Social Cognitive Theory as a Framework to Explain Intentions to Practice Healthy Eating Behaviors¹

Abstract

Our focus in this study was the observed gap between informed awareness and the intention to act. We used elements of social cognitive theory to develop a theoretical model of six psychosocial factors hypothesized to influence the intention to adopt healthy eating behaviors. Survey data from 490 white‐collar employees were analyzed using a Linear Structural Relations (LISREL) program and a stacked model. The overall fit of the model to one half of the data was excellent, x 2 (6, 237) = 3.79, p = 0.71, and the model was successfully replicated with the second half of the data x 2 (28, 249) = 28.68, p = 0.43. Our model suggests that self‐efficacy expectations (a) partially depend on the perceived likelihood of an outcome; (b) act as a conduit for the effects of media, disincentives, and outcome expectancy; and (c) have powerful direct influences on intentions. As expected, outcome expectancy adds little to the prediction of intentions.