Theory of reasoned action/planned behaviour

TRA first developed in late 1960s by Martin Fishbein.

It is a theory that focuses on a persons intention to behave a certain way. they may or may not actually behave that way
eventually
Eg: a person that is planning to lose weight to decrease his risk of CVD may or may not actually follow that intent
Intent is the main determinant of behaviour.
TRA provides a framework for identifying and measuring the underlying reasons for a person's intent to behave a certain way. The
reasons dont have to be reasonable or correct.
The more we understand about the attitude and norms that influence the intent, more accurate interventions can be designed to
influence these.
By ignoring these factors, we may intentionally doom an intervention because it overlooks the attitudes and norms that influence
intent and motivate behaviour.
The TRA has been used to explain and predict many different health behaviours, including:
o

Smoking

Drinking

Condom use

Age at first intercourse

Clinical breast exam and mammography use

Flu vaccine use

Physical activity

In terms of designing interventions concerning health promotion, it is also important to understand whether a particular behaviour is
most influenced by a person's attitudes, perceived subjective norms, or both. Interventions targeting specific attitudes would look
quite different from those targeting subjective norms held within a particular community or population.

TRA looks at: /

think

For example: if you strongly believe that the

behaviour will lead to an undesirable outcome, you
are likely to have a negative attitude about it.