Social cognition models Flashcards
What are social cognition models?
Models that predict how attitudes influence behaviour.
What are the four main social cognition models?
- Theory of reasoned action.
- Theory of planned behaviour.
- Reasoned Action Approach.
- Health belief model.
What is the main point in the theory of reasoned action?
That intention is the central determinant of behaviour, not attitudes. Attitudes are then related to intention.
What model is expectancy-value theory part of?
The theory of reasoned action.
What does the expectancy-value theory suggest an attitude is?
The combination of:
- Subjective probabilities of the attribute.
- Evaluations of those attributes.
Why was the theory of reasoned action designed?
It was designed to predict behaviours and was relatively easy to perform as successful behavioural performance only requires the development of an intention.
What is one critique of the theory of reasoned action?
It could not account for behaviours that require resources, opportunity or skill.
What is the basis of the theory of planned behaviour?
- An extension of the theory of reasoned action that includes perceived behavioural control.
- It taps into internal control factors and external control factors.
Describe the relationship between perceived behavioural control and A-B relation (3).
- Perceived control is a partial substitute for actual control.
- Perceived control is an additional determinant of intention.
- People who believe that they do not have perceived control are unlikely to perform the behaviour even if they have positive attitudes.
What is the basis of the reasoned action approach?
Takes into account:
- Instrumental and affective attitudes.
- Injunctive and descriptive norms.
- Capacity and autonomy of perceived behavioural control.
What is the basis of the health belief model?
Variables such as:
- Threat perception.
- Behavioural evaluation.
- Cues to action.
Can influence performance of health behaviour.
Discuss the relationship found between health motivation and behaviour.
Some research shows no relationship with behaviour, while others show a small positive relationship.
What is a limitation of empirical evidence of the theory of planned behaviour and reasoned action approach?
Most studies measure intentions only or use self-reported behaviour.
Why are self report behavioural studies not ideal?
Self-reports of behaviour were said to be vulnerable to:
- Cognitive biases.
- Affective biases.
- Self-presentational biases.
Why is correlational evidence not ideal in relation to attitudes and behaviour?
- Association may be a result of attitudes and intentions causing behaviour or behaviour causing attitudes and intentions.
- An unmeasured variable may have caused both attitude and behaviour.
