CampusDownWiki CampusDown ↗
English

Theory of Reasoned Action

🧠 Psychology By CampusDown Wiki Editorial Team Last updated
Quick answer: The theory of reasoned action holds that the best predictor of a behaviour is the intention to perform it, and that intention is determined by one's attitude toward the behaviour and by the subjective norm, the perceived expectations of important others.
Contents
  1. 1. Overview
  2. 2. Structure of the model
  3. 3. Extension: the theory of planned behavior
  4. 4. Applications
  5. 5. Criticism
  6. 6. References

Overview

The theory of reasoned action (TRA) was systematized by the American social psychologists Martin Fishbein and Icek Ajzen in Belief, Attitude, Intention, and Behavior (1975) and refined in Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior (1980). Because attitudes alone predicted behaviour poorly, they placed behavioral intention between attitude and behaviour. "Reasoned" does not mean people always judge correctly; it means they decide in a fairly systematic way on the basis of the information they have.

Structure of the model

  • Attitude toward the behaviour: the sum of beliefs about the behaviour's outcomes (how likely they are) multiplied by evaluations of those outcomes (how good or bad), an expectancy–value approach.
  • Subjective norm: the sum of normative beliefs (how much important others such as family, friends or colleagues want one to act) multiplied by one's motivation to comply with them.
  • Behavioral intention: a weighted combination of attitude and subjective norm, which in turn predicts behaviour.

The model stresses the principle of correspondence: prediction improves when action, target, context and time are measured at the same level of specificity. A meta-analysis by Sheppard and colleagues (1988) found substantial associations between intention and behaviour across many studies.

Extension: the theory of planned behavior

TRA works best for behaviour under full volitional control; wanting to quit smoking, for example, does not guarantee success. Ajzen (1991) added perceived behavioral control, how easy or hard people feel the behaviour is, creating the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Perceived control affects intention and, when it reflects actual control, behaviour directly. It is close to Bandura's concept of self-efficacy.

Applications

Consumer researchers use it to explain purchase intention and brand choice; health researchers apply it to exercise, quitting smoking and screening; and in information systems Davis's technology acceptance model (TAM, 1989), built on TRA, explains the adoption of new technology. For the purchase process, see also consumer decision-making and impulse buying.

CampusDown PICKPopular right now

Criticism

The theory says little about habitual or impulsive behaviour and the role of emotion, and a gap between intention and action (the intention–behaviour gap) remains. How attitudes change is better read alongside the elaboration likelihood model and social judgment theory, and the psychology of attitude–behaviour mismatch alongside cognitive dissonance theory.

Sources reviewed: 2026-10-16

References

  1. Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, Attitude, Intention, and Behavior: An Introduction to Theory and Research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
  2. Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1980). Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  3. Sheppard, B. H., Hartwick, J., & Warshaw, P. R. (1988). The theory of reasoned action: A meta-analysis of past research with recommendations for modifications and future research. Journal of Consumer Research, 15(3), 325–343.
  4. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211.
  5. Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340.

Reports and materials that use this theory (Korean)

There are no materials dedicated to this theory yet, but you can search related reports in the CampusDown library (Korean).

Find more reports · Search '합리적 행동이론' on CampusDown →
Cognitive Dissonance TheoryFestinger's cognitive dissonance theory explained: definition, dissonance reduction, the $1/$20 experiment, effort justification, free choice, criticisms, and report examples.🧠 PsychologyElaboration Likelihood ModelThe Elaboration Likelihood Model explained: Petty and Cacioppo's (1986) theory of persuasion with a central route of careful argument processing and a peripheral route of cues such as attractiveness or expertise. Covers motivation, ability and advertising.🧠 PsychologyConsumer Decision-Making and Impulse BuyingThe consumer decision-making process: the five stages from need recognition to post-purchase behaviour, the EKB model, how involvement changes it, post-purchase dissonance, Stern's four types of impulse buying, Rook's definition, and marketing implications.💼 BusinessSocial Judgment TheorySherif and Hovland's social judgment theory: judging messages against one's own anchor, latitudes of acceptance, noncommitment and rejection, ego-involvement, assimilation and contrast effects, and implications for persuasion.🧠 PsychologySelf-EfficacyBandura's self-efficacy: efficacy versus outcome expectations, the four sources (mastery, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, physiological states), level, strength and generality, measurement, and uses in learning, health behaviour and counselling.🧠 Psychology

You may also like

The Rule of LawWhat is the rule of law? Its meaning and history from Magna Carta to United States v. Nixon, Dicey and Fuller's principles, and how it differs from rule by law.⚖️ LawBrown v. Board of Education (1954)Brown v. Board of Education (1954) summary: the case, Chief Justice Warren's unanimous ruling, why 'separate but equal' fell, and what happened after.⚖️ LawCommon Law vs. Civil LawCommon law vs. civil law: how the two legal families differ on sources of law, precedent, trials and judges, and where Korea's mixed system fits between them.⚖️ LawIntestate SuccessionWho inherits when someone dies without a will: how U.S. intestacy statutes rank spouses, children and other relatives, how per stirpes works, and how Korea's Civil Act sets heirs, shares and representation.⚖️ Law

This article was last updated on October 16, 2026. It is based on widely recognized original works and textbooks; when citing it in a paper, please check the original sources listed in the references.