Norms are social group expectations for behavior that have been used to predict and gain understanding of social issues related to natural resources. The use of lethal methods in urban White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) management is one example of a normative issue that has been contentious in Franklin County and other Ohio areas. Wildlife managers can be better prepared to meet challenges that may arise when planning management programs if they understand the norms for deer management held by their community.
Social groups use sanction-reward or punishment-to reinforce norms within individuals. Sanction can evoke feelings such as admiration or embarrassment that effect consequential emotions; guilt/innocence or pride/shame. Socialization internalizes norms and for specific situations remembered emotions activate the norms that in conjunction with cognitive processes guide decision making.
The power of a norm is the likelihood it will affect behavioral decision making as the combined cognitive and emotional components of norms. Sanction intensity-the emotional component, is the product of certainty (how sure I am of sanction) and severity (the importance of sanction to me) of anticipated or actual sanction. To calculate norm power sanction intensity is combined with obligation-the cognitive component of norms, or the shouldness of behavior.
The Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980) is a behavioral study model that has been used to predict behavioral intention from the subjective norm, an individual's perception of their important others' expectations. Even before inception of the model Ajzen and Fishbein made reference to sanction as a possible factor for influence on behavior within the subjective norm. However, sanction has not been a measured variable as a part of behavioral models. To empirically assess the influence of sanction on behavioral intention Heywood's (2006) Cognitive and Emotional Model of Norms will be employed.
The basis for evaluating a local norm for urban deer management is the high media profile and public conflict around lethal deer management programs in Ohio beginning in 1993. To measure social norms for lethal or non-lethal deer management respondents to a mail survey conducted in Franklin County, Ohio were asked to disclose prediction of their behavior for a hypothetical vote and to report related anticipated sanction intensity from their important others. They were also asked to to respond to items for assessment of their wildlife value orientation.
A norm for non-lethal deer management was crystallized (agreed upon by a majority of respondents); 49.8% (+/-1%) were in favor and 33.9% self reported extremely certain of their vote. Respondents' wildlife value orientations were found to be 39% biocentric compared to 10% anthropocentric. From this information it seems the conflict is centered on public norms, and the media animal rights interest groups' agendas are a reflection of those norms. In addition, sanction by important others was predicted by structural equation modeling as significantly correlating (.6451) with the subjective norm and appears to have played a role in decision making for the vote.