Resisting harmful social norms change using social inoculation

Abstract

Social norms are thought to spread through processes of collective contagion, requiring multiple social contacts for diffusion. The spread of harmful social norms is heightened with the spread of misinformation online, especially as falsehoods spread faster than truth. Social inoculation, an intervention approach developed in the 1960s, is an effective prophylactic against harmful social norms spread. Using the analogy of a medical vaccine to develop resistance to viruses encountered in the wild, the approach exposes individuals to weakened forms of arguments they will encounter in naturalistic settings, in order to psychologically inoculate them against falsehoods and harmful social influence. Inoculation interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in the short-term and treatment effects can persist with regular ‘booster’ sessions.