What is the connection between social norms and drinking behavior?
Surveys of college students reveal that most students greatly overestimate the amount of high-risk drinking that occurs on their campus and on college campuses in general. Based on this misperception, students may conclude that high-risk drinking is the social norm, which in turn may lead them to increased alcohol consumption. In other words, the misperception may cause students to believe they are both justified and pressured to consume large amounts of alcohol in order to be like other students.
