No abstract

Many people fail to translate their physical activity intentions into behavior. This intention-behavior gap can be explained by (a) explicit trait self-control, (b) implicit executive functions, and (c) their interactions. In 118 participants, the intention-behavior gap was measured in a prospective design. Trait self-control was assessed via self-report questionnaires, whereas executive functioning was measured with test performance in inhibition, updating, and shifting at baseline. Regression analysis showed that (a) higher trait self-control predicts a smaller intention-behavior gap; (b) updating performance is related with this gap; and (c) behavior in tests on inhibition, updating, and shifting moderate the relation between the trait self-control and the intention-behavior gap. The present study showed that the complex pattern that modulates the relation between intended and realized physical activity behavior includes trait self-control, executive functions, as well as the combination of these cognitive components supporting dual-process approaches of self-control including implicit and explicit processing components.

Planning is an effective strategy to translate intentions into behavior, and planning interventions can facilitate behavior change. The present study aimed to examine when and how a planning intervention facilitates physical activity. Therefore, the moderating role of intention strength and the mediating role of the specificity of action plans, coping plans, as well as coping self-efficacy were investigated. Furthermore, intention strength was tested as a moderator of the mediation effect. Hypotheses were examined based on a randomized controlled trial (N ϭ 107 students) with 2 groups (planning group vs. control group) and pretest (t1) and posttest (t2) with a 1-week interval. Participants in the planning group increased their physical activity level between t1 and t2 significantly more than those in the control group. The interaction Group ϫ Intention was significant, indicating that intention was a significant predictor of physical activity behavior (t2) not in the planning group but in the control group. Across both groups, the mediation effects were moderated by intention strength. Participants with stronger physical activity intentions showed stronger (action planning and coping self-efficacy) or weaker (coping planning) mediation effects compared with participants with weaker physical activity intentions. In the comprehensive model, only the mediation effect of coping planning was moderated by intention. Our results highlight the moderating role of intention in the context of a planning intervention and revealed that the direct and mediation effects depend on the level of intention strength. Moderated mediation provides a better understanding of when and how a planning intervention works.

Targeted communication about health behaviors seems to be more effective than mass communication in which undifferentiated audiences receive identical messages. Regulatory focus is psychological variable that can be used to build two target groups: promotion-focused or prevention-focused people. It is hypothesized that targeting messages to an individual's regulatory focus creates regulatory fit and is more successful to promote a physically active lifestyle than nonfit messages. Two different print messages promoting a physically active lifestyle derived from regulatory focus theory (promotion message vs. prevention message) were randomly assigned to N = 98 participants after measuring their regulatory focus. It was examined whether regulatory fit between the regulatory focus and the assigned print message would lead to more positive evaluations in the dependent variables inclination toward the message (preference for the message), intention to perform the behavior, prospective and retrospective feelings associated with the behavior (positive and negative), and perceived value of the behavior directly after reading the message. Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that regulatory fit led to stronger intentions in the prevention-message condition and more prospective positive and retrospective positive feelings associated with the behavior in the promotion-message condition in contrast to the nonfit conditions. Prospective positive feelings associated with the behavior mediated the effect of regulatory fit on intention. The results partly provided support for the regulatory fit concept. Matching print messages to the regulatory focus of individuals seems to be a useful approach to enhance physical activity motivation. Future studies should include an objective measure of physical activity behavior.