The Intention–Behavior Gap

Paschal Sheeran; Thomas L. Webb

doi:10.1111/spc3.12265

journal article Sep 01, 2016

The Intention–Behavior Gap

Paschal Sheeran

Thomas L. Webb

Social and Personality Psychology Compass Vol. 10 No. 9 pp. 503-518 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1111/spc3.12265

Abstract

Abstract
Bitter personal experience and meta‐analysis converge on the conclusion that people do not always do the things that they intend to do. This paper synthesizes research on intention–behavior relations to address questions such as: How big is the intention–behavior gap? When are intentions more or less likely to get translated into action? What kinds of problems prevent people from realizing their intentions? And what strategies show promise in closing the intention–behavior gap and helping people do the things that they intend to do?

Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References

156

[1]

10.1002/(sici)1099-0992(199912)29:8<971::aid-ejsp963>3.0.co;2-a

[2]

10.4324/9780203869666

[3]

10.1348/135910704773891096

[4]

10.1177/0146167211399102

[5]

10.1016/j.appet.2010.10.012

[6]

10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-t

[7]

10.1080/08870441003681307

[8]

10.1348/135910707x249589

[9]

10.1037/0278-6133.27.5.557

[10]

10.1007/s11121-012-0291-4

[11]

10.1348/014466601164939

[12]

10.1207/s15327965pli0701_3

[13]

10.1002/ejsp.336

[14]

Baumeister R. F. (2014)

[15]

10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1252

[16]

10.1177/1088868311419817

[17]

10.1080/17437199.2011.560095

[18]

10.1016/j.yebeh.2009.09.014

[19]

10.1037/0022-3514.67.3.366

[20]

10.1037/xge0000083

[21]

10.1177/1090198114537066

[22]

10.1080/02699930244000291

[23]

10.1177/0146167206297401

[24]

10.1037/a0024004

[25]

10.1080/14768320601070449

[26]

10.1007/s12160-013-9481-y

[27]

10.1037/hea0000261

[28]

10.1037/0278-6133.21.2.194

[29]

10.1123/jsep.29.4.518

[30]

10.1348/135910705x40997

[31]

10.1348/0144666041501688

[32]

10.1111/jasp.12003

[33]

10.1016/j.joep.2012.11.002

[34]

10.1037/a0027425

[35]

10.1002/ejsp.861

[36]

10.1177/1088868313507533

[37]

10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01268

[38]

10.1207/s15327965pli1104_01

[39]

10.1111/j.1559-1816.2003.tb01930.x

[40]

10.1080/13548500701426711

[41]

10.1037/0022-3514.63.5.754

[42]

Dweck C. S. (1988)

[43]

10.1016/j.dcn.2012.11.002

[44]

10.1037/1076-898x.9.3.147

[45]

10.1037/0022-3514.72.1.218

[46]

10.1348/014466605x85906

[47]

10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02475.x

[48]

10.1348/014466607x241540

[49]

Fujita K. (2012)

[50]

10.1037/0022-3514.92.2.325

Showing 50 of 156 references

Cited By

1,571

How Psychological and Contextual Barriers to Environmentally Sustainable Consumption Vary Across Domains: A Comparative Study of Food, Electronics, and Clothing in Switzerland

Swen J. Kühne, Yann Blumer · 2026

Cleaner and Responsible Consumption

Tıp Fakültesi Öğrencilerinin Cinsel Sağlık Bilinci ve Cinsel Yolla Bulaşan Hastalıklar Konusundaki Farkındalığı: Bilgi ve Davranış Temelli Bir İnceleme

Özge Eren Korkmaz, Farid Mirzamohammadi Jajin · 2026

OSMANGAZİ JOURNAL OF MEDICINE

Evaluation of domain knowledge-integrated AI system for physiological signal cleansing and professional adoption process

Kyoungsuk Park, Kyoung-Sun Kim · 2026

Expert Systems with Applications

Revisiting the link between entrepreneurship education and student intention: A review of empirical and theoretical insights

Abdul Waris Jalili, Nan Niu · 2026

The International Journal of Manage...

Communicating breastfeeding benefits or formula‐feeding risks? The underlying process explaining the framing effect on infant‐feeding attitudes and intentions

Margherita Guidetti, Giulia Scaglioni · 2026

Applied Psychology: Health and Well...

Does Mindfulness Support the Status Quo? The Role of Neoliberal Orientation and Emotion Regulation

Philippine Chachignon, Johann Suchier · 2025

European Journal of Social Psycholo...

Big Five personality traits and voting: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and mega-analysis

Alexander Georg Stahlmann, Christopher J. Hopwood · 2025

European Journal of Personality

Exploring the Interplay Among Environmental Knowledge, Green Purchase Intention, and Pro‐Environmental Behavior in Greenfluencing Scenarios: The Mediating Effect of Self‐Congruity

Marianny Jessica Brito de Silva, Maria Izabel Cordeiro de Lima · 2025

Sustainable Development

Watch out for errors! factors related to ChatGPT skepticism: a cognitive perspective

Mengmeng Zhang, Jian-Hong Ye · 2025

Interactive Learning Environments

Why Didn’t They Come? An Examination of the Intention-Behavior Gap in Campus Recreation

Laura Wood, Kevin Eric Scott Wilson · 2025

Recreational Sports Journal

Sustainable energy technology adoption for a low-carbon future: A global meta-analysis of psychological determinants

Philipp S. Eppe, Elena Niehoff · 2025

Energy Research & Social Scienc...

Mind the Gap—An Empirical Analysis of the Attitude‐Behaviour Gap in Grocery Retailing

Kevin Ermecke, Niklas Mergner · 2025

Journal of Consumer Behaviour

Patients’ perspectives on ecologically sustainable health care in general practice: an experimental vignette and questionnaire study

Eva H Visser, Evelyn A Brakema · 2025

BJGP Open

Addressing climate change with behavioral science: A global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Madalina Vlasceanu, Kimberly C. Doell · 2024

Science Advances

Embodying nature in immersive virtual reality: Are multisensory stimuli vital to affect nature connectedness and pro-environmental behaviour?

Pia Spangenberger, Sarah-Christin Freytag · 2024

Computers & Education

The differential impact of climate interventions along the political divide in 60 countries

Michael Berkebile-Weinberg, Danielle Goldwert · 2024

Nature Communications

Improving Performance in Physical Education Through Students’ Enrichment Activity Training (SEAT)

Buenaventura, Chris John., Sanson Jr, Antonio T. · 2024

International Journal of Latest Tec...

The use of implicit measures in service research: Why, how, when and what is the way forward?

Nanouk Verhulst, Hendrik Slabbinck · 2024

Journal of Services Marketing

A cross-sectional analysis of factors associated with the teachable moment concept and health behaviors during pregnancy

Linda M. Uzan, Michelle Brust · 2024

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

A comparative study of motivations driving EV purchases in different-tier Chinese cities

Guanyu Dai, Shu Yang · 2024

Transportation Research Part D: Tra...

Metrics

1,571

Citations

156

References

Details

Published: Sep 01, 2016
Vol/Issue: 10(9)
Pages: 503-518
License: View

Authors

P

Paschal Sheeran

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

T

Thomas L. Webb

University of Sheffield

Funding

European Research Council Award: ERC‐2011‐StG‐280515

John Templeton Foundation Award: #23145

Cite This Article

Paschal Sheeran, Thomas L. Webb (2016). The Intention–Behavior Gap. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 10(9), 503-518. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12265

The Intention–Behavior Gap

You May Also Like