The article discusses the complexities of social norm change and its impact on social welfare, particularly in heterogeneous populations. It explores how interventions aimed at changing social norms can have unintended consequences, depending on the target population. The study uses a model of applied cultural evolution to show that interventions targeting the most amenable individuals may not always lead to the best social outcomes. Instead, interventions that create persistent miscoordination can sometimes result in higher social welfare. The research highlights that the relationship between intervention size, social tipping, and social welfare is complex and depends on the preferences of individuals resistant to behavior change. The study also demonstrates that the effectiveness of different intervention strategies can vary significantly based on the distribution of preferences within a population. The findings suggest that understanding and managing cultural evolutionary processes is crucial for achieving beneficial social outcomes. The article provides a detailed analysis of these dynamics using a game-theoretic model and illustrates how different intervention strategies can lead to different long-term social welfare outcomes.The article discusses the complexities of social norm change and its impact on social welfare, particularly in heterogeneous populations. It explores how interventions aimed at changing social norms can have unintended consequences, depending on the target population. The study uses a model of applied cultural evolution to show that interventions targeting the most amenable individuals may not always lead to the best social outcomes. Instead, interventions that create persistent miscoordination can sometimes result in higher social welfare. The research highlights that the relationship between intervention size, social tipping, and social welfare is complex and depends on the preferences of individuals resistant to behavior change. The study also demonstrates that the effectiveness of different intervention strategies can vary significantly based on the distribution of preferences within a population. The findings suggest that understanding and managing cultural evolutionary processes is crucial for achieving beneficial social outcomes. The article provides a detailed analysis of these dynamics using a game-theoretic model and illustrates how different intervention strategies can lead to different long-term social welfare outcomes.