Dr. Amy Henderson Riley interviewed on “Social Norms Chat”

Dr. Amy Henderson Riley, PMC’s Director of Research, Evaluation, and Impact, joined host Cäcilia Riederer on “Social Norms Chat” for a conversation about how entertainment-education can drive behavior change — and how to know whether it actually does. Drawing on her expertise in Entertainment-Education (EE) and Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC), Dr. Riley makes the case that “monitoring and evaluation are not optional” — that rigorous measurement must be built into every entertainment-education initiative from the start.

Dr. Riley outlines different evaluation methods for measuring the impact of entertainment on social norms, including the “Participatory Research Toolkit for Social Norms Measurement” developed by UNICEF. The toolkit encourages engaging participants in sensitive discussions, reinforcing the collaborative, participatory approach that underpins PMC’s evaluation methodology. As Dr. Riley puts it: “Just having feel-good feelings is not enough. You need rigorous evaluation.”

Dr. Riley also discusses her published research on “Narrative Persuasion and Social Norms in Entertainment-Education,” showcasing results from a radio drama in Mozambique. These case studies reveal best practices for utilizing participatory methods in entertainment-education, providing actionable insights for practitioners in the field. She recommends the series Papás Por Conveniencia (“Family of Convenience”) as a valuable resource to complement the Participatory Research Toolkit.

“Social Norms Chat” is a podcast for practitioners, funders, and changemakers exploring how social norms shape behaviors and how they can be shifted to drive meaningful change.