Thesis
Social value orientation and norms: the differing impact on cooperative behavior
Washington State University
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
2014
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/102438
Abstract
Norms are often used to nudge or change the behavior of individuals. However, scholars examining the ability of norms to shift behavior have not addressed how different types of norms may affect different types of people. One way to distinguish the differing impact of norms is by examining individual values. Social value orientations are one way that values have been conceptualized in past research. This thesis used experimental methods to test the interaction effect of descriptive norms (perceptions of common behavior), injunctive norms (indicators of appropriate behavior), and social value orientations on cooperative behavior. Results indicate a positive main effect of norms and social value orientation on cooperative behavior. However, the analyses did not support the predicted three-way interaction between norms (descriptive norms and injunctive norms) and social value orientation on cooperative behavior. Additional analyses that dropped those suspicious of the experimental procedures found that descriptive norms and social value orientations interacted to affect cooperative behavior. The results indicate that social value orientations may be the mechanism through which norms act to influence cooperative behavior. Future research should further investigate social value orientations and their relationship with norms.
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Details
- Title
- Social value orientation and norms
- Creators
- Elyse Blair Bean
- Contributors
- Christine Horne (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Sociology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525101801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis