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The Power of Social Norms: Why Others’ Opinions Can Change Your Behavior.
In our daily lives, our behavior is often influenced by the people around us. The source of this influence sometimes comes from social norms or the expectations of others, and there is a deep psychological theoretical basis behind this phenomenon. Theoretically, changes in social behavior are often closely related to an individual's response to social cognition. This effect is particularly significant in the current social environment that is flooded with various information.
The power of social norms sometimes seems like an invisible force that drives individuals to behave in the way others expect them to.
The theory of planned behavior (TPB) proposed by Ajzen is a concrete manifestation of this hypothesis. The theory consists of three core components: attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. These three factors jointly influence a person's behavioral intention, and behavioral intention is the most direct factor affecting behavior. Therefore, TPB provides theoretical support for understanding the powerful force of social norms.
The development of the theory of planned behavior
The theory of planned behavior is an extension of the theory of reasoned action (TRA) proposed by Martin Fishbein and Ajzen in 1980. Ajzen introduced the concept of perceived behavioral control in subsequent research, a concept that TRA lacks. Perceived behavioral control refers to an individual's perception of whether he or she can successfully perform a behavior. This perspective allows researchers to more accurately predict actual behavior because it takes into account not only people's intentions but also environmental factors, helping us understand why some behavioral intentions do not translate into actual behavior.
The crux of the theory is that people are more likely to intend to perform a behavior when they perceive that they can successfully perform that behavior.
Social influence and behavior change
The influence of social norms is not only an external driving force, it also works through the individual's internal belief system. Subjective norms reflect individuals’ perceptions of others’ expectations, which influence their views on specific behaviors, for example, the influence of friends, family, or society. In this regard, the assessment of social influence is of great significance, as it can explain why individuals make very different behavioral choices when faced with the same situation.
In some cases, an individual may have a positive attitude toward a particular behavior but ultimately not take action because they feel that others would disapprove.
Practical Application Examples
The theory of planned behavior has a wide range of applications, including health behavior, environmental psychology, and voting behavior. In terms of health behavior, studies have shown that TPB is more effective in predicting health-related behavioral intentions than TRA. For example, TPB can effectively improve the effectiveness of interventions to encourage people to exercise or improve their eating habits.
In addition, TPB has also demonstrated its strong application potential in environmental psychology. Although people generally believe that pro-environmental behaviors are socially desirable, the intention to actually perform these behaviors is often influenced by perceived behavioral control. When individuals believe that their behavior will not have an impact, this low sense of control will hinder their willingness to practice environmentally friendly behaviors.
Future Research Directions
As we gain a deeper understanding of the influence of social norms, future research can explore how to promote more behavioral changes by changing social norms. Whether it is possible to promote healthy and environmentally friendly behaviors through better social communication and cultivating positive social expectations has become a question worthy of in-depth consideration.
Does behavior really only reflect individual choice, or is it the influence of social norms that makes it difficult to reverse?
