Motivating and deterring factors for two common traffic-rule violations of cyclists in Germany

Cyclists have a rather high risk of being injured in traffic accidents compared to motor vehicle occupants. Contributing factors leading to these crashes still need to be properly understood.Two online surveys were conducted concerning reasons, motives and likelihood for two common violations: riding on the wrong path (N = 198) and cycling without light in the dark (N = 755). Motivations for the infringements were examined by multiple linear regression models, including variables derived from the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991) and deterrence factors as predictors of the intention to infringe.Results show that reported motives for the violations differ. For cycling on the wrong cycling path, 55% of variance could be explained. The most influential motive was a positive attitude towards the infringement. Twenty-nine percent of variance could be explained by the model for cycling without light in the dark. Subjective norms and assumed deterrence factors were found to have very little influence on intended violations in both surveys. Participants’ rule-knowledge was found to be generally low. Participants reported perceived regulative discrimination and technical hurdles to hinder rule-compliant behavior. Overall, the findings suggest that a more comprehensive, educational approach is required to manage cyclists’ behavior.     

Slow down! Get off that phone! The impact of a high school road safety education program in influencing whether a young person speaks up to a risky driver

Risky driving behaviours such as mobile phone use and speeding remain common among young people, thereby contributing to their over-representation in road crashes. There is much evidence that similar-aged peer passengers can have a negative impact on a young driver’s behaviour; however, there is also research that supports the positive influence that peer passengers can have when they speak up about risky behaviours. Road safety education programs, such as the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland’s (RACQ) Docudrama program, aim to help young people understand the important role they play as peer passengers and, thus, the importance of being willing to speak up to a driver who may be engaging in risky behaviours. Extending on a previous evaluation of the RACQ Docudrama program, the current study uses an Extended Theory of Planned Behaviour framework to evaluate the program’s effectiveness in influencing peer passengers’ intentions and self-reported behaviour in speaking up against risky driving behaviours, including mobile phone use and speeding. A repeated-measures design compared participants’ responses over 3 time-points: Time 1 (one month before participating in the program), Time 2 (immediately after having participated in the program), and Time 3 (three months after program participation). The results indicate that levels of anticipated regret for having not spoken up were higher following participation in the program suggesting that it encouraged young people to consider how they would feel if something was to happen and they, as passengers, had not tried to prevent it by speaking up. Three months after participating in the program, the majority of participants reported that they were positively influenced by the program in terms of engaging in safer behaviours as passengers; although the significant effects regarding improvements were observed only immediately after participating in the program. The implications of such findings are discussed in terms of the need for some type of ‘booster’ post-program participation to capitalise on the positive immediate effects that the program evokes.     

Active commuting among junior high school students in a Chinese medium-sized city: Application of the theory of planned behavior

In China, junior high school students are considered as adolescents, and their parents have guardianship of them. If junior high school students want to travel by motorized vehicles, they need to get assistance from their parents. The present study uses the theory of planned behavior to construct a model of dependent travel behavior that depicts the active commuting of junior high school students to school. A total of 449 junior high school students’ parents in Jinjiang city of Fujian Province in China were surveyed by using a questionnaire. Non-parametric test, reliability and validity test, factor analysis, and a logistic model were performed to test the model. The results show that the model is a good fit for the junior high school students’ active travel to school in the morning, and the Nagelkerke R² of the model is 0.68. Behavioral intention and perceived behavioral control of parents affect students’ active commuting behavior, and behavioral intention is larger on behavior. Besides the inner attitude, the external environment such as non-motorized traffic facilities and the road traffic conditions along the way to school have significant effect on the behavior. In contrast to our expectations, parents leaving home for work in the morning, children’s gender, grade, and household income have no significant influence on the behavior. Measures should be taken by the local government to promote students’ active commuting to school, such as improving road traffic environment and providing safe routes.     

A dual-process approach to health risk decision making: The prototype willingness model

Although dual-process models in cognitive, personality, and social psychology have stimulated a large body of research about analytic and heuristic modes of decision making, these models have seldom been applied to the study of adolescent risk behaviors. In addition, the developmental course of these two kinds of information processing, and their relation to the development of self-regulation are not well understood at this time. The current paper reviews what leading dual-process models have to say about the development of analytic and heuristic decision making, and their implications for adolescent risk behavior. In addition, it reviews research on the prototype willingness model of adolescent decision making—a dual-process model designed specifically to address non-intentional, but volitional adolescent risk behavior. It also discusses the implications of dual-process models for intervention research.     

Using the theory of planned behaviour to predict screening uptake in two contexts

Given current policy that decisions about screening should be based on informed choice, such decisions should reflect people's values and attitudes. This prospective study compares the attitudes and other cognitive predictors of screening uptake in two contexts: when conducted as part of a routine visit and when it is conducted at a separate, test-specific visit. It was conducted in two hospitals in England, differing in method of screening organisation. 1499 pregnant women offered serum screening for Down Syndrome completed a questionnaire assessing theory of planned behaviour constructs: attitude towards undergoing the test, subjective norms of others, perceived behavioural control and intention to undergo the test.

Intention predicted screening uptake in both screening settings, but more strongly when screening was part of a routine visit. Perceived behavioural control was not predictive of uptake, and only weakly predictive of intention in both settings. Subjective norm predicted intention more strongly when it referred to partner and friends than when it referred to health professionals, in both settings.

Attitude was more strongly predictive of intention to attend screening when screening was organised as a part of routine screening, rather than requiring a separate visit. These results suggest that offering a screening test at a routine visit compared with a separate visit is more likely to facilitated uninformed choices, given the stronger association between attitudes and intention and the absence of an association with the perceived influence of health professionals.     

Predicting uptake of a routine cervical smear test: A comparison of the health belief model and the theory of planned behaviour

Abstract

This paper reports on a study carried out to identify predictors of uptake of cervical screening among 142 women (59% response rate) in inner London. Two social cognition models were used: The Health Belief Model (HBM; Becker, 1974) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1991) and in addition anticipated affect following non-attendance for screening was assessed. The TPB emerged as by far the superior model for predicting screening intentions, explaining 51% of the variance in comparison with only 4% explained by the HBM variables. However, neither model was able to predict a significant amount of variance in uptake of screening three months later. Possible reasons for the poor prediction of this type of behaviour are discussed.     

Effects of action planning and coping planning within the theory of planned behaviour: A physical activity study of patients undergoing haemodialysis

Objective

Patients on dialysis have low physical activity levels. The aim of the study was to examine the validity of action planning and coping planning within the theory of planned behaviour framework, for predicting physical activity behaviour of patients on haemodialysis.

Design

This is a prospective study design.

Methods

One hundred and forty-four patients who were undergoing haemodialysis were selected from dialysis centres. The mean age of the patients was 56.61 (SD = 11.38) years. The patients completed a questionnaire including variables from the theory of planned behaviour, action planning and coping planning. Physical activity was prospectively assessed at 4-weeks with the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire self-report measure. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of action planning and coping planning on physical activity behaviour.

Results

There was a main effect for coping planning but not for action planning. Moreover, the analyses resulted in a significant amount of incremental variance accounted for by the interaction of coping planning and intention.

Conclusion

Results suggest the combination of high levels of coping planning and intention is associated with increases in physical activity.     

Long-term effect of theory of mind on school achievement: The role of sensitivity to criticism

This study adds to the research on theory of mind (ToM) and school achievement by testing whether the mediating effect of sensitivity to criticism is significant when considered longitudinally and using an index of academic performance that incorporates both direct and indirect measures. A group of 49 children was tested during the last year of kindergarten (Time 1, mean age = 5 years and 6 months), in Year 1 (Time 2, mean age = 6 years and 5 months) and Year 5 (Time 3, mean age = 10 years and 2 months) of primary school. Children's ToM and verbal ability were tested at each time point, sensitivity to criticism at Time 2 and school achievement at Time 3. Results showed that sensitivity to criticism (as indexed by self-reported ability rating) mediates the relationship between Time 1 ToM and Time 3 school achievement. Practical implications of this pattern of associations are discussed.     

Intentions to participate in counselling among front-line,at-risk Irish government employees: an application of the theory of planned behaviour

ABSTRACT

The study set out to examine intentions to engage in counselling among at-risk Irish government employees and the differential utility of two alternative theory of planned behaviour (TPB) models of behaviour to explain intentions to participate in counselling. Individuals (N=259) employed in a front-line, at-risk occupation for the Irish government completed a TPB-based questionnaire. Quantitative analyses revealed that participants held positive to neutral intentions to participate in counselling, irrespective of gender. The original TPB model explained 49.9% of variance in intentions whereas an alternative TPB model, splitting the perceived behavioural control (PBC) construct between its internal and external control components, explained a further 8.9% of variance. Furthermore, self-efficacy was found to be the strongest predictor of intentions. This study therefore supports the use of the TPB in understanding counselling-seeking behaviour.     

Physical activity and diabetes: An application of the theory of planned behaviour to explain physical activity for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in an adult population sample

Physical activity (PA) plays a key role in the management of Type 1 (T1D) and Type 2 diabetes (T2D) but there are few theory-based, effective programs to promote PA for individuals with diabetes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in understanding PA in an adult population with T1D or T2D. A total of 2311 individuals (691 T1D; 1614 T2D) completed self-report TPB constructs of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control (PBC), intention and PA at baseline and 1717 (524 T1D; 1123 T2D) completed the PA measure again at 6-month follow-up. Multi-group Structural Equation Modelling was conducted to: (1) test the fit of the TPB structure (2) determine the TPB structural invariance between the two types of diabetes and (3) to examine the explained variances in PA and compare the strength of associations of the TPB constructs in the two types of diabetes. The TPB constructs explained ≥40% of the variance in intentions for both diabetes groups. In cross-sectional models, the TPB accounted for 23 and 19% of the variance in PA for T1D and T2D, respectively. In prospective models, the TPB explained 13 and 8% of the variance in PA for T1D and T2D, respectively. When adjusting for past PA behaviour, the impact of PBC and intention on behaviour was reduced in both groups. The findings provide evidence for the utility of the TPB for the design of PA promotion interventions for adults with either T1D or T2D.     

Adoption of community-based cardiac rehabilitation programs and physical activity following phase III cardiac rehabilitation in Scotland: A prospective and predictive study

Little is known about levels of physical activity and attendance at phase IV community-based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) programs following completion of exercise-focussed, hospital-based phase III CR. This study aims to test, compare and combine the predictive utility of the Common-Sense Self-Regulation Model (CS-SRM) and the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) with action planning for two rehabilitation behaviours: physical activity and phase IV CR attendance. Individuals diagnosed with coronary heart disease (n = 103) completed baseline measures of illness perceptions, intentions, perceived behavioural control (PBC), action planning and past physical activity in the last week of a phase III CR program, and 95 participants completed follow-up measures of physical activity and attended phase IV CR (objectively confirmed) 2 months later. Only one predictor (PBC/cyclical timeline) significantly predicted levels and change of physical activity. While illness perceptions were not predictive of phase IV CR attendance, the extended TPB model showed good predictive power with action planning and intention as the most powerful predictors. Amongst participants who planned when and where to attend phase IV CR at the end of phase III rehabilitation, 65.9% subsequently attended a phase IV CR program compared to only 18.5% of those who had not made a plan. This study adds to our understanding of cardiac rehabilitation behaviour after completion of health service delivered programs. Comparing theoretical models and rehabilitation behaviours contributes to the development of behaviour theory.     

Action-state orientation and the theory of planned behavior: A study of job search in China

Job search is an important element of people’s careers and is especially critical for unemployed individuals. The current study surveyed a sample of 328 unemployed job seekers in China to test hypotheses related to the theory of planned behavior and action-state orientation theory. Results of the three-wave longitudinal study demonstrated that the theory of planned behavior was effective in modeling job-search intention and job-search intensity. Action-state orientation moderated the relationship between attitude and intention, as well as the relationship between intention and intensity. The current study sheds light on the motivational and self-regulatory process of job search and reemployment for Chinese unemployed job seekers.     

Neuroticism,conscientiousness and fruit consumption: Exploring mediator and moderator effects in the theory of planned behaviour

Integrating the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) with the five-factor model (FFM) of personality may provide insight into the cognitive and motivational mechanisms linking personality with health behaviour, but this issue has received very little attention regarding fruit consumption. Mediator effects of TPB concepts in the personality–fruit consumption link, as well as moderator effects of personality in the intention–fruit consumption link, were therefore investigated in the present study. Data on fruit consumption, TPB concepts and FFM dimensions were gathered among 405 respondents in face-to-face interviews using questionnaires. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the mediator and moderator effects. The direct effect of conscientiousness on fruit consumption was mediated by attitude and perceived behavioural control, while no direct effect of neuroticism on fruit consumption was found. Neuroticism moderated the intention–fruit consumption relationship with the weakest relationship for those scoring high on neuroticism. Conscientiousness did not moderate the intention–fruit consumption relationship. TPB variables are mediators in the conscientiousness–fruit consumption link. Whether fruit consumption is intentional may be dependent upon the personality dimension neuroticism. Personality dimensions may be a useful addition to the TPB and should be considered in health behaviour change interventions.     

小学教师职业倦怠维度发展顺序探究——来自结构方程模型和交叉滞后网络分析模型的证据

教师职业倦怠的情感衰竭、去人性化和个人成就感降低3个维度相对独立但也存在相互影响, 对其发展关系进行研究, 有助于深入理解职业倦怠的发展过程, 尽早识别倦怠症状。本研究对3837名小学教师进行追踪测试, 测试间隔为3年, 采用结构方程模型和交叉滞后网络分析模型进行分析, 结果发现小学教师职业倦怠维度最优发展模型为“T1的情感衰竭和个人成就感降低分别预测T2的情感衰竭和个人成就感降低, T1的去人性化预测T2的去人性化和个人成就感降低”, 且最优发展模型具有性别间的一致性和教龄段之间的一致性。这一结果支持并强调了去人性化在小学教师职业倦怠发展中的重要作用, 对识别教师职业倦怠早期症状并采取相应措施有效阻断教师职业倦怠的进一步发展具有一定的理论和现实意义。     

A dual-process model of affective and instrumental attitudes in predicting physical activity

IntroductionA novel dual-process model based upon the affective-reflective theory which distinguishes between affective attitude and instrumental attitude at an explicit and implicit level was used to predict physical activity.MethodUndergraduate students (N = 114) completed a lab-based study at two time-points, spaced two weeks apart. Participants completed self-report measures of the theory of planned behavior constructs, including explicit affective attitude and explicit instrumental attitude. Implicit affective attitude and implicit instrumental attitude were measured using single category implicit association tests.ResultsExplicit affective attitude and perceived behavioral control indirectly predicted physical activity through intention, and explicit affective attitude, implicit affective attitude, and intention predicted physical activity directly with a modest effect size (R² = 0.24).DiscussionFindings suggest explicitly and implicitly held evaluative information are conceptually distinct, and affective evaluations are key in guiding physical activity behavior regardless of whether such evaluations are implicit or consciously accessible.     

Habit as mediator of the relationship between prior and later physical activity: A longitudinal study in older adults

ObjectivesHabit has been proposed as an explanation of why prior behavior is a good predictor of later behavior. This study examined whether habit mediates the relationship between prior and later physical activity (PA), within the framework of the attitude-social influences-efficacy (ASE) model and the theory of planned behavior (TPB).DesignA longitudinal design was used.MethodsA total of 1976 older adults completed questionnaires on ASE/TPB constructs and PA at baseline, intention at three months, habit at six months, and PA at twelve months.ResultsPath analyses showed that habit significantly mediates the relationship between prior and later PA, after ASE/TPB variables were taken into account.ConclusionsHabit is a partial solution to the question why prior PA is a good predictor of later PA. It is recommended to incorporate habit into the ASE/TPB model.