Do as we say and as we do: The interplay of descriptive and injunctive group norms in the attitude–behaviour relationship
Abstract
Past research on the social identity approach to attitude–behaviour relations has operationalized group norms as a mixture of both descriptive information (i.e. what most people do themselves) and injunctive information (i.e. what most people approve of). Two experiments (Study 1=185 participants; Study 2=238 participants) were conducted to tease apart the relative effects of descriptive and injunctive group norms. In both studies, university students' attitudes towards current campus issues were obtained, the descriptive and injunctive group norms were manipulated, and participants' post‐manipulation attitudes, behavioural willingness, and behaviour were assessed. Study 2 also examined the role of norm source (i.e. in‐group vs. out‐group injunctive and descriptive norms). In both studies, the injunctive and descriptive in‐group norms interacted significantly to influence attitudes, behavioural willingness, and behaviour. Study 2 revealed that out‐group norms were largely ineffective. The research illustrates that in‐groups interactively influence decisions, not only by what they say, but also by what they do, and asserts the value of considering the interaction of descriptive and injunctive norms in accounts of normative influence.
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Placing a greater emphasis on the injunctive norm can help to overcome the problem of a negative descriptive norm.
“Research has shown that placing a greater emphasis on the injunctive norm can help to overcome the problem of a negative descriptive norm (Schultz et al., 2007; Smith and Louis, 2008).”
From A Social Identity Analysis of Climate Change and Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors: Insights and Opportunities (2016) · cites this paper as Smith and Louis, 2008
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- Authors
- Smith, J. R., & Louis, W. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Exeter (GB)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Smith, Joanne R.
- ORCID
- Louis, Winnifred R.
- Venue
- British Journal of Social Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2008-12
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 647-666
- ISSN
- 0144-6665 (ISSN-L)
- 2044-8309
- OpenAlex
- W2113377872
- Cited by
- 272
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 27.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Open Research Exeter (University of Exeter) (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Psychology of Social Influence
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Keywords
- attitude-behavior relationship, social identity approach, normative influence, ingroup norms, attitude change, university students
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Attitude, Australia, Behavior, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Middle Aged, Social Identification, Behavioral Research, Young Adult
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