From Intentions to Behavior: Implementation Intention, Commitment, and Conscientiousness¹

Abstract

Implementation intentions are said to transfer control over goal‐directed behavior to situational cues, thereby automating initiation of the behavior (Gollwitzer, 1999). Alternatively, implementation intentions may be effective because they create commitment to the intended behavior. In an empirical study, implementation intentions regarding a simple task (rating TV newscasts) varied in their specificity. In addition, explicit commitment to the task was manipulated, and chronic conscientiousness was assessed. Consistent with the commitment hypothesis, general and specific implementation intentions were equally effective in raising level of task performance, and they were no more effective than asking for an explicit commitment to carry out the task. Also, individuals high in conscientiousness were more likely than individuals low on this trait to enact their intentions.

Toward a unified model of motivation for training transfer: a phase perspective

“…In fact, the meta-analysis by Klein et al demonstrated that goal commitment has positive effects on subsequent behaviour. In some cases this commitment is linked with intentions, as indicated by Ajzen, Czasch, andFlood (2009, p. 1359) who stated that "favourable intentions may be accompanied by different degrees of commitment to the intended action, and a heightened sense TOWARD A UNIFIED MODEL 13 of commitment increases the likelihood that the behaviour will be carried out". Indeed, Gibbons et al (1998Gibbons et al ( , p. 1164 proposed that "a central tenet [of the decision to commit to a particular behaviour] is that because all behaviours involve premeditation or planning, [and] the only proximal antecedent of a particular action is the individual's intention to engage in that action".…”

Theory of planned behaviour and the family business

“…Orbell, Hodgkins and Sheeran (1997) found that if guidelines about when and where to perform a certain action are provided, it becomes more likely that the intention will be enacted. More specifically, Ajzen, Czasch and Flood (2009) found that participants are five times more likely to return a survey when there is an implementation intention. The authors also found that an implementation intention creates a sense of commitment to perform a certain behaviour, even if the implementation intention is not very specific.…”

How Individual Technology Propensities and Organizational Culture Influence B2B Customers Behavioral Intention to Use Digital Services at Work?

“…Even though behavioral intention as a surrogate for customers' actualized usage behavior has recently been challenged [37], intention-behavior correlations as high as 0.90 [16] and 0.96 [31] have been reported, although in most cases, predictive accuracy is more modest [1]. In the current research we operationalize behavioral intention as the best available indicator of B2B customers' future use of digital services.…”