The Role of Social Marketing and Perceived Social Norms in Shaping Individual Behavior Change in Erbil-Kurdistan

This study investigates the role of social marketing and perceived social norms in shaping
individual behavior change in Erbil-Kurdistan. Social marketing, which applies commercial
marketing principles to promote beneficial behaviors, is examined alongside perceived social
norms, the unwritten rules or expectations about how individuals should behave within their
community. The study focuses on two independent variables (IVs)—social marketing and
perceived social norms—and one dependent variable (DV)—individual behavior change. A
sample of 100 participants from diverse neighborhoods in Erbil was selected to complete a
structured questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed the influence of social marketing strategies
and perceived social norms on behavior change, using a combination of Likert-scale questions and
open-ended responses. Data were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences), with descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, independent t-tests, ANOVA, and regression
analysis employed to examine the relationships between the variables. The findings aim to provide
insights into how social marketing and perceived social norms can be leveraged to drive positive
behavior change in the context of Erbil-Kurdistan. This study contributes to the growing body of
literature on social marketing and its application in culturally specific settings, offering practical
recommendations for designing effective behavior change campaigns.
Keywords: Social Marketing, Perceived Social Norms, Individual Behavior Change,
ErbilKurdistan, SPSS Analysis.