The importance of individuals' repertoires of behaviors: the scientific appropriateness of studying multiple behaviors and general attitudes

This paper addresses Blau's critique of our early research on behavioral aggregates; we review the theoretical and empirical work on multiple behaviors. We address the definition and measurement of behavioral aggregates, the issue of common method variance, and factors influencing behavior choices. Research from other behavioral areas that uses an approach similar to ours is reviewed as well as relevant research on withdrawal aggregates since 1991. We argue that a focus on general withdrawal constructs rather than individual behaviors will generate significant scientific and practical advantages. The study of constructs will likely provide a basis for generalizations across situations, populations, and time. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.