Psychological Pathways Through Which Social Norms and Social Identity Influence Eating Behavior: Testing a Conceptual Model

Background Although interventions frequently promote healthy eating, failing to consider psychosocial factors, such as social norms, may limit the effectiveness of these efforts. Perceived social norms are a well-documented determinant of eating behavior; however, there is limited understanding of the processes through which, and for whom, this relationship emerges. Using identity-based motivation as a theoretical framework, we present a conceptual model identifying one route through which descriptive social norms—beliefs about how others behave—predict eating behavior, and test whether this process varies across social identities (e.g., self-perceived weight status). Method Structured telephone interviews were conducted for a national sample of non-diabetic adults who identified as non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, or Mexican American ( n = 990). Results Multigroup SEM analysis comparing individuals who self-identified as overweight (versus “about the right weight” and underweight) demonstrated that perceiving descriptive social norms that people do not eat healthy foods predicted greater perceived barriers to eating healthy foods. Perceived barriers, in turn, predicted stronger beliefs that body weight is uncontrollable, and this relationship was stronger for participants who self-identified as overweight (relative to participants who did not identify as overweight). These beliefs subsequently predicted greater self-reported consumption of unhealthy foods (e.g., sweets), but did not predict consumption of fruits or vegetables. Conclusions This study extends our understanding of a psychosocial process that predicts consumption of unhealthy foods and underscores the importance of social identities for shaping responses to perceived norms.