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Norm research continually informs our understanding of the relationships between societies and natural resources. This research note presents an operationalization of descriptive beliefs within the return potential model (RPM) framework. We observed significant differences between a traditional RPM measure of approval and a descriptive measure of commonness in the context of boaters’ aquatic invasive species mitigation behaviors. These results provide empirical evidence of two normative belief dimensions manifesting with different structure and characteristics within the same natural resources setting. The implications of these results are twofold: (1) they demonstrate the utility and added value of an RPM that conceptualizes and operationalizes multiple normative belief dimensions and (2) provide researchers and managers with a methodology that is complementary to established methods but improves the comprehensiveness of applied norm research within natural resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) management often requires a human-centered focus that entails communicating with resource-users about needed mitigation behaviors. Messaging is a common communication practice to this end, and evaluating how messaging influences user behavior is an essential component. To test the effects of messaging on AIS mitigation behavioral intentions, 1,338 participants were randomly assigned to one of four message framing conditions: standard, regulation, descriptive, and injunctive. Overall, a significant effect of message framing was observed, with regulation-framed messages garnering significantly higher intentions. Further analysis revealed a significant main effect of messaging among participants reporting low frequencies of past behaviors. Similar results were found among participants reporting stronger perceived barriers to AIS mitigation behaviors. We discuss these results in relation to other message framing studies, their managerial implications, and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]