Does the Temporal Stability of Behavioral Intentions Moderate Intention-Behavior and Past Behavior-Future Behavior Relations?

This study tested the hypothesis that the temporal stability of behavioral intentions moderates relationships between intentions and behavior and between previous experience and subsequent performance. Respondents (N = 164) completed measures of theory of planned behavior variables, with respect to studying over the winter vacation, at two time points prior to the vacation and subsequently reported their study behavior. Intention stability was computed from within-participants correlations between Time 1 and Time 2 intention items. Intention stability moderated the intention-behavior relation such that stable intentions were more likely to be enacted than unstable intentions. The past behavior-future behavior relation was also moderated by intention stability. When intentions were stable, past behavior was not related to subsequent performance. In contrast, when intentions were unstable, past behavior was the best predictor of future behavior. Findings also revealed that theory of planned behavior variables and past behavior had different associations with stable as compared to unstable intentions.