Causality in the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

The theory of planned behavior proposes that behavior is predicted by behavioral intention which is, in turn, predicted by three base components: attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms regarding the behavior, and perceived control over the behavior. Implied within this theory is that each of the three base components influence intentions, solely in that direction. However, despite being one of the most widely used theories in many areas of psychology and health sciences, few studies have tested this basic premise. Might causal influence also flow in a reverse-causal direction from intentions back to the base components? This causal sequence was tested and supported by a correlational study, a lab-based experiment, and a quasi-experimental field study. This demonstration of reverse-causal relations from intentions to the base components suggests that the theory of planned behavior should be modified to include reciprocal causal relations.

Cultural Adaptation, Validation, and Primary Application of a Questionnaire to Assess Intentions to Eat Low-Glycemic Index Foods among Rural Chinese Women

“…PBC, which is defined as an individual’s perception of the ease or difficulty of performing a particular behavior, is an independent predictor of intention [ 46 ]. According to the TPB, intention along with PBC triggers the behavior [ 16 ]. Our findings were consistent with this structure; we hypothesized that women with a higher score for PBC were more willing to eat low-GI foods and benefit from glycemic control and be associated with a lower risk of IGT.…”

“…Health behavior theories such as the theory of planned behavior (TPB) provide a framework for understanding human behavior [ 15 ]. According to the TPB, three constructs influence intentions (INT): attitudes toward the behavior (ATT), subjective norms regarding the behavior (SN), and perceived behavior control (PBC); these intentions then influence actions [ 16 ]. The TPB is widely used to explain the associations between intentions to eat a between healthy diet and adherence behavior [ 17 , 18 ].…”

Employee turnover intention among Millennials: The role of psychological well-being and experienced workplace incivility

“…Turnover intention is a conscious willfulness to seek for other alternatives in other organizations (Bothma & Roodt, 2013;Setyanto & Hermawan, 2018). Theory of planned behavior explained intention behavior that consists of three components, namely perceived control, attitudes toward the behavior, and subjective norms (Sussman & Gifford, 2018). Previous research on turnover intention in Indonesia found that paternalistic leadership is related to employee's turnover intention through satisfaction (Nurcahyanto, Rofiaty, & Rahayu, 2018).…”

Searching for New Directions for Energy Policy: Testing Three Causal Models of Risk Perception, Attitude, and Behavior in Nuclear Energy Context

“…In general, attitudes are thought to affect behaviors, but recent studies have noted that behaviors influence attitudes as well. Sussman and Gifford [ 39 ] suggested that in the TPB, reverse causal influences of intentions on base components (i.e., attitudes toward behaviors, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) may exist. Empirical studies find that attitudes and behaviors interact or that behaviors change attitudes.…”