Toward an Understanding of Family Planning Behaviors: An Initial Investigation1

Based on a theoretical model developed by Fishbein (1972), a questionnaire was administered to 73 female college students to test the hypotheses that (1) behavioral intention ( BI ) to use birth control pills is a function of (a) one's attitude toward the act ( A ‐act) of using birth control pills and/or (b) one's normative beliefs weighted by one's motivation to comply with those perceived norms (Σ NB ( Mc )); and (2) A ‐act of using birth control pills is a function of (or is highly correlated with) the sum of one's beliefs about the consequences of using birth control pills times the evaluation of those beliefs (ΣBiai). In support of the hypotheses, (1) the multiple correlation between the two components of the model and BI was significant ( R = 335, p < .01); and (2) the correlation between XBiui and A‐act was significant ( r = .792, p < .01).