Longitudinal associations between descriptive and injunctive norms on college drinking

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Perceived norms of drinking prevalence (descriptive norms) and approval (injunctive norms) are key predictors of college student drinking.
• The dynamic, short-term changes in these normative perceptions and their impact on drinking are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the longitudinal associations between descriptive and injunctive norms and alcohol consumption.
• To differentiate between-person (stable) and within-person (fluctuating) effects of these norms on drinking behaviors over time.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal multilevel modeling was used to analyze data from 593 heavy-drinking college students.
• Participants completed surveys at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, measuring perceived descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and alcohol consumption.

Main Results:

• At the between-person level, only descriptive norms significantly predicted drinking.
• At the within-person level, both descriptive and injunctive norms predicted weekly alcohol consumption.
• This study is the first to simultaneously analyze between- and within-person effects of both norm types on drinking.

Conclusions:

• Interventions targeting college student drinking should consider the impact of fluctuating, within-person changes in perceived descriptive and injunctive norms.
• Understanding both stable and dynamic normative influences is crucial for developing effective alcohol misuse prevention strategies.