The effect of choice on intention-behavior consistency

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Intention-behavior consistency is a key concept in understanding goal-directed behavior.
• The role of choice in influencing the strength of intentions and subsequent behavior is not fully understood.
• Existing research suggests various factors can moderate the link between intentions and actions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether the act of choosing a behavioral alternative enhances intention-behavior consistency.
• To explore the underlying mechanisms, such as self-generated intentions versus external assignment.
• To test alternative hypotheses, including the role of implementation intentions in choice-induced effects.

Main Methods:

• Three studies were conducted with undergraduate participants.
• Study 1 involved participants choosing or being assigned an essay topic, with subsequent measurement of intention strength and essay completion.
• Studies 2 and 3 examined choice difficulty and the formation of implementation intentions (e.g., when/where to act, outlining).

Main Results:

• Participants who chose their essay topic in Study 1 showed significantly higher essay mail-back rates and stronger intentions.
• No differences in completion rates were found between difficult and easy choice conditions in Studies 2 and 3.
• Independent effects of forming implementation intentions were observed, suggesting choice does not solely operate through this mechanism.

Conclusions:

• Choice of a behavioral alternative enhances intention-behavior consistency, likely by fostering self-generated intentions.
• The effect of choice on behavior is not solely dependent on the difficulty of the choice itself.
• Choice influences behavior through mechanisms distinct from, or in addition to, the formation of implementation intentions.