When Descriptive Norms Backfire: Attitudes Induce Undesirable Consequences during Disaster Preparation

Abstract This study aimed to examine the adverse effects of descriptive norms in the context of disaster preparation, although the cumulative evidence has demonstrated that descriptive norms desirably promote social behavior. Descriptive norms inevitably inform that some people do not prepare; therefore, the secondary meaning can be utilized to confirm the receiver's already possessed attitudes, and it results in a backfire. We conducted two preregistered experiments examining preparation behaviors for natural disasters while manipulating descriptive norms. In Study 1 (N = 262), the only promotive effect of descriptive norms was obtained among U.S. participants. In Study 2 (N = 329), when replicated with a sample of Japanese participants, participants’ attitudes moderated the effects of descriptive norms. The patterns of moderation were consistent with our prediction and suggested that descriptive norms suppressed the desirable behavior when participants held negative attitudes. The pitfalls of descriptive normative approaches are also practically important.