AttitudesAttitudes

From intentions to actionsFrom intentions to actions

Gabriela Ilie, Gabriela Ilie, Ph.D.Ph.D.University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto

Attitudes vs. Attitudes vs. IntentionsIntentions Which one is a better predictor of Which one is a better predictor of

behavior?behavior? Intention: committing to acting in a Intention: committing to acting in a

certain way, or engaging in a particular certain way, or engaging in a particular behavior's)behavior's)

The disposition most closely linked to a The disposition most closely linked to a specific action tendency is the intention specific action tendency is the intention to perform the action under consideration to perform the action under consideration (e.g., Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975; Fisher and (e.g., Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975; Fisher and Fisher, 1992)Fisher, 1992)

From Intentions to From Intentions to actionaction

Many studies have substantiated the Many studies have substantiated the predictive validity of behavioral predictive validity of behavioral intentions. intentions. – Examples:Examples: Intention-behaviour Intention-behaviour

correlationcorrelation Donating bloodDonating blood .75 (Giles & Cairns, 1995).75 (Giles & Cairns, 1995) Using homeopathic medicineUsing homeopathic medicine .75 (Furnham & Lovett, 2001).75 (Furnham & Lovett, 2001) Attending churchAttending church .90 (King, 1975).90 (King, 1975) Having an abortionHaving an abortion .96 (Smetana & Adler, 1980).96 (Smetana & Adler, 1980)

From Intentions to From Intentions to actionaction Intentions are close antecedents Intentions are close antecedents

of overt action.of overt action.– The The predictive validitypredictive validity of of

intentionsintentions is typically found to be is typically found to be significantly greater than thatsignificantly greater than that of of attitudesattitudes toward the behavior toward the behavior..

From Intentions to From Intentions to actionaction Manstead, Proffitt and Smart (1983)Manstead, Proffitt and Smart (1983)

– How much can we predict mother’s How much can we predict mother’s feeding method (either a or b) based on feeding method (either a or b) based on their attitudes toward their attitudes toward a) breast feedinga) breast feeding, or , or b) bottle feeding b) bottle feeding of newborn infants. of newborn infants. Correlation of 0.67. Correlation of 0.67.

– Mother’s intentions towards these Mother’s intentions towards these alternative feeding practices has a alternative feeding practices has a correlation of .82 with the feeding method correlation of .82 with the feeding method the mothers ended up using.the mothers ended up using.

Ajzen et al. (1982)Ajzen et al. (1982)– How likely are you to smoke How likely are you to smoke

marijuana in the next 3 to 4 weeks? marijuana in the next 3 to 4 weeks? – Asked by telephone four weeks later Asked by telephone four weeks later

they indicated whether they smoked they indicated whether they smoked mm or not? or not?

– The self report of m use The self report of m use correlated .72correlated .72 with intentionswith intentions, and , and correlated .53 with the students’ correlated .53 with the students’ attitudes towards smoking m.attitudes towards smoking m.

DiscrepanciesDiscrepancies

Indeed, intentions can accurately predict Indeed, intentions can accurately predict a variety of corresponding action a variety of corresponding action tendencies.tendencies.

At the same time, research has also At the same time, research has also revealed considerable variability in the revealed considerable variability in the magnitude of observed correlations, and magnitude of observed correlations, and also relatively low intention-behavior also relatively low intention-behavior correlations have been observed. correlations have been observed. (hmmm…cognitive dissonance?)(hmmm…cognitive dissonance?)

Intention-behavior Intention-behavior incompatibilityincompatibility

Measuring something general with Measuring something general with specifics of that behaviourspecifics of that behaviour

For example: Kerner and Grossman, For example: Kerner and Grossman, 1998, measured the correlation 1998, measured the correlation between people’s intention to between people’s intention to exercises over a 5 month period with exercises over a 5 month period with their behaviour (e.g. climbing stairs or their behaviour (e.g. climbing stairs or lifting weights – notice v. specific).lifting weights – notice v. specific).

Correlation: r = 0.21, very low…Correlation: r = 0.21, very low…

Why?Why? A compatible measure of A compatible measure of

intention would have asked intention would have asked participants to indicate the extent participants to indicate the extent to which they intended to engage to which they intended to engage in the particular prescribed in the particular prescribed exercise behaviour in the next 5 exercise behaviour in the next 5 months.months.

How stable are our How stable are our intentionsintentions

Some studies measured people’s Some studies measured people’s intentions 6 months before they intentions 6 months before they engaged in the behaviour. engaged in the behaviour.

Why is this a potential issue?Why is this a potential issue? Intentions change over time. Intentions change over time. E.g voting campaign. Something E.g voting campaign. Something

happens with the candidate, a scandal happens with the candidate, a scandal story gets publicized and people’s story gets publicized and people’s intentions change. intentions change.

Cognitive dissonanceCognitive dissonance

Even when behaviour meet the Even when behaviour meet the criterion of compatibility and when criterion of compatibility and when the measure of intention is relatively the measure of intention is relatively stable over time, stable over time, people still people still sometimes say they will do sometimes say they will do something and end up doing something and end up doing something else. something else.

This is described in your textbook as This is described in your textbook as the the literal inconsistencyliteral inconsistency..

According to Campbell (1963) According to Campbell (1963) people with moderate dispositions people with moderate dispositions tend to display behaviors consistent tend to display behaviors consistent with the disposition when the with the disposition when the behaviors are easy to perform (e.g. behaviors are easy to perform (e.g. express an intention to exercise) express an intention to exercise) but not when they are difficult to but not when they are difficult to perform (e.g. actually engage in perform (e.g. actually engage in exercise).exercise).

Campbell (1963)Campbell (1963)

Moderate disposition explanationModerate disposition explanationReject

Accept

Letter Face-to-face

Weakprejudice

Moderateprejudice

Strong prejudiceBEHAVIOR

Remember LaPierre’s (1934) study with the Chinese couple?

Implementation intentionsImplementation intentions ““How come you didn’t do what you said How come you didn’t do what you said

you will do? “you will do? “ ““Oh well… I forgot” Oh well… I forgot” ““Gee.. It slipped my mind!”Gee.. It slipped my mind!”

– Having people state when, where and Having people state when, where and how they will carry out their how they will carry out their intentions can greatly increase the intentions can greatly increase the likelihood that they will do so. likelihood that they will do so.

The case of incomplete volitional The case of incomplete volitional control:control:– The degree of success to attain a The degree of success to attain a

specific behavior, depends not only specific behavior, depends not only on the person’s intentions, but also:on the person’s intentions, but also: On such factors as inherent abilitiesOn such factors as inherent abilities Physiological dispositionsPhysiological dispositions Availability of requisite opportunities Availability of requisite opportunities

and resourcesand resources

External factors:External factors:– OpportunityOpportunity– Dependence on othersDependence on others

Internal factors:Internal factors:– Information, skill, and abilitiesInformation, skill, and abilities– Emotions and compulsionsEmotions and compulsions

Video clip Video clip – choosing experiences moment to – choosing experiences moment to momentmoment

Video clip - Video clip - entanglemententanglement

Video clip – Video clip – Washington DC Washington DC experimentexperiment

Video clip – Video clip – intention intention inconsistencies…like positive inconsistencies…like positive thinkingthinking