You want to get your roommates' friends to quit throwing their empty cans and cigarette butts onto the ground outside your apartment. Based on what Cialdini and his colleagues (1990) found in their research, you should invoke __________ norms because they are more effective than __________ norms in reducing litter.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cialdini and his colleagues found that invoking descriptive norms (what most people actually do) is more effective in reducing litter than injunctive norms (what people should do). The use of descriptive norms is also known as the "social proof" principle, where people are more likely to conform to behavior they perceive as normal among their peers.

You Want to Get Your Roommates' Friends to Quit Throwing