Do descriptive norms messaging interventions backfire? Protocol for a systematic review of the boomerang effect

• Authors: Jinyi Kuang, Center for Social Norms and Behavior Dynamics; Maryann G. Delea, Emory University; Erik Thulin, Center for Social Norms and Behavior Dynamics; Cristina Bicchieri, Center for Social Norms and Behavior Dynamics
• Journal Title: Systematic Reviews
• Volume: Volume 9
• Publisher: BioMed Central | 2020-11-24
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-020-01533-0
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Public Health
• Keywords: Systematic review; Descriptive norms; Boomerang effect; Intervention; Social norms; Behavior change

Abstract

Descriptive norms messaging interventions are used to motivate people to adopt or maintain desirable behaviors. Such interventions provide people with information that describes an undesirable behavior as uncommon or a desirable behavior as prevalent within a relevant social group. Descriptive norms messaging interventions have shown promise in increasing individual and social benefit for a broad range of health and sustainability programs. However, evidence suggests that people who have adopted desirable behaviors sometimes regress to undesirable behaviors after receiving descriptive norms messages due to the type of information provided in the messages. This phenomenon is called the boomerang effect. We aim to conduct a systematic review of boomerang effects on health and environmental sustainability behaviors resulting from exposure to descriptive norms messaging interventions.