Theory of Planned BehaviourTheory of Planned Behaviourand Physical Activityand Physical Activity

EPHE 348EPHE 348

OriginsOrigins

• Attitudes were a major focus in psychology during the 1930s

• Evidence was often not supportive of attitude-behaviour relations

Problems with earlier researchProblems with earlier research

• Aggregate assessment

• Specificity (action, context, time-frame, target)

Theory of Reasoned ActionTheory of Reasoned Action

• Fishbein & Ajzen (1975) postulated a theoretical model for understanding behaviour centered around the attitude construct

• Remains the most influential attitude model 30 years later

TRATRA

• Attitudes – overall evaluation of a behaviour

• Subjective norm – overall perceived expectation to perform the behaviour from others

• Intention – summary motivation to enact the behavior

TRA PrinciplesTRA Principles

• Attitude and subjective norm influence behaviour through intention

• Importance of attitude and subjective norm can differ by behavior or target group

But what makes up an attitude?But what makes up an attitude?

• Attitudes are a function of underlying beliefs about the behavior– Weighted Expectancy x Value

• Norms are a function of normative beliefs (norm x value of referent)

Theory of Planned BehaviourTheory of Planned Behaviour

• Due to the popularity and demonstrated importance of self-efficacy, the TRA was extended to include a control construct

• Perceived behavioural control – ability of the individual to carry out the behaviour (skills, opportunity, resources)

Perceived Behavioural ControlPerceived Behavioural Control

• Also an E x V construct:– Belief of capability to overcome an obstacle x

the probability that the obstacle will occur

• Ajzen (1991) argues that PBC influences intention and, to the extent that it represents real control, behaviour directly

Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985)Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985)

AttitudeAttitude

Subjective NormSubjective Norm IntentionIntention BehaviorBehavior

Perceived Perceived behavioral controlbehavioral control

Figure 14.1

What causes the beliefs?What causes the beliefs?

• Ajzen and Fishbein leave this open but include personal and observational experience, personality, demographics, environment, culture among others…

TPB and PATPB and PA

• Over 100 studies with various populations

• Intention related to PA large effect size

• Attitude and PBC are related to PA with a medium to large effect size and related to intention with a large effect size

• Subjective norm related to behaviour and intention with a small effect size

PA BeliefsPA Beliefs

• Most important behavioural beliefs:– Stress relief, takes too much time, fun thing to do

• Most important behavioural value:– Health, physical appearance/weight control

• Most important normative beliefs and values: – friends, family, spouse/romantic partner

• Most important control beliefs and values– Time– Fatigue

Multi-Component TPBMulti-Component TPB

• Attitude, subjective norm, and PBC are multi-faceted:

– Attitude = affect, instrumental

– Subjective norm = injunctive, descriptive

– PBC = skills, opportunity, resources

• Rhodes, R.E., Blanchard, C.M. & Matheson, D.H. (2006). A multi-component model of the theory of planned behaviour. British Journal of Health Psychology, 11, 119-137.

• Rhodes, R.E. & Courneya, K.S. (2003). Investigating multiple components of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived control: An examination of the theory of planned behavior in the exercise domain. British Journal of Social Psychology, 42, 129-146.

Intention behavior relationsIntention behavior relations

• Intention-behavior asymmetry is from intenders not acting and not from nonintenders acting

• The more one intends to exercise, the more likely one is to fail at achieving one’s intentions (>3 becomes very problematic)

• Rhodes, R.E., Courneya, K.S. & Jones, L.W. (2003). Translating exercise intentions into behaviour: Personality and social cognitive correlates. Journal of Health Psychology, 8, 449-460.

Temporal Profiles of Exercise Behavior Motivation

ACTION PLANNING ACTION CONTROL

Non -I n ten ders

Un successfu lI n ten ders

Successfu lI n ten ders

AFFECTIVE EVALUATIONS

CONTROL EVALUATIONS

INSTRUMENTAL EVALUATIONS

SOCIAL NORMATIVE EVALUATIONS

TPB in interventionTPB in intervention

• Few studies have focused on TPB-based intervention

• Basic premise is that behaviour can be changed three ways:– Increase or decrease a belief– Create a belief– Increase or decrease a value

Belief TestsBelief Tests

• Chatzisarantis & Hagger (2005)

• Study of Adolescents and modal vs non beliefs showed differences in intention via attitude

Properties of Physical Activity Properties of Physical Activity AttitudeAttitude

Physical Activity

Affective

Instrumental

Boring

Unpleasant

Attitude TestsAttitude Tests

• Conner & Rhodes (2008)

• Undergraduate samples given either completely affective message or completely instrumental message

• Examined effect on attitudes, intention, and behaviour (2 weeks later)

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Control

Affective

Cognitive

Effect on Behaviour

Attitude TestsAttitude Tests

• Parrott et al. (2008)

• Persuasive Messages sent to Undergraduates (3 week follow-up)

• Focused on Instrumental followed by Affective Attitude compared to no message

• RESULTS – Dependent on baseline status.

Making an Enemy an AllyMaking an Enemy an Ally

• Can the reinforcing and distracting properties of video games be used to facilitate exercise?

UVIC/UBC Gamebike StudyUVIC/UBC Gamebike Study

• 27 sedentary young men randomly assigned to a stationary bike or video game bike

• Advised to attend 30 min sessions 3xweek

• 6 weeks

• Measured on fitness and psychological variables

Physiological Effects Physiological Effects (Warburton et al., 2007)(Warburton et al., 2007)

Experimental Condition

TRADITIONAL VIDEO

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Fitness results were better in the video game condition

Why? AttendanceWhy? Attendance

Training Week

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Traditional Video *

GamebikeFitnessAttendance

What is going on with Attendance?What is going on with Attendance?

• Participants report lower exertion in the videobike condition than controls despite higher power output (Sarkany et al., 2006)

• Participants report greater affective attitude (i.e., enjoyment) in the videobike condition (Rhodes et al., in press)

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Standard Bike

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MechanismMechanism

GamebikeAffectiveAttitude Attendance Fitness