Until recently, the predominant approach in the field of health promotion sought to motivate behavior change by highlighting risk.

Think of the image of a crumpled automobile, flashing red lights, and the tag line: "Speed kills!" and you will have a sense of this kind of public health campaign. It was a scare tactic approach designed to frighten people into positive change.

This kind of traditional strategy "has not changed behavior one percent." H. Wesley Perkins, International Journal of the Addictions.

Perceptions about how others are behaving influence how we think we ought to behave. The belief that "everybody is doing it" can lead to the notion that I should be doing it as well.

"Everybody is doing it" is an exaggeration not based in reality.

The social norms approach identifies the actual behavior of a particular group, and promotes the actual positive activity that is the norm.

Social Norming Theory - Is It Successful?
When campuses have employed social norming techniques correctly on campus, they have seen significant decreases in the amount of unhealthy behavior on campus. In terms of reducing the amount of high-risk drinking (more than five drinks in one sitting at any given time in the last two weeks), here are some campus success stories:

• Northern Illinois University - 44% reduction over a 10-year period
• University of Arizona - 28% reduction over a 5-year period
• Hobart and William Smith College - 40% reduction over a 4-year period
• Western Washington University - 20% reduction over a 3-year period
• University of Missouri - 18% reduction over a 2-year period