A1 Journal article (refereed)
Perceived behavioral control moderating effects in the theory of planned behavior : A meta-analysis (2022)

Hagger, M. S., Cheung, M. W.-L., Ajzen, I., & Hamilton, K. (2022). Perceived behavioral control moderating effects in the theory of planned behavior : A meta-analysis. Health Psychology, 41(2), 155-167. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001153

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Hagger, Martin S.; Cheung, Mike W.-L.; Ajzen, Icek; Hamilton, Kyra

Journal or series: Health Psychology

ISSN: 0278-6133

eISSN: 1930-7810

Publication year: 2022

Volume: 41

Issue number: 2

Pages range: 155-167

Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001153

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/83588

Abstract

Objective: According to the theory of planned behavior, individuals are more likely to act on their behavioral intentions, and report intentions aligned with their attitudes and subjective norm, when their perceived behavioral control (PBC) is high. We tested these predictions meta-analytically by estimating the moderating effect of PBC on the attitude-intention, subjective norm-intention, and the intention-behavior relations in studies applying the theory in the health behavior domain. Method: We conducted a preregistered secondary analysis of studies (k = 39, total N = 13,121) from two programs of research. Each study measured participants’ attitude, subjective norms, PBC, and intentions in relation to health behaviors, and most (k = 36) measured health behavior at follow-up. Data were analyzed using meta-analytic structural equation modeling. Behavior type, scale score coverage, sample age, and publication states were included as moderators of model effects. Results: PBC moderated the intention-behavior relation but not the attitude-intention and subjective norm-intention relations. All moderation effects exhibited significant heterogeneity. Analysis of moderators indicated that the PBC moderation effects on intention varied according to scale score coverage but not by the other moderator variables tested. Conclusions: Results support moderation of the intention-behavior relation by PBC in health behaviors. However, substantial unresolved heterogeneity in the effect across studies remained. Further, these effects may not generalize to other populations and moderator analyses were confined to broad categories. More research that tests these moderation effects in health behavior contexts and reports sufficient data necessary for conducting a meta-analysis is needed to enable moderator analyses with greater fidelity.

Keywords: health behaviour; intention; self-control; meta-analysis

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022

JUFO rating: 2