Farmer Behaviour as Reasoned Action: A Critical Review of Research with the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Abstract

In many countries farmers face pressure to adopt practices to promote sustainability and resilience while ensuring efficient business management to produce food and other agricultural products at reasonable cost. Given a policy context in which voluntary action is preferred over government regulation, understanding farmers' motivation to embrace recommended practices has become a major subject for research. Increasingly, this endeavour is guided by the theory of planned behaviour, a reasoned action approach (Fishbein and Ajzen, 2010). We provide a brief overview of the theory of planned behaviour and an elaboration of good practices in the assessment of the theory's constructs. We systematically review 124 applications of the theory to farmer behaviour on a number of specific review criteria. Based on observations of improper use, we consider theoretical and methodological issues and provide recommendations for research design and data analysis.

Acceptance of artificial intelligence in German agriculture: an application of the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior

“…Since AI systems for agriculture are still in an early stage of development, this analysis focuses on acceptance instead of adoption and thus relies to the TAM. In order to increase the complex understanding of AI acceptance, the TAM is extended by the TPB which is a widely used theory for predicting and explaining behavior in various research areas (Sok et al, 2020). This approach of model composition is supported by Pathak et al (2019) who mention that the TPB has the potential to capture further attitudes and beliefs about technology acceptance and by Davis (1993) who recommends an extension of the TAM by behavioral factors.…”

“…Building on the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975), the TPB (Ajzen, 1991) represents an explanatory and predictive model of attitudinal-behavioral reactions based on the three factors, attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. The TPB is widely applied to explain and predict behavior (including farmer behavior) and provides an empirically based framework (Sok et al, 2020). Furthermore, Sok et al (2020) state that when using the TPB in research, it is important to define behavior in terms of the target object, the action performed, the context, and the time period.…”

“…The TPB is widely applied to explain and predict behavior (including farmer behavior) and provides an empirically based framework (Sok et al, 2020). Furthermore, Sok et al (2020) state that when using the TPB in research, it is important to define behavior in terms of the target object, the action performed, the context, and the time period. The general idea of the TPB is that the more positive the factors are evaluated, the stronger the behavioral intention, i.e., the acceptance.…”

Insect and insecticides in agricultural landscapes; socio-ecological challenges and patterns

“…The RAA, also known as the theory of planned behaviour, is a well-known and frequently applied framework to explain and predict farmer behaviour (Ajzen, 2012;Sok et al, 2020). It focuses on the controlled aspects of decision making and on behaviours that are goaldirected and steered by conscious self-regulatory processes.…”

“…The Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) is a well-known and frequently applied framework to predict and explain behaviour and a well-established method to identify the underlying cognitive foundation of intentions which lead to a particular behaviour (Fishbein and Ajzen, 2011;Sok et al, 2020). A key assumption of RAA is that beliefs are not necessarily rational, nor instinctive or stable over time, as beliefs are formed through experiences and daily encounters in the real world (Ajzen, 2012).…”