The Theory of Reasoned Action deals with the relationships among:

• beliefs
• attitudes
• intentions
• behaviors

It assumes that changing a given practice or behavior requires changing the cognitive—or mental—structure that underlies the behavior.

The theory includes a set of four hypotheses.

• Level 1

  At the first level, it is assumed that a person’s behavior is the result of their intention to perform the behavior.

• Level 2

The next level suggests that the intention is a function of two factors:

• a personal factor—the individual’s attitude toward the behavior
• a social factor—the “norm” associated with the behavior. The social factor, or “norm”, is the individual’s perception of what others think about the behavior.

• Level 3

  Underlying the personal factor at the next level is a combination of the beliefs about whether the behavior will lead to certain outcomes.

• Level 4

Finally, underlying the social factor is a complex range of beliefs about what particular individuals or groups think about the behavior, and the person’s own motivation to comply with those perceived beliefs.

How has it been applied? This theory has been applied in interventions that address smoking, signing up for a treatment program and exercising regularly. Usually, the audience is questioned to find which of the determinants are most important.

For example, “Do you think that people around you want you to exercise at least three times each week?” “Rank on a scale of 1-10 how important it is to you that these people want you to exercise.” Interventions are then planned to address the determinants that are most important in influencing the audience’s intentions.

Example: The formative and outcome research in the Prevention Marketing Initiative, one of the four examples fully described on this disk, was directed, in part, by Theory of Reasoned Action.