The Influence of Social Norms on College Drinking: Considering the Role of Regulatory Mode

• In Event: Alcohol Use Among College Students

Abstract

This study explored how college students’ regulatory mode influences their responses to university descriptive drinking norms and university injunctive drinking norms. The moderating effect of regulatory mode was examined both on the influence of chronic college drinking norms and on the influence of the descriptive and injunctive normative appeals. Results of an experimental study provided partial support for the hypotheses. People with a strong (vs. weak) assessment orientation reported greater descriptive norm influence on their drinking behaviors. Predominant locomotors were more influenced by descriptive (vs. injunctive) norms to drink. People’s regulatory mode influenced their responses to the normative appeals in a different pattern. Inconsistent with our hypotheses, people with a strong locomotion orientation were more persuaded by the injunctive (vs. descriptive) norm message. People with differing level of assessment orientation didn’t respond differently to different types of normative messages. Implications of the findings for social norm interventions were discussed.

Authors

• Bo Yang, University of Maryland

• Xiaoli Nan, U of Maryland