Mechanism, transmission and enforcement of social norms: A study of college students' drinking behavior

Evidence of normative influence on health behavior has been broadly identified; however, issues regarding the mechanism, transmission and enforcement of norms remain to be understood. Drawing from Giddens' (1984) Theory of Structuration, Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation (1983), and Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (1983), this dissertation examines the mediating roles of cost-benefit judgments, interpersonal communication and social sanctions in the norms-behavior and norms-intention relations. Specifically, this study proposes that group norms indirectly impact behavior or intention by affecting the ways that group members judge behaviors. In addition, normative messages are shared through the process of interpersonal communication and norms become effective when they are enforced through social sanctions.;An online survey of over 500 students from various student organizations in a major university was conducted to determine the influence of group norms on drinking behavior and intention. Results of structural equation modeling indicated that perceived benefit of drinking was positively associated with drinking intention and behavior. The perceived benefit also fully mediated the norm-intention and norm-behavior relations. The perceived cost resulting from drinking, however, was not a significant predictor of either drinking intention or behavior. Both social reward and punishment had positive direct effects on drinking intention and are significant mediators of norms and drinking intention, but not of actual drinking behavior. Communication patterns fully mediated both the norms-behavior and norms-intention relations. These mediation findings suggest that: (1) the norms-intention relationship will not be well established without the process of social sanctions; (2) the influence of group norms on both behavior and intention depend on the perceived benefit of judgment on drinking and the level of communication about drinking among group members. These results have significant importance for the effective design of public health campaigns.