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Acting on intentions: The role of anticipated regret
Author(s) -
Abraham Charles,
Sheeran Paschal
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1348/014466603322595248
Subject(s) - regret , psychology , moderation , social psychology , consistency (knowledge bases) , theory of planned behavior , control (management) , statistics , geometry , mathematics , management , economics
Three studies tested the hypothesis that anticipated regret (AR) increases consistency between exercise intentions and behaviour. Study 1 employed a longitudinal survey design (N = 384). Measures specified by the theory of planned behaviour, past behaviour, and AR were used to predict self‐reported exercise behaviour 2 weeks later. AR moderated the intention‐behaviour relationship such that participants were most likely to exercise if they both intended to exercise and anticipated regret if they failed to exercise. Study 2 used an experimental design to examine the effect of focusing on AR prior to reporting intentions (N = 229). Exercise was measured 2 weeks later and the AR‐focus manipulation was found to moderate the intention‐behaviour relationship in a similar manner to that observed in Study 1. In Study 3 (N = 97), moderation was replicated and was shown to be mediated by the temporal stability of intention.