title: 'Searching for a "generalized social agent" to predict Namibians' intentions to prevent sexual transmission of HIV.
abstract: Debate surrounds the definition, measurement and utility of subjective norms (theory of reasoned action, Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975; Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980). Scholars propose alternative concepts including descriptive norms and injunctive norms (Cialdini et al., 1990), enabling factors and social embeddedness (e.g. Barrera, 1986), and betweenness to others in a network (Wasserman & Faust, 1994) to explain social influences on willingness to perform a behaviour. This study explores the relative utility and comparability of different social concepts in understanding Namibians' intentions (n=1200) to abstain from sex or to be faithful to one sexual partner. Neither subjective norms nor the five other concepts consistently predict either intentions, although they account for 21% of variance in intentions to abstain and 24% of intentions to have one sexual partner in one region. Conflicting relationships between injunctive and subjective norms exist; stigma surrounding HIV prevention provides some explanation. Campaigns designed to alter norms may benefit from altering stigma simultaneously.
authors.affiliation: Communication Arts & Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA. ras57@psu.edu
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Linda K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009276:Namibia; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000523:psychology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D013240:Stereotyping