ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the theoretical underpinnings, supporting evidence and practical applications of the social norms approach to addressing problem behavior among young adults in higher education contexts. It presents the reader with extensive research evidence in support of using the social norms approach to address a variety of challenges among college student populations. Against this backdrop, the social norms approach began to form in the mid-1980s based on a study reporting a simple and surprising empirical observation about student drinking. Several important theoretical and empirical questions about misperceived social norms and the potential impact of interventions to correct them require further investigation. While further research is needed on how to increase the effectiveness of the approach, there should be no hesitation about the applicability of the social norms approach within the higher education context. The basic steps in a social norms approach to reduce problem behavior and promote positive behavior are relatively simple and straightforward.
