Prototypes of drinkers and accessibility of injunctive norms predict college drinking.

A self-report survey of first-year college students ( n = 421; 46% female) included measures of perceived prototype, attitude and injunctive norm accessibility, past drinking behavior, and future drinking intention. Both norm accessibility and prototype perception were significant predictors of intention to drink in the future among first-year college students. The effect of prototypes on drinking diminished as pro-drinking norms became more accessible, indicating greater automaticity of drinking decision-making. Theoretical models of drinking intention should include both normative constructs and prototypes. Implications for interventions to reduce college student drinking are discussed.

Teens' Reactance to Anti-Smoking Public Service Announcements: How Norms Set the Stage.

Data from a study of the effects of anti-smoking ads were analyzed. This study measured the accessibility of peer and parent norms for smoking, exposed teens to three anti-smoking ads that either emphasized personal narratives of the dangers of smoking or had a surprise ending, and measured reactance to the messages. Readiness to smoke was assessed via a phone survey 3 months later. The accessibility of pro-smoking peer norms increased readiness to engage in smoking behavior through reactance toward anti-smoking messages. The accessibility of parent norms was unrelated to reactance. Reactance was particularly strong when the ads included a surprise ending. Peer norms that oppose smoking, particularly if they can be brought to mind quickly, are an important protective factor in that they may reduce reactance to anti-smoking messages.