Given that a large and growing body of research has documented the misperception of peer norms in a variety of populations and for a variety of behaviors, the question arises: Do these misperceptions positively correlate with behavior? If so, social norms theory suggests that by correcting such misperceptions (i.e., by reducing overestimations of the prevalence of a particular behavior), problematic and/or dangerous behavior will decline.

One recent study (Perkins et al., 2005), based on a sample of more than 76,000 students attending 130 colleges and universities across the nation, found not only that—regardless of the actual campus drinking norm (i.e., be it low, moderate, or high)—a consistently large percentage of students nationwide overestimated the quantity of alcohol consumed by their peers, and that students' perception of their campus drinking norm was the strongest predictor of the amount of alcohol personally consumed in comparison with the influence of all demographic variables. Furthermore, perception of the norm was also a much stronger predictor when compared to the actual campus drinking norm.

Below are some of the other studies in which misperceptions have been found to correlate with drinking behavior or to predict individual drinking levels. One of these studies (Larimer and neighbors, 2003) documents similar findings for gambling.

References

Beck, K.H. and Treiman, K.A. The relationship of social context drinking, perceived social norms, and parental influence to various drinking patterns of adolescents. Addictive Behaviors, 21(5):633-644.

Botvin, G.J. et al. Preventing binge drinking during early adolescence: One- and two-year follow-up of a school based preventive intervention. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 15:360-365, 2001.

Clapp, J.D., and McDonnell, A.L. The relationship of perceptions of alcohol promotion and peer drinking norms to alcohol problems reported by college students. Journal of College Student Development. 41(1):20-26, 2000.

D'Amico, E.J. et al. Progression into and out of binge drinking among high school students. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 15:341-349, 2001.

Korcuska, J.S. and Thombs, D.L. Gender role conflicts and sex-specific drinking norms:relationship to alcohol use in undergraduate women and men. Journal of College Student Development, 44(2):204-215, 2003.

Larimer, M.E. and Neighbors, C. Normative misperceptions and the impact of descriptive and injunctive norms on college student gambling. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 17(3):225-243, 2003.

Marks, G., Graham, J.W., and Hansen, W.B. Social projection and social conformity in adolescent alcohol use: a longitudinal analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 18(1):96-101, 1992.

Page, R.M., Scanlan, A. and Gilbert, L. Relationship of the estimation of binge-drinking among college students and personal participation in binge-drinking: implications for health education promotion. Health Education, 30:98-103, 1999.

Perkins, H.W. Religious traditions, parents, and peers as determinants of alcohol and drug use among college students. Review of Religious Research. 27(1):15-31, 1985.

Perkins, H. W., Haines, M. P., and Rice, R. Misperceiving the College Drinking Norm and Related Problems: A Nationwide Study of Exposure to Prevention Information, Perceived Norms and Student Alcohol Misuse. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 2005, 66(4):470-478.

Perkins, H.W. and Weschler, H. Variation in perceived college drinking norms and its impact on alcohol abuse: a nationwide study. Journal of Drug Issues, 26(4):961-974, 1996.

Prentice, D. A. and Miller, D.T. Pluralistic ignorance and alcohol use on campus: some consequences of misperceiving the social norm. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64(2):243-256, 1993.

Scher, K., Bartholow, B.D., and Nanda, S. Short and long-term effects of fraternity and sorority membership on heavy drinking: a social norms perspective. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 15:42-51, 2001.

Steffian, G. Correction of normative misperception: an alcohol abuse prevention program. Journal of Drug Education, 29(2):115-138, 1999.

Thombs, D.L. Alcohol and motor vehicle use: profiles of drivers and passengers. American Journal of Health and Behavior, 23:13-24, 1999.

Thombs, D.L. et al. Social context, perceived norms and drinking behavior in young people. Journal of Substance Abuse, 9:257-267, 1997.

Trockel, M., Williams, S., and Reis, J. Considerations for more effective social norms based alcohol education on campus: an analysis of different theoretical conceptualizations in predicting drinking among fraternity men. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 64:550-59, 2003.