Behavioral Intentions,

Expectations and
Willingness
Gibbons and Gerrard, 1997, National Cancer Institute

Justin Roudabush
Oregon State University

Outline
Definition and Significance of Behavioral Intention
Causes of Variance
Moderators
Alternative Proximal Measurements
Implementation Intentions
Behavioral Expectations
Behavioral Willingness

TRA + TPB
Behavioral
Beliefs

Attitude Towards
the Behavior

Normative
Beliefs

Subjective
Norm

Control
Beliefs

Perceived Behavioral
Control

Intention

Behavior

The TTI Developmental-Ecological System

Levels of
Causation
Ultimate
Underlying
Causes

E
Values
Environment

ENVIRONMENT
Situation
Person

Knowledge
Environment

E
Distal
Predisposing
Influences

Value

Social SelfCom- Role

Bonds Control petence Models

Eval Mc

Att SNB Self

Proximal
Immediate
Predictors

Exp

NB

Will + Skill

SNB

Know

Att

Efficacy

Intentions

Behavior
DEVELOPMENT & TIME

Lost in Translation
Most value-expectancy theories contain an Intention element
Explains some variance between Intention and Behavior (HB)
Can account for 20-30% of this variance
HB

Intention

HB
HB

HB

HB

Definition
amount of effort one is willing to exert to attain a goal
behavioral plans thatenable attainment of a behavioral
goal
proximal goals
intentions can be conceived of as goal states

Measurement
Aggregation include multiple items
Compatibility BI and measures should included exactly the
same action, target, context and time
Commitment more important to the individual

Predictability Concerns
Stability consistency over time
Time Lag diminishes over time
Emotion at the time of execution

Moderators
Perceived Behavioral Control
Complexity
Social Desirability
Social Involvement

Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC)

Perceived control over a behavior
Actual Ability to control behavior
When both are high the relationship is more likely to be
positive
When one or the other is low then outcome is less
predictable

Complexity
Require a series of actions to complete
People overestimate likelihood of completing all actions
Only takes failure on one action to fail completely

Literal Inconsistency
Tendency to not do what you said you would do
Say you will do the behavior but dont follow through
Say you wont and dont
Same issue exists for Socially Undesirable Behaviors
Health Risks

Social Involvement
Interventions between BI and HB can be most effective
when:
Follow up and measurement between BI and HB is earlier
HB includes significant habitual components
Perceived and actual control are low
Health risks are involved under social contexts

Intrapersonal Stream

Social/Normative Stream

Cultural/Attitudinal Stream

BIOLOGY/
PERSONALITY

SOCIAL
SITUATION

CULTURAL
ENVIRONMENT

1
Sense of
Self/Control

Social
Competence

Self
Skills:
Determination Social+General

13

14

SELF-EFFICACY
BEHAVIORAL
CONTROL

Interpersonal
Bonding

Others
Beh & Atts

10

Motivation
to Comply

Perceived
Norms

15

16
SOCIAL
NORMATIVE
BELIEFS

DECISIONS/INTENTIONS

PBC, Complexity, Literal

Inconsistency, Social Involvement

Interactions w/
Social Instits

Information/
Opportunities

11

12

Values/
Evaluations

17

Knowledge/
Expectancies

18

ATTITUDES
TOWARD THE
BEHAVIOR

Alternative Proximal Antecedants

Implementation Intentions
Behavioral Expectations
Behavioral Willingness

Implementation Intentions (II)

Make the abstract more concrete
Create specific goals related BI to HB
Ideal for use with complex behaviors
Good for situational cues/prompts

Behavioral Expectations (BE)

Subjective probability of performance
Prediction versus plan (BI)
Accounts for additional influences: circumstances, past
behaviors, anticipated changes
Ideal for undesirable and/or difficult behaviors

Behavioral Willingness (BW)

BI less effective for measuring adolescents and/or behavior
involving health risks
HB is not intentional, but a reaction to social circumstances
Openness to risk opportunity
Survey of capabilities of risky behavior if the opportunity is
encountered
Ideal for adolescents and risky behaviors

Best Fit
Health promoting behaviors: use BI combined with II
Complex behaviors with control aspects: use BI with PBC
Social Desirability, commitment tenuous, low perceived
control: use BE
Health risk, adolescents, social reactions: use BW and BE

E
Values
Environment

ENVIRONMENT
Situation
Person

Knowledge
Environment

E
Value

Social SelfCom- Role

Bonds Control petence Models

Eval Mc

Will + Skill

Att SNB Self

NB
SNB

Know

Exp
Att

Efficacy

Proximal
Antecedants

Intentions
(BI, BE, BW)

Social Context,
Maturity, Anxiety,
Complexity, Level of
Control, etc..

Behavior