DANBURY, CONN. — Western Connecticut State University Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Daniel Barrett will explain the role psychology plays in public service advertising when he discusses “The Boomerang Effect in Social Norms: When Trying to Decrease a Behavior May Actually Increase it” on Monday, Feb. 26, at two area senior living communities.

Barrett will speak at 10 a.m. at The Village at Brookfield Common, 246-A Federal Road in Brookfield, and again at 2 p.m. at Ridgefield Crossings, 640 Danbury Road in Ridgefield. The lectures will be free and the public is invited. Seats are limited; call (203) 775-8696 to reserve a space in Brookfield or (203) 431-2255 to reserve a space at the Ridgefield presentation.

“Do we sometimes increase a behavior like illegal drug use or littering even if we really want to decrease it?” Barrett asked. “Yes,” he said, “if we fail to use the correct messages. This is a particular risk when messages based on social norms are used. Public communication campaigns by the government or other agencies that rely on social norms to change behavior can boomerang and produce unintended consequences.”

Barrett will share examples of this phenomenon and suggest ways to avoid the boomerang effect and produce more effective messages.

Barrett’s talk is one of an ongoing series of educational classes offered by WestConn faculty, staff and alumni at The Village at Brookfield Common and Ridgefield Crossings, senior living communities with independent and assisted-living style apartments. The series next will feature WestConn Assistant Professor of Communication Dr. Lisa Davis, who will discuss “Tell Me a Story: Quilting and Women’s History (P.S. Men Tell Stories Too!)” at 10 a.m. in Ridgefield and 2 p.m. in Brookfield on Friday, March 30.

For more information, call the WestConn Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486, The Village at Brookfield Common at (203) 775-8696, or Ridgefield Crossings at (203) 431-2255.