Predicting Intentions to Use Condoms: A Meta‐Analysis and Comparison of the Theories of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior¹

Abstract

A meta-analysis was conducted on 23 psychosocial predictors of intentions to use cnndoms. Data from 67 independent samples were included in the review. Findings demonstrated that demographic, sexual experience, and personality variables had small average correlations with intentions. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS and perceptions of the threat of disease were also weakly related to decisions about using condoms. Attitudes and subjective norms from the theory of reasoned action, on the other hand. demonstrated medium to strong effect sizes. Two components of social influence not specified by the theory of rcasoned action also received support. Evidence suggested that perceived behavioral conti.ol from the theory of planned behavior was a reliable predictor of behavioral intentions m d explained variance over and above the effects of attitudes and subjective norms.Unprotected penetrative sex is the primary transmission route for HIVIAIDS. Condom use can prevent sexual transmission of HIV and is more effective than reducing numbers of sexual partners (Reiss & Leik, 1989). Although time trend analyses indicate that condom use has increased among both heterosexuals (e.g., level of condom use remains low. For example, the National AIDS Behavioral Surveys in the United States found that 47% to 57% of respondents reported never using a condom with steady partners in the previous 6 to 12 months, while 37% to 44% of respondents never used condoms with casual partners (Dolcini et al.

Correlates of Condom Use Among Chinese College Students in Hunan Province

“…The individual's subjective norm is based on the beliefs about the norms of significant others and motivation to comply with them. The theory of planned behavior (TPB; Ajzen, 1988), an extension of the theory of reasoned action, includes perceived behavioral control, which is considered synonymous with self-efficacy by many researchers, although there is some debate in the literature regarding the equivalence of the two constructs (Sheeran & Taylor, 1999). Self-efficacy, a key construct of social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986), reflects an individual's confidence in performing a specific behavior.…”

Attitudinal and socio-demographic effects on willingness to pay for water services and actual payment behaviour

“…In particular, the TPB has been used to predict health related behaviours such as condom use, smoking and exercise (e.g. Sheeran and Taylor, 1999); hygiene behaviours such as hand washing (e.g. Jenner et al, 2002), pro-environmental behaviours such as recycling (Cheung et.…”

Anger as a Moderator of Safer Sex Motivation Among Low-Income Urban Women

“…25, and .25, respectively). Similarly, in a meta-analysis on predictors of safer sex intention, Sheeran and Taylor (1999) reported effect sizes of r= .45 for attitudes, .42 for subjective norms, and .35 for self-efficacy beliefs, but found only weak to moderate effect sizes of .21 for HIV knowledge and .14 for indicators of perceived risk. The same patterns emerged in yet another meta-analysis of Sheeran, Abraham, and Orbell (1999) on predictors of condom use.…”

“…One problem in interpreting this pattern of results is the overwhelming number of crosssectional investigations that do not focus on behaviorchange but just on the prediction of behavior, often assessed in retrospect (Albarracin et al, 2001;Sheeran & Taylor, 1999). The strong effect sizes reported for attitudes, norms, and perceived behavior control can be assumed to reflect, in part, the impact of past behavior and habits; they are likely to fit into an apparently rational correlational pattern that, in fact, links past behavior and habits with intentions and future behavior (see, for example, Albarracin et al, 2001).…”