Mind the Gap?: An Intensive Longitudinal Study of Between-Person and Within-Person Intention-Behavior Relations

Jennifer Inauen; Patrick E. Shrout; Niall Bolger; Gertraud Stadler; Urte Scholz

doi:10.1007/s12160-016-9776-x

Mind the Gap? An Intensive Longitudinal Study of Between-Person and Within-Person Intention-Behavior Relations

Jennifer Inauen, Patrick E. Shrout, Niall Bolger, Gertraud Stadler, Urte Scholz

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Despite their good intentions, people often do not eat healthily. This is known as the intention-behavior gap. Although the intention-behavior relationship is theorized as a within-person process, most evidence is based on between-person differences.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the within-person intention-behavior association for unhealthy snack consumption.

METHODS: Young adults (N = 45) participated in an intensive longitudinal study. They reported intentions and snack consumption five times daily for 7 days (n = 1068 observations analyzed).

RESULTS: A within-person unit difference in intentions was associated with a halving of the number of unhealthy snacks consumed in the following 3 h (CI95 27-70 %). Between-person differences in average intentions did not predict unhealthy snack consumption.

CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with theory, the intention-behavior relation for healthy eating is best understood as a within-person process. Interventions to reduce unhealthy snacking should target times of day when intentions are weakest.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	516-522
Number of pages	7
Journal	Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Volume	50
Issue number	4
Early online date	22 Jan 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9776-x
Publication status	Published - Aug 2016

Keywords

intention-behavior gap
intraindividual and interindividual associations
health behavior
snack consumption
ecological momentary assessment

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@article{046aa48f06a34048bca03c7ff575f10d,

title = "Mind the Gap?: An Intensive Longitudinal Study of Between-Person and Within-Person Intention-Behavior Relations",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Despite their good intentions, people often do not eat healthily. This is known as the intention-behavior gap. Although the intention-behavior relationship is theorized as a within-person process, most evidence is based on between-person differences.PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the within-person intention-behavior association for unhealthy snack consumption.METHODS: Young adults (N = 45) participated in an intensive longitudinal study. They reported intentions and snack consumption five times daily for 7 days (n = 1068 observations analyzed).RESULTS: A within-person unit difference in intentions was associated with a halving of the number of unhealthy snacks consumed in the following 3 h (CI95 27-70 %). Between-person differences in average intentions did not predict unhealthy snack consumption.CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with theory, the intention-behavior relation for healthy eating is best understood as a within-person process. Interventions to reduce unhealthy snacking should target times of day when intentions are weakest.",

keywords = "intention-behavior gap, intraindividual and interindividual associations, health behavior, snack consumption, ecological momentary assessment",

author = "Jennifer Inauen and Shrout, {Patrick E.} and Niall Bolger and Gertraud Stadler and Urte Scholz",

note = "Acknowledgments This work was supported by the University of Konstanz, Germany. The first author was supported by a fellowship of the Swiss National Science Foundation (Fellowship P2ZHP1_155103).",

year = "2016",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1007/s12160-016-9776-x",

language = "English",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Mind the Gap?

T2 - An Intensive Longitudinal Study of Between-Person and Within-Person Intention-Behavior Relations

AU - Inauen, Jennifer

AU - Shrout, Patrick E.

AU - Bolger, Niall

AU - Stadler, Gertraud

AU - Scholz, Urte

N1 - Acknowledgments This work was supported by the University of Konstanz, Germany. The first author was supported by a fellowship of the Swiss National Science Foundation (Fellowship P2ZHP1_155103).

PY - 2016/8

Y1 - 2016/8

N2 - BACKGROUND: Despite their good intentions, people often do not eat healthily. This is known as the intention-behavior gap. Although the intention-behavior relationship is theorized as a within-person process, most evidence is based on between-person differences.PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the within-person intention-behavior association for unhealthy snack consumption.METHODS: Young adults (N = 45) participated in an intensive longitudinal study. They reported intentions and snack consumption five times daily for 7 days (n = 1068 observations analyzed).RESULTS: A within-person unit difference in intentions was associated with a halving of the number of unhealthy snacks consumed in the following 3 h (CI95 27-70 %). Between-person differences in average intentions did not predict unhealthy snack consumption.CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with theory, the intention-behavior relation for healthy eating is best understood as a within-person process. Interventions to reduce unhealthy snacking should target times of day when intentions are weakest.

AB - BACKGROUND: Despite their good intentions, people often do not eat healthily. This is known as the intention-behavior gap. Although the intention-behavior relationship is theorized as a within-person process, most evidence is based on between-person differences.PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the within-person intention-behavior association for unhealthy snack consumption.METHODS: Young adults (N = 45) participated in an intensive longitudinal study. They reported intentions and snack consumption five times daily for 7 days (n = 1068 observations analyzed).RESULTS: A within-person unit difference in intentions was associated with a halving of the number of unhealthy snacks consumed in the following 3 h (CI95 27-70 %). Between-person differences in average intentions did not predict unhealthy snack consumption.CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with theory, the intention-behavior relation for healthy eating is best understood as a within-person process. Interventions to reduce unhealthy snacking should target times of day when intentions are weakest.

KW - intention-behavior gap

KW - intraindividual and interindividual associations

KW - health behavior

KW - snack consumption

KW - ecological momentary assessment

U2 - 10.1007/s12160-016-9776-x

DO - 10.1007/s12160-016-9776-x

M3 - Article

C2 - 26801785

VL - 50

SP - 516

EP - 522

JO - Annals of Behavioral Medicine

JF - Annals of Behavioral Medicine

SN - 0883-6612

IS - 4

ER -

Mind the Gap? An Intensive Longitudinal Study of Between-Person and Within-Person Intention-Behavior Relations

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Keywords

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