Define Social Norms and Explain the Social Norms Approach to Influencing

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The Answer is Social norms are the customs for typical behavior within a particular society. Social norms exert a particularly strong influence on college students since they desire peer approval. Some social norms work well for emerging adults, as young adults watch their weight in order to be attractive to others, and based on rates of exercise, young adults join sports teams and gyms partly because norms encourage it. However, some norms push emerging adults in destructive directions such as binge drinking.
The social norms approach uses emerging adults' desire to follow social norms by making them aware of the prevalence of various behaviors within their peer group. The social norms approach seeks to reduce risky behaviors by having students respond to surveys. These surveys ask students to self-identify behaviors; then the results are compiled and reported to the group.
In general, when survey results are reported, and college students realize that most of their classmates study hard, avoid binge drinking, refuse drugs, and are sexually abstinent, faithful or protected, they are more likely to follow these social norms. This is especially true if the survey is conducted and reported on the Web, and if the students do not live with heavy drinkers.

Define Social Norms and Explain the Social Norms Approach to Influencing

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