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Related Experiment Videos

Implementation intentions and efficient action initiation.

V Brandstätter1, A Lengfelder, P M Gollwitzer

  • 1Institute of Psychology, University of Munich, Germany. brandstaetter@psy.uni-muenchen.de

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|November 16, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Implementation intentions, a strategy of forming "If-Then" plans, promote immediate and efficient action initiation. This planning technique benefits individuals with action control difficulties and functions even under high cognitive load.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Implementation intentions are defined as "If-Then" plans linking a specific situation to a goal-directed behavior.
  • These intentions are theorized to automate action initiation upon encountering the designated situation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test if implementation intentions lead to immediate action initiation.
  • To determine if this effect persists under conditions of high cognitive load.

Main Methods:

  • Four studies were conducted, including opiate addicts and schizophrenic patients (Studies 1-2).
  • Cognitive load was experimentally induced in university students using dual-task paradigms (Studies 3-4).

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Implementation intentions benefited individuals with impaired action control.
  • The positive effects of implementation intentions were observed even when cognitive load was experimentally increased.

    • Conclusions:

    • Forming implementation intentions effectively instigates immediate action.
    • This action initiation is efficient, even under demanding cognitive conditions.