Predicting behaviour
Behaviour is normally influenced by more than attitudes alone For instance, as we discussed previously, the behaviour of people towards the Chinese couple in LaPiere’s study would also have been influenced by social norms – the socially prescribed ways of behaving in a situation (Campbell, 1963).Ajzen (1991) developed a model of attitude–behaviour relations that recognized the impact of social norms. According to this theory of planned behaviour (figure 17.7), actual behaviouris influenced by behavioural intentions – intentions to perform or not to perform the behaviour . These intentions, in turn, are influenced by: the attitude towards the behaviour – the individual’s evaluations of the positive and negative consequences of performing the behaviour; the subjective norms regarding the behaviour – the individual’s desire to behave in the same way as people who are important to him think he should behave; and perceived control over performance of the behaviour – the extent to which the individual believes he can control whether he performs the behaviour.According to the theory, when attitudes and subjective norms support a target behaviour and perceived control over the performance of the behaviour is high, intentions to perform the behaviour should be stronger. People who form strong intentions should be more likely to perform the behaviour. Abundant research has supported these predictions (see Conner & Armitage, 1998), while also making it clear that the theory neglects several additional important predictors of behaviour – such as a sense of moral obligation to perform the target behaviour (Schwartz, 1977) and the pattern of the individual’s past behaviour in similar situations (Ouellette & Wood, 1998). Martin Fishbein (1936– ) and Icek Ajzen’s (1942– ) research has provided valuable insights into the relations between attitudes and behaviour, attitude theory and measurement, communication and persuasion, behavioural prediction and change, and behaviour change intervention. They conducted many influential studies of these topics in both field and laboratory settings, many of which applied and evaluated the theory of planned behaviour. Their theories of attitude–behaviour relations have laid the foundation for hundreds of studies attempting to predict important health-related behaviours (e.g. cessation of smoking, condom use). Their research has particularly focused on the relation between verbal attitudes and overt behaviour.
Behaviour is normally influenced by more than attitudes alone For instance, as we discussed previously, the behaviour of people towards the Chinese couple in LaPiere’s study would also have been influenced by social norms – the socially prescribed ways of behaving in a situation (Campbell, 1963).Ajzen (1991) developed a model of attitude–behaviour relations that recognized the impact of social norms. According to this theory of planned behaviour (figure 17.7), actual behaviouris influenced by behavioural intentions – intentions to perform or not to perform the behaviour . These intentions, in turn, are influenced by: the attitude towards the behaviour – the individual’s evaluations of the positive and negative consequences of performing the behaviour; the subjective norms regarding the behaviour – the individual’s desire to behave in the same way as people who are important to him think he should behave; and perceived control over performance of the behaviour – the extent to which the individual believes he can control whether he performs the behaviour.According to the theory, when attitudes and subjective norms support a target behaviour and perceived control over the performance of the behaviour is high, intentions to perform the behaviour should be stronger. People who form strong intentions should be more likely to perform the behaviour. Abundant research has supported these predictions (see Conner & Armitage, 1998), while also making it clear that the theory neglects several additional important predictors of behaviour – such as a sense of moral obligation to perform the target behaviour (Schwartz, 1977) and the pattern of the individual’s past behaviour in similar situations (Ouellette & Wood, 1998). Martin Fishbein (1936– ) and Icek Ajzen’s (1942– ) research has provided valuable insights into the relations between attitudes and behaviour, attitude theory and measurement, communication and persuasion, behavioural prediction and change, and behaviour change intervention. They conducted many influential studies of these topics in both field and laboratory settings, many of which applied and evaluated the theory of planned behaviour. Their theories of attitude–behaviour relations have laid the foundation for hundreds of studies attempting to predict important health-related behaviours (e.g. cessation of smoking, condom use). Their research has particularly focused on the relation between verbal attitudes and overt behaviour.
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