Abstract
While there is good evidence supporting the positive effect of planning strategies like implementation intentions on the relationship between intention and behavior, there is less evidence on the moderating role of individual differences in planning capacity on this effect. This study aimed to examine the role of individual differences in planfulness on the effect of planning strategies on the intention–behavior gap. Specifically, this study investigated the influence of planfulness on the effectiveness of implementation intentions on goal-directed behavior using an experimental design. Undergraduate university students (N = 142) with high and low levels of planfulness based on a priori scores on a planfulness measure were randomized to either a planning (implementation intention) or familiarization (control) condition prior to completing a computerized go no-go task. We predicted that individuals reporting low levels of planfulness would be more effective in executing goal-directed behavior when prompted to form an implementation intention compared to individuals who do not receive a prompt. Additionally, we predicted that individuals reporting high planfulness would be equally effective in enacting goal-directed behaviour regardless of whether they formed an implementation intention. The results revealed no main or interaction effects of implementation intention manipulation and planfulness on task reaction times. The current results do not provide support for the moderating effect of planfulness on the implementation effect. The findings of this study were inconsistent with previous literature. This research has implications for the effectiveness of implementation intentions, as well as opportunities for further replication in a novel research area.
Highlights
Intentions do not always lead to action and goal attainment; this finding has been labeled the intention–behavior “gap.” Based on dual-phase models of action, research has indicated that planning strategies such as implementation intentions may assist in strengthening the intention–behavior relationship and, promote better goal attainment [5,6,7,8,9,10]
We propose that implementation intention exercises may be more effective in promoting better behavioral participation and intention enactment among those reporting lower planfulness. We tested this hypothesis in an experimental study in which we examined the effect of an implementation intention intervention on individuals’ performance on a computerized go no-go task based on Brandstatter and colleagues [5] original study with individual differences in planfulness as a moderator
We tested our predictions in an experimental study examining the effects of individual differences in planfulness and an implementation intention manipulation on performance on a computerized go no-go task used in previous implementation intention studies [5]
Summary
Intentions do not always lead to action and goal attainment; this finding has been labeled the intention–behavior “gap.” Based on dual-phase models of action, research has indicated that planning strategies such as implementation intentions may assist in strengthening the intention–behavior relationship and, promote better goal attainment [5,6,7,8,9,10]. The present study aimed to investigate the extent to which planfulness moderates the effects of implementation intention interventions on goal-directed behavior. We predicted that individuals reporting low levels of planfulness would be more effective in executing goal-directed behavior when prompted to form an implementation intention relative to individuals who do not receive a prompt. We predicted that individuals reporting high planfulness would be effective in enacting goal-directed behavior regardless of whether or not they formed an implementation intention
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