Understanding Theory of Planned Behavior:

Understanding Theory of Planned Behavior:

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a psychological theory that explains how people make decisions to engage in specific behaviors. It was developed by Icek Ajzen in 1985 as an extension of the Theory of Reasoned Action.

Core Idea:

People’s intentions to perform a behavior are the most important predictors of whether they will actually do it. These intentions are influenced by three main factors.

Key Components:

Attitude toward the behavior

  • This refers to the person’s positive or negative evaluation of performing the behavior.
  • Example: “Exercising every day is good for my health” → Positive attitude.

Subjective norms

  • These are the perceived social pressures to perform or not perform the behavior.
  • Example: “My friends and family think I should stop smoking.”

Perceived behavioral control

  • This reflects the person’s belief in how easy or difficult it is to perform the behavior.
  • Example: “I can go to the gym even if I have a busy schedule.”

Formula (conceptually):

Intention → Behavior, where:
Intention = Attitude + Subjective Norm + Perceived Control

Example:

Behavior: Quitting smoking

  • Attitude: Believes smoking is harmful
  • Subjective Norm: Friends and partner want them to quit
  • Perceived Control: Feels confident about using nicotine patches and avoiding triggers
    → Strong intention to quit → Likely to follow through

Applications:

  • Health behavior change (e.g., diet, exercise)
  • Marketing and consumer behavior
  • Environmental behavior (e.g., recycling)
  • Public policy interventions

Shervan K Shahhian