--- title: "The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms" url: "https://conversion.stevebaka.de/studien/10-1111-j-1467-9280-2007-01917-x/" type: "study" language: de-DE description: "Despite a long tradition of effectiveness in laboratory tests, normative messages have had mixed success in changing behavior in field contexts, with some studies showing boomerang effects. To test a theoretical account of this inconsistency, we conducted a field experiment in which normative messages were used to promote household energy conservation. As predicted, a descriptive normative message detailing average neighborhood usage produced either desirable energy savings or the undesirable boomerang effect, depending on whether households were already consuming at a low or high rate. Also as predicted, adding an injunctive message (conveying social approval or disapproval) eliminated the boomerang effect. The results offer an explanation for the mixed success of persuasive appeals based on social norms and suggest how such appeals should be properly crafted." --- # The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms > The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms: Despite a long tradition of effectiveness in laboratory tests, normative messages have had mixed success in changing behavior in field contexts, with some studies showing boomerang effects. To test a theoretical account of this inconsistency, we conducted a field experiment in which normative messages were used to promote household energy conservation. As predicted, a descriptive normative message detailing average neighborhood usage produced either desirable energy savings or the undesirable boomerang effect, depending on whether households were already consuming at a low or high rate. Also as predicted, adding an injunctive message (conveying social approval or disapproval) eliminated the boomerang effect. The results offer an explanation for the mixed success of persuasive appeals based on social norms and suggest how such appeals should be properly crafted. Evidenzgrad B, Risk of Bias unclear. ## Quelle Autor:innen: P. Wesley Schultz, Jessica M. Nolan, Robert B. Cialdini, Noah J. Goldstein, Vladas Griskevicius Jahr: 2007 Journal/Quelle: Psychological Science DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x APA: Schultz, P. W., Nolan, J. M., Cialdini, R. B., Goldstein, N. J., & Griskevicius, V. (2007). The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms. Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x Zitationen laut Paper-Korpus: 3657 ## Forschungsfrage / Summary Despite a long tradition of effectiveness in laboratory tests, normative messages have had mixed success in changing behavior in field contexts, with some studies showing boomerang effects. To test a theoretical account of this inconsistency, we conducted a field experiment in which normative messages were used to promote household energy conservation. As predicted, a descriptive normative message detailing average neighborhood usage produced either desirable energy savings or the undesirable boomerang effect, depending on whether households were already consuming at a low or high rate. Also as predicted, adding an injunctive message (conveying social approval or disapproval) eliminated the boomerang effect. The results offer an explanation for the mixed success of persuasive appeals based on social norms and suggest how such appeals should be properly crafted. ## Methode und Evidenzqualität [Studien](/studien/)typ: Studie Risk of Bias: unclear Evidenzgrad: B ## Key Findings Evidence-Fill Queue: Findings werden aus Volltext, Abstract und Review-Notizen konsolidiert. ## Effektgrößen / Outcomes Evidence-Fill Queue: Effektgrößen und Outcomes werden aus Volltext-Extraktionen priorisiert. ## Conversion-Implikationen Evidence-Fill Queue: Conversion-Implikationen werden nur ausgespielt, wenn Mechanismus, Kontext und Messgröße ableitbar sind. ## Limitationen Evidence-Fill Queue: Limitationen werden aus Risk-of-Bias-, Sample- und Methodikfeldern ergänzt. ## Verknüpfte Konzepte - [Social Proof](/konzepte/social-proof/) ## Unterstützte Claims - [Soziale Normbotschaften können Verhalten beeinflussen, können aber je nach Formulierung auch unerwünschte Normen verstärken.](/claims/social-norm-messages-can-change-behavior/) ## FAQ ### Worum geht es in dieser Studie? The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms: Despite a long tradition of effectiveness in laboratory tests, normative messages have had mixed success in changing behavior in field contexts, with some studies showing boomerang effects. To test a theoretical account of this inconsistency, we conducted a field experiment in which normative messages were used to promote household energy conservation. As predicted, a descriptive normative message detailing average neighborhood usage produced either desirable energy savings or the undesirable boomerang effect, depending on whether households were already consuming at a low or high rate. Also as predicted, adding an injunctive message (conveying social approval or disapproval) eliminated the boomerang effect. The results offer an explanation for the mixed success of persuasive appeals based on social norms and suggest how such appeals should be properly crafted. Evidenzgrad B, Risk of Bias unclear. ### Welche Evidenz wird genutzt? Die Seite nutzt Claims, Studien, Use Cases und Quellen aus dem SurrealDB Knowledge Graph der Conversion-Psychologie-Wissensbasis. ### Ist die Ausgabe auf Deutsch verfügbar? Ja. Alle menschenlesbaren Inhalte und Agent-Ausgaben sind standardmäßig deutsch. ## Quellen - Schultz, P. W., Nolan, J. M., Cialdini, R. B., Goldstein, N. J., & Griskevicius, V. (2007). The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms. Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x [Quelle öffnen](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://conversion.stevebaka.de/#website", "url": "https://conversion.stevebaka.de", "name": "conversion.stevebaka.de", "description": "Deutschsprachige Wissensbasis und Audit-Plattform für evidenzbasierte Conversion-Psychologie.", "publisher": { "@id": "https://conversion.stevebaka.de/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://conversion.stevebaka.de/#organization", "name": "conversion.stevebaka.de", "url": "https://conversion.stevebaka.de", "parentOrganization": { "@id": "https://stevebaka.de/#organization" }, "sameAs": [ "https://stevebaka.de" ] }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://conversion.stevebaka.de/autoren/steve-baka/#person", "name": "Steve Baka", "url": "https://conversion.stevebaka.de/autoren/steve-baka/", "sameAs": [ "https://stevebaka.de" ], "jobTitle": "Conversion- und AI-Infrastructure-Berater", "knowsAbout": [ "Conversion-Psychologie", "Verkaufspsychologie", "Behavioral Science", "GraphRAG", "SurrealDB", "D-A-CH Conversion Optimierung" ] }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://conversion.stevebaka.de/studien/10-1111-j-1467-9280-2007-01917-x/#webpage", "url": "https://conversion.stevebaka.de/studien/10-1111-j-1467-9280-2007-01917-x/", "name": "The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms", "description": "Despite a long tradition of effectiveness in laboratory tests, normative messages have had mixed success in changing behavior in field contexts, with some studies showing boomerang effects. 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To test a theoretical account of this inconsistency, we conducted a field experiment in which normative messages were used to promote household energy conservation. As predicted, a descriptive normative message detailing average neighborhood usage produced either desirable energy savings or the undesirable boomerang effect, depending on whether households were already consuming at a low or high rate. Also as predicted, adding an injunctive message (conveying social approval or disapproval) eliminated the boomerang effect. The results offer an explanation for the mixed success of persuasive appeals based on social norms and suggest how such appeals should be properly crafted. Evidenzgrad B, Risk of Bias unclear. Quelle. Autor:innen: P. Wesley Schultz, Jessica M. Nolan, Robert B. Cialdini, Noah J. Goldstein, Vladas Griskevicius Jahr: 2007 Journal/Quelle: Psychological Science DOI: 10.1111/j.1467 9280.2007.01917.x APA: Schultz, P. W., Nolan, J. M., Cialdini, R. B., Goldstein, N. J., & Griskevicius, V. (2007). The Constructive, Destructive, and Reconstructive Power of Social Norms. Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467 9280.2007.01917.x Zitationen laut Paper Korpus: 3657 Forschungsfrage / Summary. Despite a long tradition of effectiveness in laboratory tests, normative messages have had mixed success in changing behavior in field contexts, with some studies showing boomerang effects. To test a theoretical account of this inconsistency, we conducted a field experiment in which normative messages were used to promote household energy conservation. As predicted, a descriptive normative message detailing average neighborhood usage produced either desirable energy savings or the undesirable boomerang effect, depending on whether households were already consuming at a low or high rate. Also as predicted, adding an injunctive message (conveying social approval or disapproval) eliminated the boomerang effect. The results offer an explanation for the mixed success of persuasive appeals based on social norms and suggest how such appeals should be properly crafted. Methode und Evidenzqualität. Studientyp: Studie Risk of Bias: unclear Evidenzgrad: B Key Findings. Evidence Fill Queue: Findings werden aus Volltext, Abstract und Review Notizen konsolidiert. Effektgrößen / Outcomes. Evidence Fill Queue: Effektgrößen und Outcomes werden aus Volltext Extraktionen priorisiert. Conversion Implikationen. Evidence Fill Queue: Conversion Implikationen werden nur ausgespielt, wenn Mechanismus, Kontext und Messgröße ableitbar sind. Limitationen. Evidence Fill Queue: Limitationen werden aus Risk of Bias , Sample und Methodikfeldern ergänzt. Verknüpfte Konzepte. Social Proof Unterstützte Claims. 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To test a theoretical account of this inconsistency, we conducted a field experiment in which normative messages were used to promote household energy conservation. As predicted, a descriptive normative message detailing average neighborhood usage produced either desirable energy savings or the undesirable boomerang effect, depending on whether households were already consuming at a low or high rate. Also as predicted, adding an injunctive message (conveying social approval or disapproval) eliminated the boomerang effect. The results offer an explanation for the mixed success of persuasive appeals based on social norms and suggest how such appeals should be properly crafted. Evidenzgrad B, Risk of Bias unclear." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Welche Evidenz wird genutzt?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Die Seite nutzt Claims, Studien, Use Cases und Quellen aus dem SurrealDB Knowledge Graph der Conversion-Psychologie-Wissensbasis." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Ist die Ausgabe auf Deutsch verfügbar?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Ja. Alle menschenlesbaren Inhalte und Agent-Ausgaben sind standardmäßig deutsch." } } ] } ] } ```