The Breadth of Normative Standards: Antecedents and Consequences for Individuals and Organizations

Normative standards refer to ideals to which people, products, and organizations are held. The present research (N = 2,224) investigates a novel construct—the breadth of normative standards, or the number of criteria that normative standards need to meet. Using archival and primary data in both organizational and consumer contexts, Studies 1–2 found that Indians’ and Singaporeans’ normative standards in several domains (e.g., a good job, a good body wash) needed to satisfy more criteria than those of Americans and the British. Using incentive-compatible designs, Studies 3–5 identified two downstream consequences of broader normative standards; decision-makers with broader standards pay greater attention to detail when evaluating others’ work, and people with broader standards search for more options, even at a cost, before making a choice. This research complements past work on norms as prevalent behaviors, values, and attitudes by examining norms as standards, and documents consequences of the breadth of normative standards for employees and organizations.