The Social Norms Project uses a theoretical approach and marketing strategies to correct misperceptions of alcohol & other drug use by students. The first step in the Social Norms project is to collect local data from students, parents and staff about youth behaviors and their perceptions of behaviors.  In February of 2007, the first survey was conducted of Merrill Students (8th - 12th graders), Parents and Staff.  Each year this same survey will be conducted to measure changes in perceptions and to develop future marketing campaigns.

Social Norms Theory...

States that individual behaviors are influenced by misperceptions of how peers think and act. For youth in particular, peer influences and perceptions have been found to be more influential in shaping individual choices for behavior than other factors. The theory states that over estimating problem behaviors discourages healthy behaviors. Correcting these misperceptions by promoting actual norms can result in decreased negative behaviors and increased prevalence of healthy protective behaviors. (Perkins, H. W. & Berkowitz, A. D. (1986) perceiving the community norms of alcohol use among students; some implications for campus alcohol education programming. International Journal of the Addictions. 21, 961-976.)

Social Norms Marketing...

Has been widely used throughout the past several decades in many disciplines as a behavior changing strategy. Social norms marketing is the adaptation of commercial marketing technologies to programs designed to influence the voluntary behavior of target audiences. (Andreasen, A. R. (1994). Social marketing: Its definition and domain. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing. 13(1), 108-115. The Merrill Social Norms marketing campaign has included posters placed throughout the high school, and 8th grade level at the middle school, information in the middle and high school parent newsletters, local television ads, billboards, social norms message on the high school computers log-in screen, local radio commercials, news articles in local newspapers and presentations to various community groups and organizations.