‍Social norms are everywhere, governing what we do and say in public, guiding how we act, and influencing our decisions. There are multiple types of strategies that focus on shifting norms. What makes Positive Community Norms (PCN) different is that it is a framework, not just a strategy, one that grows accurate perceptions of the positive, healthy norms; informs and inspires positive leadership; guides the development of communications and integration across multiple strategies and projects; and calls for nuanced reflection, feedback, and evaluation.

‍Unlike other norms approaches, the PCN framework is founded on the Science of the Positive, a transformative community leadership framework that focuses on cultivating “the Positive” to foster individual and societal change. Because of this grounding in the Science of the Positive, PCN interventions include the development of foundational Core Principles and are guided by the Transformational Cycle of Spirit, Science, Action, and Return.

The Positive Community Norms (PCN) approach stresses the importance of uncovering and promoting norms that are relevant and meaningful, that are shared in a way that is believable and inclusive. Because of the emphasis on working with communities rather than on them, PCN interventions prioritize rigorous pilot testing to ensure language congruence, cultural resonance, and cultural safety, and always incorporate input from focus audiences. (Note: at The Montana Institute, we never refer to the communities with whom we work as a “target” audience — because nothing good ever happens to a target.)

Research dating back to the 1940s shows that people are strongly influenced by what we believe most others think, do, and feel, but that our perceptions of what other people do and feel are often inaccurate. These misperceptions of norms act as hidden risk factors, promoting unhealthy behaviors and discouraging upstander intervention.

For example, if we believe “everyone drinks,” we might start drinking in order to fit in. If we believe “everyone” has 3-4 drinks when they go out, we may choose to drink that much in order to align with what we perceive to be the norm. If we believe “no one” would support us if we reported a sexual assault or sought treatment for mental health conditions, we are less likely to make a report or seek help. If we believe “everyone” drives after drinking, or that “no one” wears their seatbelt…the list goes on and on.  

The associations between norms and perceptions of norms can be extremely strong. A recent seatbelt study found that Virginia men who accurately perceive that most of their peers always wear seatbelts when driving alone are 2.5 times more likely to report that they always buckle up when they drive. Research done in a school district in Massachusetts found that students who believe their peers have vaped in the past 30 days are 8.6​ times more likely to vape than those who accurately perceive the actual non-use norm.

But just as misperceptions of norms act as hidden risk factors, accurate perceptions of healthy norms act as hidden protective factors. When we uncover and promote protective norms, the more people act in accordance with those norms. As Dr. Jeff Linkenbach says: If we want health, we must promote health.

‍Yes! Multiple published, peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated changes in behavior after implementation of the Positive Community Norms Framework, including reductions in heavy episodic or “binge” drinking rates, prolonging abstinence, reducing impaired driving, and more, firmly placing it in the realm of positive effects in peer reviewed journals. The approach has been endorsed by the CDC, which commissioned The Montana Institute’s Founding Director Dr. Jeff Linkenbach to write a publication about the use of Positive Community Norms to create Safe, Stable, and Nurturing Environments for Children, and has been applied by organizations and agencies including the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Oklahoma Department of Health, Hawaii Department of Health, and hundreds of community coalitions, school districts, and not-for profits. For information and citations, click here.

It is! The Montana Model of Positive Community Norms Communications (PCN), which is based on the Positive Community Norms Framework, has documented effects with both youth and adult populations. Implementing PCN with fidelity has been shown to reduce the likelihood of alcohol use, reduce monthly alcohol use, reduce rates of vaping and tobacco use, and reduce the gap between perceived and actual norms among middle and high school students. With adults, published work shows increased use of designated drivers, decreased drinking and driving, and increases in harm-reduction and bystander behaviors.

When it comes to prevention or intervention efforts, fidelity describes the degree to which programs are implemented as intended to achieve the desired results. Two key elements of Positive Community Norms (PCN) fidelity are 1) having content that is true to the framework and 2) achieving adequate dosing in terms of intervention reach, frequency, and duration.

Sometimes people put up some posters and messages and think they are “doing PCN,” and then get frustrated when they don’t get the outcomes they were hoping for. While communication is a crucial element of the PCN framework, so are the key skills of leadership, integration, and reflection. In Positive Community Norms, communications are situated within a larger framework that is essential for achieving successful outcomes.

When steps are skipped, dosing is low, healthy norms aren’t centered, or the data used are older or less relevant to your focus audience, fidelity is lowered and strong outcomes are harder to achieve. We provide technical assistance and coaching to help clients develop and implement projects with effectiveness and fidelity.

Many of us are drawn to prevention work because of our personal connection to issues such mental health and substance use, our desire to support underserved communities, or our passion for serving people who may be high-risk or at-risk for a variety of issues. Typically, a community-based framework like Positive Community Norms falls into the category of universal prevention, meaning it is intended for everyone, and not just for a specific group. However, research on brief motivational interventions shows that when we can support the optimism and confidence of people considering making change, they are more likely to commit to that change. Sharing data on healthy community norms can increase the likelihood that someone using a substance in a high-risk way will choose to reduce their use, use more safely, or even stop using altogether. Additionally, Positive Community Norms interventions that focus on increasing bystander behavior or harm reduction can benefit and impact those who are at-risk or high-risk for any issue. Examples include Positive Community Norms efforts that boost help-seeking, grow willingness to intervene during emergencies, or increase acceptance of harm reduction behaviors.

Decades of research show that a person’s perceptions of norms significantly impact their own behavior; this relationship is why Positive Community Norms is such a powerful tool for both prevention and harm reduction. Just as research shows we tend to overestimate the percentage of people who engage in risky behavior, studies also show that we underestimate the prevalence and acceptance of protective and harm-reducing behaviors. Sharing that “most” people don’t engage in risky behavior increases the likelihood that others will avoid it as well. Likewise, sharing that most people engage in or approve of a protective strategy increases the likelihood people will try it, thereby reducing risk and potential harm.