Handbook of Innovations in Political Psychology

Researchers have long acknowledged that social norms play an important role in shaping political behavior, but norms are rarely measured directly, and norm effects are often inferred. We argue that because norms are rooted in expectations about other people's opinions and behaviors, they must be measured independently from study participants’ own opinions and behaviors. Attention to norms is critical because they are the bridge between structure and agency, functioning as both causes and consequences of individual opinions and behavior. In this chapter, we will first review the nature and measurement of social norms with specific focus on recent measurement innovations. We will then turn to the political behavior literature, focusing on four example topics that illustrate the potential for innovation using a norms-based approach: democracy and collective action, polarization and norm erosion, non-attitudes and beliefs, conformity and language.