Theory of planned behaviour AD

Question 1

Theory of planned behaviour TPB

Answer 1

changes in behaviour can be predicted from our intention to change, which in turn us the outcome of personal attitudes towards the behaviour in question, our beliefs about what others think, and our perceived ability to control our behaviour.

Question 2

Ajzen formulated what theory

Answer 2

of how we can change our behaviour deliberately through rational decisions

Question 3

What does TPB confirm?

Answer 3

that behaviour can be predicted from our intentions

Question 4

What does TPB aim to do?

Answer 4

link intentions such as decisions, e.g. to take drugs or not, with actual changes in behaviour

Question 5

The TPB suggests our intentions to use drugs come from three key influences:

Answer 5

• Personal attitudes
• Subjective norms
• Perceived behavioural control

Question 6

Personal attitudes

Answer 6

An addict’s attitudes are a combination of favourable and unfavourable opinions about their addiction. Personal attitudes are formed by the person evaluating the positive and negative consequences of their addicted-related behaviours.

Attitudes may become unfavourable, which will lead to reduced interest in addiction-related behaviour. E.g. What bad things are they getting from the behaviour?

Question 7

Subjective norms

Answer 7

• These are the addict’s beliefs about whether those who matter most to them approve or disapprove of their behaviour.
• These beliefs are based on what an addict sees as normal - norms. The addict considers what their loved ones would think about their addiction.
• If they believe that their loved ones would not be happy then this would lead them to form an intention not to gamble, and therefore make them less likely to actually gamble.

Question 8

Application of subjective norms

Answer 8

• Addicted-related intentions/behaviours can be altered by changing their subjective norms
• E.g: adolescents often overestimate extent of substance abuse in peers
• This may influence their own behaviour as they try to keep up with the perceived norm
• Campaigns against substance abuse (Talk to Frank) combat this, by providing the message that reveal the true extent of substance abuse
• Source of message must be credible (subjective norms influenced by views of those we respect)
• Eg ‘Do my loved ones do this too?’

Question 9

Perceived behavioural control

Answer 9

• How much control we believe we have over our behaviour (self-efficacy)
• Depends on their perception of resources available to them (external- time, support, and internal- ability, effort)
• Perceived behavioural control has 2 effects: influence our behaviour indirectly via intentions to behave OR influences behaviour directly, so the greater one’s perceived control, the longer and harder they try to quit

Question 10

application of percieved behavioural control

Answer 10

• Increased self-efficacy could help gamblers to quit/avoid relapse (encourages an optimistic outlook and confidence in their ability not to gamble)
• Awareness that quitting/abstaining require effort (willpower)
• Other resources help develop control (support from others)
• Eg ‘Do they believe it’s possible to give up?’

Question 11

Research support -
Hagger et al

strength

Answer 11

• used 486 participants responses to questionnaires about their alcohol behaviours
• Personal attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control all correlated significantly with the intention to limit alcohol consumption
• Perceived behavioural control also predicted actual unit consumption directly
  These findings support predictions derived from the theory which suggests it is valid

Question 12

counterpoint for RS -Findings of the study were not all supportive of the TPB

limitation

Answer 12

• The study failed to predict some alcohol related behaviours
• Attitudes, norms, control and intentions did not correlate significantly with the number of binge-drinking sessions
• The success of TPB may depend on the type of addiction-related behaviour being measured
  Suggests that even supportive research indicates that the predictive validity of the TPB is limited.

Question 13

short term effects

limitation

Answer 13

• McEachan et al conducted a meta analysis of 237 tests of TPB predicting health behaviours
• Intention to stop drinking can predict actually giving up drinking but only if the difference between intention and behaviour is less than 5 weeks
• Evidence is much weaker when time interval between intentions and behaviour is longer
  Intentions may not predict changes to addiction-related behaviour in the longer term, limiting the usefulness of the TPB

Question 14

intention-behaviour gap

limitation

Answer 14

• They can’t adequately explain how actual behaviours are caused by intentions
• Miller and Howell studied gambling behaviours in teenagers
• Strong support for some parts of TPB like norms were related to the intention to stop
• But the intentions were not related to the actual gambling behaviour
  If the theory can’t predict behaviour change, we cannot use it to help us change behaviour