Short Research Note

Staff, miter, book, share: how attributes of Saint Nicholas induce normative behavior

  1. Janneke F. Joly1,
  2. Diederik A. Stapel2,*

Article first published online: 14 JAN 2008

DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.491

Issue

European Journal of Social Psychology

European Journal of Social Psychology

Volume 39, Issue 1, pages 145–153, February 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Joly, J. F. and Stapel, D. A. (2009), Staff, miter, book, share: how attributes of Saint Nicholas induce normative behavior. European Journal of Social Psychology, 39: 145–153. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.491

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS), University of Groningen, The Netherlands

  2. 2

    Department of Cognitive Social Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

*TIBER, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 29 JAN 2009
  2. Article first published online: 14 JAN 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 26 OCT 2007
  4. Manuscript Received: 24 AUG 2006

Funded by

  • Dutch Science Foundation (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek)
  • University of Groningen

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Abstract

In three studies the hypothesis was tested that for young Dutch children, who associate Saint Nicholas with the norm to share one's wealth with others, attributes of Saint Nicholas (miter, book, and staff) would spontaneously activate the “sharing norm” and subsequent sharing behavior. The results confirmed our expectations. In two studies, young Dutch children share more candy with others after being primed with attributes of Saint Nicholas compared to being primed with a dwarf in the control condition. In a third study, children evaluate sharing more positively after being primed with attributes of Saint Nicholas, and more negatively after being primed with the Toys R Us logo, compared to being primed with a dwarf. This is the first empirical evidence that attributes of normative symbols can induce normative behavior and change norm judgments. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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