PSY2001 SEMESTER 1 - WEEK 3 PART 1

Question 1

what is behavioural intention (Azjen, 1991) in TPB

Answer 1

behavioural intention assumed to capture motivational factors that influence a behaviour, and indicate how hard people are willing to try or how much effort they would exert to perform a behaviour

Question 2

what is third variable problem

Answer 2

we can never be sure that our thoughts cause our actions, as there could always be unconscious causes that produced them both

Question 3

how may past behaivour cause intentino

Answer 3

habit, biasing intention
do you intend to buy a coffe at 11am? - yes however only because it’s a habit
problem of using correlational sutdies = third variable problem

Question 4

outline Brubaker & Fowler (1990) study into TPB and info messages for testicular self examination

Answer 4

hear persuasive message and see if influenced change in intention to do it, then asked if actually did
found greater action from TPB and info group than no message
rules out difficulties from correlational study, as used experimental method

Question 5

outline Webb & Sheeran (2006) review of experimental study

Answer 5

included studies with random assignment to interventions/comparison group, intervention had to produce significant difference in intention between treatment and cotnrol
important health behaviour= contraception, suncream, smoking
many theoretical basis (TPB, social cog, PMT, health belief model)
same as systematic review but quantifies magnitude of effect found across all studies, providing strongest and most reliable evidence
but reduces whole idea to single number (oversimplification)

Question 6

from their review on experimental studies, what did Webb & Sheeran come up with

Answer 6

intention-behaviour gap = people do have willful control over actions. however there’s a intention-behaviour gap = your intention can result in behaviour but can be lost

Question 7

name issues of making inference on causation on basis of correlational research

Answer 7

1. correlational study use cross-sectional designs = consistency/self-presentation bias inflates estimate of strength of relationship between intention and behaviour
2. can’t rule out possibility that behaviour caused intention, so behaviour may be due to intention not vi versa
3. path from behaviour to intention precluded by using longitudinal designs, correlating measures of intention taken at one time point with measures of behaviour taken at later time point, but still issues with inferring causation “third-variable” problem
4. to test causal impact of intention on behaviour, need to change intention and observe if corresponding changes to behaviour

Question 8

name 3 points why people may fail to act on their intentions

Answer 8

1. intention viability
2. intention activation
3. intention elaboration

Question 9

what is intention viability

Answer 9

impossible for some decisions to find expression in absence of particular abilities, resources or opportunities

Question 10

what is intention activation

Answer 10

extent to which contextual demands after salience, direction or intensity of focal intention relative to other intention (some intentions will continue to get stronger and others get weaker)
eg; if thirsty and don’t drink, intention get stronger

Question 11

what is intention elaboration

Answer 11

people fail to elaborate in sufficient detail how to go about performing intended action (setting broad goal, need to go into depth to specify specific subcomponents of goal to get yourself started)

Question 12

evaluate extent to which behaviours determined by intention

Answer 12

issue of correlational work
rationales for experimental studies
in conclusion, intentions influence behaviour but many examples when it doesn’t happen due to intention-behaviour gap

Question 13

how to TRA, TPB and model of interpersonal behaviour suggest intention as a key role in prediction of behaviour

Answer 13

shows general attitude only weaky predicts specific behaviour
and explain attitude-behaviour discrepancies via indicating importance of measuring attitudes and behaviour at same specificity levels, and showing how attitude combines with other factors to influence behavior

Question 14

what 2 additional constructs did TRA introduce?

Answer 14

social pressure and measures of subjective norm
affects behaviour through promoting formation of decision/intentions to act

Question 15

how does TRA predict volitional behaviour

Answer 15

good deal of control but behaviour may need resource, skill, opportunity

Question 16

why does TPB add TRA to PBC

Answer 16

to propose that perceived behavioural control is additional predictor of intention alongside attitude and subjective norm, assume intention most important for determining behaviour and moderate relation between intention and behaviour when PBC accurately reflect amount of actual performance control

Question 17

what is model of interpersonal behaviour

Answer 17

intention key determinant of behaviour, but also needs moderator of intention realisation (extent where behaviour habitual)