Evaluating and Extending the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Abstract

In this chapter we consider recent theoretical and empirical developments relevant to the theory of planned behaviour, drawing in particular on our own research in the domain of driver behaviour. The issues we focus on are the measurement of perceived control, and in particular the development of a ‘belief-based’ measure of perceived control; the more general issue of ‘direct’ versus ‘belief-based’ measures of constructs within the theory of planned behaviour; the advantages accruing from the addition of measures of personal normative beliefs to the existing model constructs; and the role played by affective beliefs in shaping behavioural intentions. Despite the considerable success of the theory of planned behaviour in predicting intentions and behaviours in a wide variety of behavioural domains, it is argued that significant methodological and theoretical issues remain to be resolved.