Norms and their relationship to behavior in worksite settings: an application of the Jackson Return Potential Model.

OBJECTIVES To measure health norms and assess their influence on behavior among 2541 employees in 16 manufacturing worksites using an adapted Jackson's Return Potential Model (RPM). METHODS Worksite-level norm intensity, crystallization, and normative power were calculated for several behaviors; linear regression analyses tested whether normative power was related to each health behavior. RESULTS Norms about safe work practices and smoking were most intense; norms about safe work practices were most crystallized. Safe work practices and smoking held the highest normative power; healthy eating held the least normative power. CONCLUSIONS Comparing norm characteristics across health behaviors leads to important leverage points for intervening to influence norms and improve worker health.