The intention-behaviour gap

Question 1

what are not good direct predictors of behaviour?

Answer 1

attitudes

Question 2

the effect of attitudes on behaviour is mediated by ?

Answer 2

intention

Question 3

assume to capture the motivational factors that influence a behaviour, how much effort put in to perform a behaviour =

Answer 3

behavioural intentions

Question 4

Sheppard et al conducted a meta analysis of 87 studies with 12,000 ppts. what correlation was found?

Answer 4

looked at theory of reasoned action. attitude + subjective norm > intention. r+=0.53. showed a large correlation between intention and behaviour

Question 5

what can we conclude on the basis of the correlation evidence found in studies that approach 0.5?

Answer 5

correlations are all between 0.4-0.5 which is approaching a strong correlation > 0.5 shows a strong correlation so intentions are a good predictor of behaviour (sited in support of TPB)

Question 6

how do you find how much variance is explained in a DV when you’ve got a correlation?

Answer 6

square the correlation e.g. 0.47x0/47 = 0.22 > 22%

Question 7

why is a correlation for intentions and behaviour of around 0.47 problematic?

Answer 7

because this means if you square the value, intentions only explain 22% of the variance in behaviour, so the remaining high % of what you do is explained by other factors other than intentions, CORRELATION DOESN’T MEAN CAUSATION

Question 8

what might intentions actually reflect in correlational studies?

Answer 8

how someone is behaving in the past rather than an actual decision

Question 9

TPB models say people go through a process of _______ before forming an intention

Answer 9

deliberation (intentions are the outcomes of our deliberative process)

Question 10

we can never be sure that our thoughts have caused our actions, as there could aways be unconscious causes that could have produced them both =

Answer 10

the third variable problem

Question 11

how do we tackle the problem of correlational studies?

Answer 11

use experimental studies, manipulate intention and then follow up behaviour e.g. does changing intention lead to changes in behaviour?

Question 12

what were the results in Burbaker & Fowler’s examining testicles study?

Answer 12

2 groups that got messages (TPB message/info message) had stronger intentions to perform testicle examination compared to no message (evidence that changes in intention lead to changes in behaviour)

Question 13

what were the 3 important health behaviours Webb & Sheehan looked at in their review?

Answer 13

1. contraception
2. sunscreen use
3. smoking

Question 14

what does it mean if Webb & Sheeran’s review was a-theoretical?

Answer 14

had a variety of theoretical bases as the findings hold across a range of theories

Question 15

what were the theories involved in webb and sherman’s review?

Answer 15

1. TPB
2. social cognitive theory
3. protection motivation theory
4. health belief model

Question 16

what were the findings from Webb & Sheeran’s review?

Answer 16

on average the studies had a large effect on intentions (but they were chosen for this reason) the effect of behaviour on intentions was not as big but there was a change on behaviour, people seem to have wilful control over their responses

Question 17

what are 3 ideas for why intentions may not translate into behaviour?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

explain how intention viability may not allow intentions to translate into behaviour

Answer 18

sometimes we can’t put decisions into action because of absence of ability, resources, opportunities, may be outside personal control

Question 19

what things cause intention viability?

Answer 19

1. counter intentional habits
2. strong habits
3. lack of resources

Question 20

explain intention activation

Answer 20

the intention may not be activated because we have more than one intention at a time and conflicting goals may mean the intention is deactivated, depends on salience, direction, intensity of intention compared to others

Question 21

deactivated intentions are likely to be ________ or ________

Answer 21

reprioritised, forgotten

Question 22

people fail to elaborate in sufficient detail how to go about performing the intended action =

Answer 22

intention elaboration

Question 23

the idea that behaviour is a function of intentions is supported to an extent by ________ studies but there are problems inferring _______ from them

Answer 23

correlational, causation

Question 24

experimental studies suggest there is often a gap between intentions and action because intentions may not be _____, ______ or sufficiently ________

Answer 24

viable, activated, elaborated