Theory 42: Norm Activation Theory

Number of Constructs: 24
Number of Triples: 34

Theory triples

• Recognition of own ability to provide relief influences Arousal of some sense of responsibility to respond
• Assessment, evaluation and reassessment positively influences Action or inaction response
• Activation of norms positively influences Assessment, evaluation and reassessment
• Causal responsibility influences Arousal of some sense of responsibility to respond
• Distinctive Suitability influences Arousal of some sense of responsibility to respond
• Specific personal norms influences Action or inaction response
• Social norms influences Specific personal norms
• Directed appeal influences Arousal of some sense of responsibility to respond
• Accountability influences Arousal of some sense of responsibility to respond
• Assessment and evaluation of responses transitions to Reassessment and redefinition of the situation
• Assessment and evaluation of responses influences Specific personal norms
• Social norms influences Social
• Awareness of need influences Perception that need can be relieved by action
• Perception that need can be relieved by action influences Recognition of own ability to provide relief
• Perception of need and responsibility positively influences Activation of norms
• Arousal of some sense of responsibility to respond positively influences the 'Perception of need and responsibility' to 'Activation of norms' Positively influences relationship
• Reassessment and redefinition of the situation positively influences Action or inaction response
• Specific personal norms influences Reassessment and redefinition of the situation
• Awareness of need part of Perception of need and responsibility
• Perception that need can be relieved by action part of Perception of need and responsibility
• Recognition of own ability to provide relief part of Perception of need and responsibility
• Arousal of some sense of responsibility to respond part of Perception of need and responsibility
• Assessment and evaluation of responses part of Assessment, evaluation and reassessment
• Reassessment and redefinition of the situation part of Assessment, evaluation and reassessment
• Costs and benefits part of Assessment and evaluation of responses
• Moral type of Costs and benefits
• Social type of Costs and benefits
• Physical type of Costs and benefits
• Psychological type of Costs and benefits
• Denial of suitability of norms part of Reassessment and redefinition of the situation
• Denial of responsibility to respond part of Reassessment and redefinition of the situation
• Denial of the state of Need part of Reassessment and redefinition of the situation
• Social norms part of Activation of norms
• Specific personal norms part of Activation of norms

Theory constructs and annotations

• Recognition of own ability to provide relief The recognition that one is capable of performing the actions necessary to provide relief; may be influenced by one's overall sense of personal competence [ BCIO:006043 (self-efficacy belief for a behaviour and its associated outcomes) 42 57 16 ]
• Arousal of some sense of responsibility to respond
• Assessment, evaluation and reassessment Stage of the norm activation process that contains two sub-stages: assessment and evaluation of responses, and reassessment and redefinition of the situation [ BCIO:006038 (Evaluative belief) 42 46 39 50 48 31 ]
• Action or inaction response A self-initiated sequence of movements, usually with respect to some goal (action) or the failure to act based either on an explicit decision not to act, or due to the continued evaluation or reassessment of options for action [ BCIO:036000 (Individual Human Behaviour) 42 50 11 49 35 47 52 43 46 24 25 39 30 ]
• Activation of norms
• Causal responsibility The feeling that there is a responsibility to respond when one is at fault for causing another person's need [ BCIO:006078 (Appraisal of an obligation to act) 42 ]
• Distinctive Suitability The feeling that there is a unique ability to respond due to specific skills, knowledge or availability; may elicit a responsibility to respond [ BCIO:006154 (Self-efficacy belief for a behaviour) 42 56 54 66 14 60 81 82 73 16 17 4 57 80 78 ]
• Specific personal norms [ MF:0000041 (Belief) 42 72 33 34 73 1 14 28 30 31 35 54 67 79 ]
• Social norms Norms relating to what is deemed to be acceptable behaviour in a group or society [ BCIO:050671 (Group evaluative behavioural norm) 42 69 78 62 9 22 64 71 ]
• Directed appeal A point-blank request from the individual or entity in need [ BCIO:036025 (Inter-personal behaviour) 42 ]
• Accountability
• Assessment and evaluation of responses Assessment of the outcomes of all possible response actions (including not acting) and evaluation of these outcomes in terms of potential costs and benefits [ BCIO:006148 (Evaluative belief about the consequences of behaviour) 42 77 39 66 80 1 35 74 79 ]
• Reassessment and redefinition of the situation Process of evaluation that occurs when the moral costs of not responding to the need, and the balance of the costs of response actions, are both high [ BCIO:050618 (comparative evaluation process) 42 ]
• Social
• Awareness of need Awareness of the possible or actual deprivation of a necessary or wanted resource of another individual, group, or entity [ BCIO:050573 (Awareness of others' need) 42 ]
• Perception that need can be relieved by action The recognition that action can be taken in response to the need [ BCIO:050861 (Efficacy belief for a behaviour and its associated outcomes) 42 ]
• Perception of need and responsibility The first stage of developing altruistic behaviours; includes four sub-stages: awareness of need, perception that need can be relieved by action, recognition of own ability to provide relief, arousal of some sense of responsibility to respond [ BCIO:050585 (Belief about a behaviour meeting a need) 42 ]
• Costs and benefits The advantages and disadvantages of pursuing a line of action that can be social, physical, psychological or moral [ BCIO:050649 (evaluative belief about the possible future consequences of one’s behaviour) 42 57 53 ]
• Moral A specific type of psychological costs and benefits that relate to one’s self-perception of how one responds to the welfare of others (e.g. perceptions of personal kindness and responsibility) [ BCIO:006019 (Belief about consequences of behaviour) 42 , BCIO:006063 (Personal value) 42 1 24 32 25 83 31 34 69 20 33 75 ]
• Physical Physical costs and benefits associated with a line of action that include effort expenditure, time loss, excitement and exhilaration [ BCIO:006019 (Belief about consequences of behaviour) 42 24 32 25 31 34 20 33 ]
• Psychological Costs and benefits associated with a line of action that are guided by the consequences of a course of action to one’s self-concept (e.g. loss of self-esteem or a sense of achievement) [ BCIO:006149 (Belief about the personal desirability of consequences of a behaviour) 42 ]
• Denial of suitability of norms The refusal to belief that norms apply; may occur through consideration of additional alternative actions that could modify the outcome of one’s cost-benefit analysis [ BCIO:050858 (Denial belief about norm relevance) 42 ]
• Denial of responsibility to respond The refusal to believe that there is a responsibility to respond [ BCIO:050857 (Denial belief about a responsibility to act) 42 ]
• Denial of the state of Need The refusal to believe that a need exists [ BCIO:050856 (Denial belief about a need) 42 ]

Theory illustration

Theory Reference

• Schwartz, S. (1975). The Justice of Need and the Activation of Humanitarian Norms. Journal of Social Issues, 31(3), 111-136.