Forschungskolloquium: Gastvortrag von Laetitia Mulder

Dr. Laetitia Mulder, University of Groningen

Zeit:  Dienstag, 10.12.19, 12 - 14 (c.t.) Uhr

Ort:   Konradstr. 6, Raum 309

“Using Mandates to Regulate Behavior and Norms: Possibilities and Challenges”

Many behaviors in the public domain (e.g. speeding, tax paying, smoking, vaccina-tion) are, or could be, regulated by installing mandates. Mandates are rules or laws prescribing or forbidding certain behaviors, often coupled with sanctions for non-compliance. What are these effects of mandates? Rationally one would expect that they strongly steer behavior and often, they do. One of the reasons why they steer behavior is that they restrict people in morally rationalizing that the forbidden be-havior is morally acceptable. Moreover, they may also positively foster a norm of compliance, which may instigate people to socially confront others who break the rule. However, in some cases they may evoke reactance or a calculative mindset, which makes them ineffective and perhaps even counterproductive. In this talk I will highlight the possible effects of mandates and on possible factors that influence the effect of them. Particularly I will focus on the difference between specifically framed and generally framed rules. Also, I will present some fresh research data about mandates in the context of text & driving, vaccination and harassment at work.