No one likes being told what to do. College students, especially, finding their independence for the first time, are not a fan of hearing what they should be doing. After all, everyone has the right to make a choice for themselves. So, it gets tricky when the choices we see students making turn out to [...]
A recent article in WSJ (yes, WSJ not an SSJ) includes using electronic media to share noms about drinking as a technique to reduce student drinking. Click here to read the article.
Who does well in groups where unhealthy behaviors are the norm? One frequent concern about the social norms approach is, “what if the majority of a population engages in the unhealthy behavior?” In social norms marketing, we believe that there’s always a positive norm that can be highlighted: for example, even if the majority of [...]
This publication, authored by James Turner and Adrienne Keller of the National Social Norms Institute, summarizes 3 1/2 years of data from the student health services of universities participating in the College Health Surveillance Network. This is the first article in the college health literature to be based on epidemiology and service utilization data from multiple institutions [...]
Do you want to learn more about the population you work with? Many college health professionals want to better understand the attitudes and behaviors of the students they work with, so they can design effective interventions and social marketing campaigns. There are a huge number of existing questionnaires that are designed to measure all kinds [...]
We were recently challenged to address a seemingly simple question. However, as with most questions worth asking, the seeming simplicity is deceptive. Here's the question and how we addressed it. Is “positive” advertising better than “negative” advertising? To answer this question, we have to consider a number of variables, including domain, audience, focus and purpose. Domain: [...]
Cronce and Larimer, from the University of Washington, offer a review of the efficacy of individually-focused interventions to prevent risky drinking and associated negative consequences among college students. Title Individual-focused approaches to the prevention of college student drinking Abstract Alcohol consumption is prevalent among college students and can become problematic for some. Numerous randomized controlled trials have evaluated the efficacy [...]
A small survey study with a convenience sample of college students. Title Control and Alcohol Problem-Recognition Among College Students Abstract Objective: This study examined negative control (i.e., perceived lack of control over life outcomes) and need for control as predictors of alcohol-problem recognition, evaluations (good/bad), and expectancies (likely/unlikely) among college students. The study also explored [...]
One of the underlying principles of social norms marketing is expressed by PIE: messages should be Positive, Inclusive and Empowering. A study of social marketing to "...minimise the harm from alcohol consumption" suggests that many social marketing approaches may be patronizing rather than empowering. What messages does social marketing advertising send? A content analysis of advertisements aiming to [...]
This systematic review, published in Alcohol and Alcoholism, suggests that the internet is more effective than print-based interventions but less effective than face-to-face interventions for binge drinking among college students. The title links to the full article. The Use of the Internet for Prevention of Binge Drinking Among the College Population: A Systematic Review of [...]
