(Mis)Perceptions of bystander behaviors and approval: The role of gender-specific perceived norms.

Abstract

Objective: The current study examines college students' perceptions of same-gender and opposite gender peer norms for bystander behaviors in drinking contexts, as well as the association between perceived norms and participants' willingness to intervene and actual behavior.

Method: Participants completed an online survey assessing bystander-related perceived norms, willingness, and behavior. A subset of participants also completed a measure of bystander behavior 4-months later.

Results: The results indicated a divergent pattern of normative misperceptions for descriptive and injunctive norms, in which participants overestimated descriptive norms and underestimated injunctive norms. Further, participants who perceived greater perceived injunctive norms reported greater willingness to intervene in the future. While those who perceived that their peers intervened more frequently were more likely to have engaged in bystander behavior at baseline and the four-month follow-up.

Conclusions: Results also suggest that the role of gender-specific norms is complex and dependent on participants' own gender. The results indicate the potential value of developing norms-based interventions addressing bystander behaviors and implications for the types of normative misperceptions to target.