H. Wesley Perkins (born c. 1950) is a professor of sociology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. He is known as the "father of social norms marketing", which is based on his theoretical formulations and development. H. Wesley Perkins received a B.A. in sociology from Purdue University, an M.Div. degree from Yale University Divinity School, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in sociology from Yale University. The social norms marketing approach is widely used to reduce alcohol consumption and abuse among college and university students. Perkins continues to develop and test new techniques to implement the approach as well as to expand its applicability to other social problems. He conducts extensive research, and the most recent book for which he served as editor is The Social Norms Approach to Preventing School and College Age Substance Abuse.

Cited in the News

H. Wesley Perkins's work on the social norms approach has been widely cited in news publications in both the United States and Europe and implemented in government policy around the globe. His work has informed organization-wide interventions to reduce alcohol and substance abuse, the prevalence of bullying, and instances of sexual violence.

Publications & Conference Presentations

Perkins has lectured and presented at forums focusing on alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and bullying prevention. He frequently consults with school administrators, teachers, and those that engage in youth harm reduction to implement and sustain strategies rooted in the social norms approach.

Awards and honors