Communication for Social Change Working Paper Series

Communication for Social Change: An Integrated Model for Measuring the Process and Its Outcomes

Section Three: Social Change Outcome Indicators

Social Norms

Social norms are the collectively agreed-upon standards and rules that are adhered to and accepted by the majority of the members of a particular society or group. Social norms are people's beliefs about the attitudes and behaviors that are normal, acceptable or even expected in a particular social context. In many situations, people's perception of these norms will greatly influence their behavior.

Dimensions of Social Norms

For purposes of this study, three dimensions of social norms can be identified:

• Norms on participation,
• Norms about leadership, and
• Norms about the specific issue/programme.

Norms on participation:

Refer to the community's beliefs and rules about behaviors that are acceptable for participating, especially regarding who should or should not attend meetings and/or speak up and share in decision making. Likewise, it includes "fairness" regarding contribution to the solution of the issue/problem (programme) and sharing of benefits.

1. Extent of perceived approval about members' participation in the solution of the problem (implementation of the programme). Composite index.

Q: From the following list of people, who would you say should participate in the following activities? (see, Table 2, p. 38, "Community Groups Participation by Selected Activities").

2. Proportion of members/groups that believe the community will participate voluntarily.

Q: Under which circumstances do you think members of the community should/can participate in the solution of the problem (programme): every time they are asked/voluntarily, if the community gets outside resources/money, if they think they will have negative sanctions; only if they are paid?

3. Perceived potential for personal risk in addressing the solution of the problem (programme).

Q: Can becoming involved in the issue/problem (programme) result in personal risk: none; some economic risk, physical, social, other?

Norms about leadership:

Refer to the community's rules, systems and beliefs about leader's attributes, the responsibilities and ways of selecting/ changing leaders.

4. Perceived role of community leaders.

Q: What is the role of community leaders? What is the role of community leaders in the issue/programme?

Q: Who in the community can become a (programme/ issue) leader?

5. Perceived attributes of a good leader for programme (solution to problem) by members of the community.

Q: What do you think are the characteristics of a good leader for the programme (solution of the problem): authoritarian, single versus multiple leadership, democratic, group consensus?

6. Proportion of community members that can describe some mechanism for changing leaders.

Q: If there is a problem with the leader(s) what can the community do to change leader(s): nothing, something else,...?

Norms about specific issue/programme:

Refers to the community's beliefs and rules about how acceptable it is to talk about and participate in activities regarding the issue/problem or programme of interest, especially who should/can deal with it, who is traditionally excluded from discussion, level of detail for discussion and level of personal risk.

7. Extent of perceived relevance of the problem for the community's involvement.

Q: Who in this community are the people who should act or not act to solve the problem (programme) in the community: only men, only women, all the community,...?

8. Extent to which the problem (programme) can be discussed freely in the community.

Q: Who are the people you would talk to about the problem (programme): nobody, immediate family members/household, other relatives, same sex friends, all friends, other acquaintances, other people in the community, others outside the community, anybody?

Q: For each person/people that you mentioned, do you think they will approve advocating the solution of the problem (programme)? (Yes/No)

Q: Do you think it is acceptable for this issue/problem (programme) to appear in the media (popular and other)? (Yes/No)

9. Degree and level of support that other members of the community have in solving the problem (programme): level of opposition.

Q: How many people do you think support to the solution of the problem (programme): the majority, most, more than half, less than half, few; none?

Q: How strong do you think people feel in their support to the solution of the problem (programme); strength/emotional intensity of the support: very strongly, somewhat strongly, not very, weakly, not at all?

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