstract
This article identifies four factors for consideration in norms-based research to enhance the predictive ability of theoretical models. First, it makes the distinction between perceived and collective norms and between descriptive and injunctive norms. Second, the article addresses the role of important moderators in the relationship between descriptive norms and behaviors, including outcome expectations, group identity, and ego involvement. Third, it discusses the role of both interpersonal and mass communication in normative influences. Lastly, it outlines behavioral attributes that determine susceptibility to normative influences, including behavioral ambiguity and the public or private nature of the behavior.
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Our results highlight the importance of distinguishing between types of social norms and examining their respective influences on social media behavior.
“Second, they highlight the importance of distinguishing between types of social norms (Cialdini etal., 1991; Lapinski & Rimal, 2005) and examining their respective influences on social media behavior (see also Masur etal., 2023).”
From The Impact of Social Norms on Adolescents’ Self-Presentation Practices on Social Media (2024) · cites this paper as Lapinski & Rimal, 2005
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InfluentialWhen Your AI Agent Succumbs to Peer-Pressure: Studying Opinion-Change Dynamics of LLMs
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“The Societal Frame ("Should the government...?") directly measures the injunctive norm (what one should do), which is a core element of this theory [117].”
- Authors
- Lapinski, M. K., & Rimal, R. N.
- Affiliations
- Western Michigan University (US)
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lapinski, Maria Knight
- Venue
- Communication Theory
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2005-05
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 127-147
- ISSN
- 1050-3293 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-2885
- OpenAlex
- W2032926056
- Cited by
- 1,424
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 79 · 2025: 112 · 2024: 99 · 2023: 106 · 2022: 120 · 2021: 145 · 2020: 103 · 2019: 101 · 2018: 85 · 2017: 86 · 2016: 76 · 2015: 56 · 2014: 54 · 2013: 45 · 2012: 38
- FWCI
- 16.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Communication Theory (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Psychology of Social Influence
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Environmental Education and Sustainability
- Keywords
- social norms, descriptive norms, injunctive norms, perceived norms, collective norms, outcome expectations, group identity, ego-involvement, interpersonal communication, mass communication, normative influence
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