162 MOTIVATION AND BEHAVIOUR
to suggest that people remain in stable stages of action readiness over time. While SCMs
have a number of advantages, criticisms of SCMs suggest the need for further
sophistication in the testing of such models. SCMs are limited in their capacity to
explain why some intentions are translated into behaviour while others are not. Various
factors explaining this intention–behaviour gap have been explored and the important
role of the temporal stability of intentions has been identified. Research has also
investigated volitional processes, which facilitate the enactment of intentions. Imple -
mentation intentions, that is, if-then plans situating an intended action in a specific
context, have been shown to reduce the intention–behaviour gap.
- Critique of SCMs
- Health behaviours
- Health belief models
- Implementation
intentions - Intention–behaviour
gap- Mere measurement
- Protection motivation
theory - Self-regulation
- Social cognition
models (SCMs) - Social cognitive theory
- Stage models
- Theory of planned
behaviour - Transtheoretical
model of change
KEY CONCEPTS AND TERMSSAMPLE ESSAY TITLES
- Critically evaluate the use of social cognition models in understanding health
behaviours. - Compare and contrast the health belief model and the theory of planned behav iour as
explanations of why people do and do not perform a range of health behaviours. - What do we know about the antecedents of intention? Discuss with reference to
available empirical evidence.
FURTHER READING
Books
Abraham, C. and Sheeran, P. (2015). Health belief model. In M. Conner and P. Norman (eds)
Predicting and Changing Health Behaviour: Research and Practice with Social Cognition Models
(3rd edn). Buckingham: Open University Press, 30–69.
Abraham, C., Norman, P. and Conner, M. (2000). Towards a psychology of health-related
behaviour change. In P. Norman, C. Abraham and M. Conner (eds) Understanding and
Changing Health Behaviour: From Health Beliefs to Self-Regulation. Switzerland: Harwood
Academic, 343–369.