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Evaluating the effects of implementation intention and self-concordance on behaviour.
Nikos L D Chatzisarantis1, Martin S Hagger, John C K Wang
1Human Motivation in Education Research Laboratory, National Institute of Education, Republic of Singapore. nikos.chatzisarantis@nie.edu.sg
British Journal of Psychology (London, England : 1953)
|January 7, 2010
Summary
Implementation intentions boosted multivitamin adherence for motivated individuals. Combining self-concordant motivation with implementation intentions significantly improved daily multivitamin intake over two weeks.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Understanding factors influencing health behavior adherence is crucial.
- Motivation plays a significant role in sustained health practices.
- Implementation intentions are a cognitive strategy to bridge intention-behavior gaps.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how implementation intentions affect daily multivitamin intake.
- To investigate these effects across different motivation types: self-concordant, self-discordant, and control.
- To assess the combined impact of motivation and implementation intentions on adherence.
Main Methods:
- A 2x3 experimental design was employed with university students.
- Participants were assigned to conditions with or without implementation intentions.
- Motivation was manipulated into self-concordance, self-discordance, or a control group.
Main Results:
- Implementation intentions increased multivitamin intake in both self-concordant and self-discordant groups.
- The combination of self-concordance and implementation intentions led to the highest compliance rates.
- This highlights the synergistic effect of specific motivation and planning strategies.
Conclusions:
- Implementation intentions are effective in promoting adherence to health behaviors like multivitamin intake.
- Self-concordant motivation enhances the effectiveness of implementation intentions for better compliance.
- Findings offer practical insights for interventions aimed at improving health behavior consistency.
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