Which constructs are part of the Theory of Planned Behavior?

• A. Perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits
• B. Observability, trialability, reversibility
• C. Relative advantage, compatibility, complexity
• D. Attitude toward the behavior, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that the Theory of Planned Behavior explains how people decide to perform a health behavior by looking at three influencing factors that shape their intention to act. First is attitude toward the behavior, which is the person’s overall positive or negative evaluation of performing the action. Second are subjective norms, meaning the perceived social pressure from important others—like family, friends, or clinicians—to perform or not perform the behavior. Third is perceived behavioral control, which reflects how easy or difficult the person thinks it will be to carry out the action, including their sense of self-efficacy and the presence of obstacles. When these three align toward performing the behavior—favorable attitude, supportive norms, and perceived ability to do it—the intention to act becomes strong, making the behavior more likely to occur. Perceived behavioral control can also directly affect behavior when control is truly present or lacking, even if intentions aren’t perfectly strong. This framework is used to predict health actions like adhering to a medication regimen or adopting a preventive practice. The other options draw from different theories or models, such as the Health Belief Model or Diffusion of Innovations, which focus on other constructs not central to the Theory of Planned Behavior.