Norms are "behavior shapers", and act as levers for effective prevention. Two generations ago, the norm in the U.S. was to put an infant in someone’s lap or the back seat of the car while driving. Thanks to public policies that were supported by solid data, effective education, and modified practices at institutions like hospitals and preschools, the new norm for infants in cars is much safer. New norms—whether they involve car seat safety, smoking practices, food handling procedures, or perspectives on gender and violence—encourage positive behavior, reinforce a proven prevention strategy, and result in better health outcomes. To achieve this kind of change in norms, it is vital to alter the policies that helped create the norms in the first place.
Shifts in norms around tobacco use, driving under the influence, recycling, and reduction in lead exposure confirm that altering norms is effective in improving well-being and can be accomplished relatively quickly: many of these norms-changes have taken place over a generation or less. Since norms can vary across cultural, racial/ethnic, income and other divides, delving into health inequities entails intentional action to create norms shift toward equitable health and safety outcomes. Prevention advocates can alter policies, institutional practices, and physical environments to catalyze norms change.
Resources related to Norms that Support Equity, Health, and Safety