How do descriptive norms shape injunctive norm beliefs, and what does this tell us about the cognitive processes underlying social norm cognition? Across six studies (N = 2,671), we examined whether people update their injunctive norm beliefs-as well as their moral judgments and behavioral intentions-after receiving descriptive norm information about how common (or uncommon) a behavior is. Specifically, we manipulated the descriptive normativity of behaviors, describing behaviors as uncommon (20% of people were doing the behavior) or common (80% of people were doing the behavior), and the type of behavior across studies (fairness, conventional, harm, preference). To measure belief updating, we assessed beliefs prior to and after receiving information about the descriptive norm. We had three main findings: First, participants positively updated their prior injunctive norm beliefs, moral judgments, and behavioral intentions (i.e., rated behaviors more injunctively normative and moral) after receiving a common descriptive norm and negatively updated their beliefs (i.e., rated behaviors less injunctive and moral) after receiving an uncommon descriptive norm, and updated to a larger extent for the common than uncommon descriptive norm. Second, participants were more likely to update their beliefs about what is moral for others compared to what is moral for the self. Third, participants updated their beliefs to a greater extent for fairness and conventional behaviors compared to harm behaviors and preferences. Together, our findings suggest that descriptive norms shape our injunctive norm beliefs and moral judgments and help to paint a fuller picture of the social cognition of social norms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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人们在收到描述性规范信息后更新他们的禁令规范和道德信念。


描述性规范如何塑造禁令性规范信念，这告诉我们关于社会规范认知背后的认知过程的什么信息？在六项研究 （N = 2,671） 中，我们检查了人们在收到有关行为常见（或不常见）程度的描述性规范信息后，是否更新了他们的禁令规范信念——以及他们的道德判断和行为意图。具体来说，我们操纵了行为的描述性规范性，将行为描述为不常见（20% 的人在做这种行为）或常见（80% 的人在做这种行为），以及跨研究的行为类型（公平、约定俗成、伤害、偏好）。为了测量信念更新，我们评估了收到有关描述性规范的信息之前和之后的信念。我们有三个主要发现：首先，参与者在接受共同的描述性规范后积极更新了他们之前的禁令性规范信念、道德判断和行为意图（即，被评为更具禁令性规范和道德的行为），并消极地更新了他们的信念（即，被评为不那么禁止和道德的行为）在收到一个不常见的描述性规范后，并且对共同的更新程度大于不常见的描述性规范。其次，与自我的道德相比，参与者更有可能更新他们对他人道德的信念。第三，与伤害行为和偏好相比，参与者在更大程度上更新了他们对公平和传统行为的信念。总之，我们的研究结果表明，描述性规范塑造了我们的禁令性规范信念和道德判断，并有助于更全面地描绘社会规范的社会认知。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 （c） 2024 APA，保留所有权利）。