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"Social norming" movement spreading on college campuses

By WINK News

What's normal to you? That question is the fuel behind a new movement on college campuses around the country called "Social Norming". Adolescent psychologists say there is a lot of pressure on kids to be "normal", to be just like the other kids. But if young people think "normal includes smoking and doing drugs, that's what they are more likely to do. What do teenagers think is normal?

Student Leah Conover says, "If you want to be cool, you have to drink and go out." Student Latricia Smith says, "Partying, having sex. Weed, smoking, stuff like that." And Tad Kulanko says, "Drinking or smoking pot, doing drugs all the time."

Experts say that idea, that everyone is doing it, can be powerful and can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Psychologist Sherry Blake says, "Teenagers are often trying to find themselves, they want to fit in, they want to be part of the crowd." Teenager Ryan Hentz agrees, "If you grow up listening to that stereotype, that you know, you're gonna grow up and do drugs, that you're gonna grow up and have sex then I mean yea, it's gonna be implanted in your head, and I mean you're gonna believe that."

Experts say that stereotype is a myth. And that's the message behind a movement on college campuses nationwide called "Social Norming". It gets the message out that getting drunk, having sex and vandalizing property isn't what "normal" kids do.

Blake says, "The adolescent will realize that you know, I have choices, and guess what, everybody is not doing this and I don't have to be drunk or I don't have to be high to be cool." And it shines the spotlight on kids who are living a clean and healthy life. "Guess what, you know there are a lot of teenagers doing positive things. The norm is not where we have to go out and party and drink."

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