Theories of Behavioral Intention persuasion exam 1

Theory of Reasoned Action: Changing Attitudes

Add new salient belief Change belief strength: Increase belief strength of existing positive belief Decrease belief strength associated with existing negative belief Change belief evaluations: Increase un-favorability of existing negative belief Increase favorability of existing positive belief Switch valence of beliefs

Research on the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Adding perceived behavioral control helps and improves our ability to predict intention Generally stronger theory than TRA Examples: Condom use, obesity, alcohol abuse

Research on Theory of Reasoned Action

Attitudes and norms predict intentions in various contexts Relative influence of each component? Relationship between attitudes and subjective norms?

Theories of Behavioral Intention

Based on the assumption that people are rational decision makers Make decisions by considering: How strongly they believe behavior will lead to positive outcomes Perceived social implications of performing behavior (e.g., what would they think?) Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Azjen, 1975) Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985

Theory of Reasoned Action- Determinants of Attitudes

Beliefs about the behavior Evaluation of each belief

Theory of Reasoned Action: Three ways to change intentions (and then, ultimately, behavior)

Change Attitudes Change perceived norms Change the weight of two components

My Anti-Drug vs.Above the Influence

I pity the fool. Hey Lindsay... Above the Influence

Temporal Instability of Intentions

Intentions change over time The closer the time between measurement and opportunity to act, the greater the correspondence Note: Importance of behavior

Theory of Reasoned Action

Intentions to perform or not perform a behavior are a function of two factors: Attitudes Subjective Norms

Influencing perceived behavioral control

Necessary for persuasion in some cases Four ways: Remove obstacles (e.g., cost) Performance of behavior (e.g., getting them to try) Behavioral modeling (e.g., demo behavior) Encouragement (e.g., they can do it)

Notes on perceived behavioral control

Necessary, but not sufficient condition for behavioral intention No reason to change PBC if people have unfavorable attitudes toward the behavior and/or negative subjective norms

Theory of reason Action - Determinants of Subjective Norms

Normative expectations Motivation to comply

Theory of Reasoned Action:Changing Weights of Components

Only useful when attitudes and norms are negatively related e.g., Kids and substances "Above the Influence" campaign

Theory of Reasoned Action: Changing Perceived Norms

Reconfigure salient referents Change motivation to comply

Theory of Reasoned Action attitudes and subjective norms

Sometimes attitudes and subjective norms are great predictors of intention and behavior However, that is not always true Consider behaviors that you fail to engage in even though you want to and know others support you? What is missing? Why do people not make the change?

Correspondence Between Measures

Specific intentions predict specific behaviors

Theory of Planned Behavior

TRA meant to predict volitional behaviors (controllable) What if people do not have control over behaviors? Or at least feel as if they do not? Perceived behavioral control Similar to "self-efficacy"

Research on Determinants of Subjective Norms

Theory says normative beliefs and motivation to comply together encompass one's subjective norm May be insufficient Role of descriptive norms Q: What is the norm? What are others doing?

Theory of planned behaviour: Determinants of Perceived Behavioral Control

Two aspects of perceived behavioral control Perception of the likelihood or frequency that a given control factor will occur Perceived power of the control to inhibit or facilitate at the behavior Example: Healthy eating - what are the barriers?

Intention-Behavior Relationship

Voluntary actions well predicted by intentions Reasoned, planned actions well predicted by intentions *If not, other theories make more sense Factors influencing intention-behavior relationship Correspondence between measure of intention and measure of behavior Time lag between measurement Explicit planning about behavioral performance