Publications

Article

Work Group Rituals Enhance the Meaning of Work

By: Tami Kim, Ovul Sezer, Juliana Schroeder, Jane L. Risen, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton

The many benefits of finding meaning in work suggest the importance of identifying activities that increase job meaningfulness. The current paper identifies one such activity: engaging in rituals with workgroups. Five studies (N = 1,099) provide evidence that... View Details

Keywords: Groups; Meaningfulness; Task Meaning; Ritual; Teams; Organizational Citizenship; Groups and Teams; Behavior; Familiarity

Article

Enacting Rituals to Improve Self-control

By: D. A. Tian, J. Schroeder, G. Haubl, J. Risen, M. I. Norton and F. Gino

Rituals are predefined sequences of actions characterized by rigidity and repetition. We propose that enacting ritualized actions can enhance subjective feelings of self-discipline, such that rituals can be harnessed to improve behavioral self-control. We test this... View Details

Keywords: Behavior; Perception; Personal Characteristics; Health

July 2022
Article

When Alterations Are Violations: Moral Outrage and Punishment in Response to (Even Minor) Alterations to Rituals

By: Daniel H. Stein, Juliana Schroeder, Nicholas M. Hobson, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton

From Catholics performing the sign of the cross since the 4th century to Americans reciting the Pledge of Allegiance since the 1890s, group rituals (i.e., predefined sequences of symbolic actions) have strikingly consistent features over time. Seven studies (N = 4,213)... View Details

Keywords: Ritual; Morality; Groups; Norms; Commitment; Groups and Teams; Values and Beliefs; Change; Moral Sensibility; Behavior

2013
Article

Rituals Enhance Consumption

By: J. Vohs, Y. Wang, F. Gino and M. I. Norton

Four experiments tested the novel hypothesis that ritualistic behavior potentiates and enhances the enjoyment of ensuing consumption—an effect found for chocolates, lemonade, and even carrots. Experiment 1 showed that ritual behaviors, compared to a no-ritual... View Details

Keywords: Practice; Satisfaction; Consumer Behavior

June 2017
Article

When Novel Rituals Lead to Intergroup Bias: Evidence from Economic Games and Neurophysiology

By: Nicholas M. Hobson, Francesca Gino, Michael I. Norton and Michael Inzlicht

Long-established rituals in pre-existing cultural groups have been linked to the cultural evolution of large-scale group cooperation. Here we test the prediction that novel rituals—arbitrary hand and body gestures enacted in a stereotypical and repeated fashion—can... View Details

Keywords: Ritual; Intergroup Dynamics; Intergroup Bias; Neural Reward Processing; Open Data; Open Materials; Preregistered; Groups and Teams; Behavior; Prejudice and Bias; Cooperation

Article

Family Rituals Improve the Holidays

By: Ovul Sezer, Michael I. Norton, Francesca Gino and Kathleen Vohs

Rituals are central to family life. Three studies (N = 1098) tested the relationship between family rituals and holiday enjoyment and demonstrated that family rituals improve the holidays because they amplify family closeness and involvement in the experience. In Study... View Details

Keywords: Happiness; Behavior; Satisfaction; Family and Family Relationships

2014
Article

Rituals Alleviate Grieving for Loved Ones, Lovers, and Lotteries

By: Michael I. Norton and Francesca Gino

Three experiments explored the impact of mourning rituals after losses—of loved ones, lovers, and lotteries—on mitigating grief. Participants who were directed to reflect on past rituals or who were assigned to complete novel rituals after experiencing losses reported... View Details

Keywords: Loss; Practice; Emotions

Article

Don't Stop Believing: Rituals Improve Performance by Decreasing Anxiety

By: Alison Wood Brooks, Julianna Schroeder, Jane Risen, Francesca Gino, Adam D. Galinsky, Michael I. Norton and Maurice Schweitzer

From public speaking to first dates, people frequently experience performance anxiety. And when experienced immediately before or during performance, anxiety harms performance. Across a series of experiments, we explore the efficacy of a common strategy that people... View Details

Keywords: Behavior; Performance; Emotions

09 Apr 2024
Book

Why Work Rituals Bring Teams Together and Create More Meaning

scientists have traditionally approached rituals from a cultural or religious perspective, but we all have our own idiosyncratic rituals we conduct throughout our days,” says Norton, author of the new book... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

27 Jun 2019
Research & Ideas

Rituals Strengthen Couples. Here’s Why They’re Good for Business, Too

night. Unlike the routine habits or obligations people feel they must get done, relationship rituals are pleasurable experiences that hold significance, acting as symbolically meaningful signs of a solid and happy partnership. Couples who... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

03 Jun 2013
Research & Ideas

The Power of Rituals in Life, Death, and Business

All over the world, people in pain turn to rituals in the face of loss—no matter if it's the death of a loved one (dressing in black, for example), the end of a relationship (burning old love letters), or the crushing defeat in a Little... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

2024
Book

The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions

By: Michael Norton

Our lives are filled with repetitive tasks meant to keep us on track—what we come to know as habits. Over time, these routines (for example, brushing your teeth or putting on your right sock first) tend to be performed automatically. But when we’re more mindful about... View Details

Keywords: Behavior; Happiness; Performance Productivity; Attitudes

2013
Working Paper

Don’t Stop Believing: Coping with Anxiety Through Rituals

By: A.W. Brooks, J. Schroeder, J. Risen, F. Gino, A. Galinsky, M. I. Norton and M.E. Schweitzer

24 Mar 2022
Research & Ideas

Rituals at Work: Teams That Play Together Stay Together

Love them or hate them, team-building rituals can fortify bonds among coworkers and create the shared sense that work is more meaningful, which may be especially critical now as managers look to reconnect colleagues re-adjusting to work... View Details

Keywords: by Kristen Senz

19 Mar 2019
First Look

New Research and Ideas, March 19, 2019

influence strategies that backfire. Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=55881 in press Journal of the Association for Consumer Research Rituals and Nuptials: The Emotional and Relational Consequences of... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

August 1995 (Revised April 1998)
Background Note

A Note for Analyzing Work Groups

By: Linda A. Hill

Presents a model for understanding the behavior and evolution of primary, stable work groups over time. The model describes contextual factors, design factors, and emergent culture as determinants of group behavior and performance. Describes emergent behavior, norms,... View Details

Keywords: Groups and Teams; Balance and Stability; Behavior; Situation or Environment

Educators

August 1979 (Revised November 1996)
Background Note

Framework for Analyzing Work Groups

Presents a model for understanding the behavior and evolution of primary, stable work groups over time. Model describes contextual factors, design factors and emergent culture as determinants of group behavior and performance. In addition, describes emergent behavior,... View Details

Keywords: Analysis; Groups and Teams; Organizations

Educators

February 2002
Background Note

Mediating in the Wake of Disaster: The MIT Settlement

By: Michael A. Wheeler and Gillian Morris

In 1997, MIT freshman Scott Kruger died from alcohol poisoning after a ritual fraternity ceremony. His death sparked national controversy over the responsibility of universities for their students. For his parents, though, the pain was personal and almost solely... View Details

Keywords: Higher Education; Negotiation Deal; Moral Sensibility; Leadership; Situation or Environment; Framework; Legal Services Industry; Education Industry

Educators