Culture and social norms: Behavioral decisions about grassland conservation among ethnically Tibetan pastoralists

ABSTRACT Conceptions of what is typical (descriptive norms) and socially appropriate (injunctive norms) are constrained by culture. Based on interviews with Tibetan pastoralists in Western China, we examine social norms and behaviors associated with managing domesticated animals. We describe the ways that behavioral decisions are influenced by interpersonal communication and observation of norms, along with ecological, market, and policy forces. Explicit communication about norms occurs primarily under problematic conditions, in times of change or policy introduction. Findings reinforce the relevance of understanding the culturally bound dimensions of social norms and the need to ground theory and research on social influence in intercultural communication concepts.