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Paradoxical Effects of Experience: Past Behavior Both Strengthens and Weakens the Intention-Behavior Relationship

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  • Paschal Sheeran
  • Gaston Godin
  • Mark Conner
  • Marc Germain

Abstract

Experience has a paradoxical effect on intention-behavior consistency. In some studies greater experience is associated with weaker intention-behavior relations (due to habit formation), whereas in other studies experience strengthens the relationship between intention and behavior (by stabilizing intentions). The present research tests the idea that both of these findings are possible—because experience produces a quadratic relationship between intentions and behavior. Findings from a longitudinal study of blood donors (N = 2,389) indicated that the intention-behavior relation exhibited the predicted inverted U-shaped curve as a function of lifetime donation experience. Greater experience of donation enhanced the predictive validity of intention up to a point; thereafter, increasing experience was associated with weaker prediction of donation behavior by intention. These findings are consistent with the idea that experience both strengthens and weakens the intention-behavior relation and helps to resolve a long-standing paradox in research on behavioral prediction.

Suggested Citation

  • Paschal Sheeran & Gaston Godin & Mark Conner & Marc Germain, 2017. "Paradoxical Effects of Experience: Past Behavior Both Strengthens and Weakens the Intention-Behavior Relationship," Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press, vol. 2(3), pages 309-318.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jacres:doi:10.1086/691216
    DOI: 10.1086/691216
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    Cited by:

    1. Lipsey, Nikolette P. & Shepperd, James A., 2019. "Powerful audiences are linked to health information avoidance: Results from two surveys," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 51-59.
    2. Arnet, Sandro & Nißen, Marcia & von Wangenheim, Florian, 2024. "Don’t be a hamster! Social appeals to curb panic buying at the point-of-sale," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Yoshinori Nakagawa & Koichiro Mori & Takeshi Nishimura & Kengo Hayashi, 2019. "Tie to community as a proxy of competency to fill the gap between intended and actual pro-environmental behavior in urban settings," Working Papers SDES-2019-1, Kochi University of Technology, School of Economics and Management, revised Feb 2019.

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