Does Intention Strength Moderate the Intention–Health Behavior Relationship for Covid-19 Protection Behaviors?

• Published in: Annals of behavioral medicine Vol. 58; no. 2; pp. 92 - 99
• Main Authors: Conner, Mark, Wilding, Sarah, Norman, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 31.01.2024
• Subjects: Adult; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Health Behavior; Humans; Intention; Motivation; Prospective Studies; Regular; Temporal stability of intention; Intention–behavior gap; Intention strength; Goal conflict; Behavioral intention; Goal priority
• ISSN: 0883-6612; 1532-4796
• DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaad062

Abstract Background and Purpose The present research tests whether intention strength moderates intention–health behavior relations and the extent to which this is accounted for by the moderating effects of intention stability, goal priority, and goal conflict. Methods In a prospective multi-behavior study, a representative sample of UK adults (N = 503) completed measures of past behavior, intention, intention strength, goal priority, and goal conflict in relation to eight Covid-19 protection behaviors at time 1. Intention and self-reported behavior were assessed at time 2 (2 months later). Intention stability was assessed over 2 months. Results Intention strength was a significant moderator of the intention–behavior relationship (controlling for past behavior). Controlling for the moderating effects of intention stability attenuated the moderating effect of intention strength, while also controlling for the moderating effects of goal priority and goal conflict reduced the moderating effects of intention strength to nonsignificance. Conclusions The present findings indicate that intention strength is a significant moderator of the intention–health behavior relationship. They also suggest that the moderating effect of intention strength is explained by effects on intention stability, goal priority, and goal conflict. Tests of interventions to manipulate intention strength as a means to strengthen intention stability and intention–behavior relations are warranted. Lay Summary Predictors of engaging in eight Covid-19 protection behaviors (e.g., wearing face coverings, social distancing) were examined in a representative sample of adults in the UK in November 2021. Intentions to engage in these behaviors (e.g., “I will try to wear a face covering in public places in the next two months”) were a strong predictor of self-reported engagement 2 months later, even when taking account of people’s past behavior. Importantly, people’s intentions were more predictive of behavior when intentions were judged to be strong (e.g., important, based on a lot of thought). Further analyses revealed that the enhanced effect of strong intentions on behavior was due to strong intentions being more stable over time, and being given greater priority over, and not conflicting with, other goals. Increasing the strength of people’s intentions may be a useful and novel way to increase performance of health-protection behaviors.