The DOI matches its Crossref record; 141 of the 141 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Intention—Behavior Relations: A Conceptual and Empirical Review
Abstract
This chapter addresses two questions; how big is the “gap” between intentions and behavior, and what psychological variables might be able to “bridge” the intention–behavior gap? A meta-analysis of meta-analyses is used to quantify the gap and a conceptual analysis of intention–behavior discrepancies is presented. Research is described on the extent to which four groups of variables—behavior type, intention type, properties of intention, and cognitive and personality variables—moderate intention–behavior relations. Finally, the scope of the intention construct is discussed in the light of recent evidence concerning the role of habits and automaticity in human behavior.
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In the citing paper
“Still, the gap between intentions and behaviors is well documented (Sheeran, 2002)”
From A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Informed Diabetes Prevention Program Reduces Body Shame and Distress. (2025) · cites this paper as Sheeran, 2002
In the citing paper
“The intention-behaviour gap literature suggests that stated willingness may overestimate actual repayment rates (Sheeran, 2002).”
From Drivers of willingness to repay Parish Revolving funds (PRF) under Uganda’s Parish Development Model: a Bayesian Latent Class Logistic Regression (LCLR) approach (2026) · cites this paper as Sheeran, 2002
In the citing paper
“Consumers may declare a positive ATT towards a product without expressing the intention to purchase or perform the actually expected behaviour.”
From Internal factors influencing customer attitude, purchase intention and purchase behaviour with regard to green personal care products. A literature review (2023) · cites this paper as Sheeran, 2002
In the citing paper
“These results are consistent with previous studies indicating large discrepancies between participants' self-reported intentions and their subsequent behaviour in real-world tasks (Sheeran, 2002).”
From Strategic offloading of delayed intentions into the external environment (2015) · cites this paper as Sheeran, 2002
In the citing paper
“Since intentions explain less than 30% of the variance in behaviour across behavioural domains (Sheeran, 2002), implementation intentions have been proposed as a volitional strategy that can help bridge this gap.”
From The effectiveness of implementation intentions in children: A systematic review and meta‐analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Sheeran, 2002
In the citing paper
“Since intentions explain less than 30% of the variance in behaviour across behavioural domains (Sheeran, 2002), implementation intentions have been proposed as a volitional strategy that can help bridge this gap.”
From The effectiveness of implementation intentions in children: A systematic review and meta‐analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Sheeran, 2002
In the citing paper
“As is well known, intentions do not always translate into behaviors [47], [48], [49].”
From The Effects of Anti-Vaccine Conspiracy Theories on Vaccination Intentions (2014) · cites this paper as [49]
In the citing paper
“Intention, in turn, constitutes a motivational force for subsequent behavior (Fishbein & Ajzen, 2010;Sheeran, 2002) that predicts (healthy) eating behavior (Conner, Norman, & Bell, 2002).”
From Relationships between functional food consumption and individual traits and values: A segmentation approach (2021) · cites this paper as Sheeran, 2002
Citations
Cites
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The theory of planned behavior
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(2022) · Advances in experimental social psychology · doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(22)x0002-6 · Cited by 22,559
From Intentions to Actions: A Theory of Planned Behavior
Ajzen, I. (1985) · Action Control · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-69746-3_2 · Cited by 19,057
Efficacy of the Theory of Planned Behaviour: A meta‐analytic review
Armitage, C. J., & Conner, M. (2001) · British Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1348/014466601164939 · Cited by 9,970
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Methods of Meta-Analysis: Correcting Error and Bias in Research Findings
Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (2015) · doi:10.4135/9781483398105 · Cited by 5,542
Research works printed but not linked: 13
- Abraham , C. and Sheeran , P. 2000 . How bad will I feel if I don't? Anticipated regret, the theory of planned behavior, and exercise behavior (manuscript under review)
- 10.1037/0022-3514.68.5.768 · DOI
- 10.1037/0033-2909.112.1.155 · DOI · Paper page
- 10.1037/0278-6133.9.1.69 · DOI
- Kuhl , J. 1982 . Handlungkontrolle als metakogitivier Vermittler zwischen Intention und Handeln: Freizeitaktivitaeten bei Hauptschuelern . Zeitschrift fur Entwicklungs-psychologie und Paedagogische Psychologie , 14 : 141 – 8 .
- Sheeran , P. 1999a . Strength of intention and intention–behaviour relations (unpublished raw data). Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK
- Sheeran , P. 1999b . Self-schemas. intentions and dieting behaviour (unpublished raw data). Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK
- Sheeran , P. 1999c . Doing and Di: Effects of priming Princess Diana on intentions to give to charity (unpublished raw data). Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK
- Sheeran , P. , Norman , P. , Trafimow , D. , Armitage , C. J. , Conner , M. and Orbell , S. 1999 . Why reason one's actions or plan one's behaviour: Degree of intention formation and intention-behavior relations (manuscript under review)
- 10.1002/(SICI)1099-0992(199903/05)29:2/3<349::AID-EJSP931>3.0.CO;2-Y · DOI
- Sheeran , P. , Orbell , S. and Norman , P. 1998 . The theory of planned behaviour and intention–behaviour relations: Significance of conflicting and complementary intentions Unpublished manuscript. University of Sheffield, UK
- Sheeran , P. and Sutton , S. 1999 . Past behaviour and the theory of planned behaviour: A meta-analytic review (unpublished raw data). University of Sheffield, UK
- Silverman , M. and Sheeran , P. 1999 . Using implementation intentions to increase attendance at fire-training (unpublished raw data) Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK
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Self-affirmation and the self-regulation of health behavior change
Harris, P. R. (2011) · Self and Identity · doi:10.1080/15298868.2010.517963 · Cited by 30
Fear appeals to promote better health behaviors: an investigation of potential mediators
Moussaoui, L. S., Claxton, N., & Desrichard, O. (2021) · Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1080/21642850.2021.1947290 · Cited by 30
Academic Self-Efficacy, Procrastination, and Attrition Intentions
Nemtcan, E., Sæle, R. G., Gamst-Klaussen, T., & Svartdal, F. (2022) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2022.768959 · Cited by 29
Nystrand, B. T., & Olsen, S. O. (2021) · Journal of Functional Foods · doi:10.1016/j.jff.2021.104736 · Cited by 28
Suka, M., Yamauchi, T., & Yanagisawa, H. (2019) · Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12199-019-0786-8 · Cited by 11
Szaban, M. (2023) · Argumenta Oeconomica · doi:10.15611/aoe.2023.2.12 · Cited by 6
Lipsett, M., & Berkman, E. (2025) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/hea0001434 · Cited by 3
“Still, the gap between intentions and behaviors is well documented (Sheeran, 2002), and studies that capture objective data on health behavior enactment are needed.”
The effectiveness of implementation intentions in children: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Breitwieser, J., & Reinelt, T. (2026) · British Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjop.70065 · Cited by 1
Nuwagaba, S. S., & Mbowa, S. (2026) · Cogent Economics & Finance · doi:10.1080/23322039.2026.2648932
Improving cancer screening uptake: A behavioural and cultural insights perspective and rapid review
Palsola, M., Likki, T., Snijders, V., Corbex, M., Lasierra, L., & Curtis, B. (2026) · Glasnik javnog zdravlja · doi:10.5937/serbjph2601086p
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Metadata
- Authors
- Sheeran, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Sheffield (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Sheeran, Paschal
- ORCID
- Sheeran, Paschal
- Venue
- European Review of Social Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2002-01
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-36
- ISSN
- 1046-3283 (ISSN-L)
- 1479-277X
- OpenAlex
- W2070257463
- Cited by
- 3,688
- References
- 141
- Citations by year
- 2026: 358 · 2025: 268 · 2024: 231 · 2023: 231 · 2022: 258 · 2021: 234 · 2020: 245 · 2019: 260 · 2018: 203 · 2017: 197 · 2016: 194 · 2015: 167 · 2014: 152 · 2013: 151 · 2012: 111
- FWCI
- 39.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Review of Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Pro-Environmental Behavior and Attitudes
- Keywords
- intention-behavior gap, behavioral intention, behavior types, cognitive factors, personality factors, habit, automaticity, moderators
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