Editor's Choice: Consistency tendency and the theory of planned behavior: a randomized controlled crossover trial in a physical activity context

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the effects of consistency tendency on the predictive power of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in relation to physical activity behavior.

Methods: In this randomized controlled cross-over trial, we recruited 770 undergraduate students from Indonesia who were randomly assigned into two groups. Participants completed physical activity versions of TPB measures at T1 (baseline) and T2 (post 1 week), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire at T3 (post 1 month). At T1 and T2, the TPB questions were either presented in ensemble-order (i.e., consistency tendency supressed) or alternate-order (i.e., consistency tendency facilitated).

Results: The parameter estimates of the model (CFI > .92, TLI > .90, SRMR < .08, RMSEA < .08) aligned with the tenets of TPB. As compared to ensemble-order, a TPB measured in alternate-order yielded stronger cross-sectional relationships, but this pattern did not appear in the prospective relationships in TPB (i.e., intention/perceived behavioral control and behavior).

Conclusions: Consistency tendency inflated the factor correlations of cross-sectionally measured TPB variables, but the inflation was not observed in the prospective prediction of behavior. Health psychology questionnaires with items presented in ensemble order may represent a viable means of reducing the confounding effect of consistency tendency.

Keywords:

• Consistency motif
• proximity effect
• Socratic effect
• common method variance
• response bias
• general response tendency

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Hanifah Ramadhani Sembiring, Atika Nurhidayah, Calvin Octavianus Anggono, Gitajiwa Sekarnusa Ganies, and Chairun Nissa Huwaida for their help in data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 In the current study, cross-sectional relations were assessed between attitude, subjective norm, PBC, and intention; whereas prospective relations were measured between PBC, intention, and physical activity.

2 The criteria of high physical activity: (a) vigorous-intensity activity on at least 3 days achieving a minimum total physical activity of at least 1500 MET-minutes/week; or (b) 7 or more days of any combination of walking, moderate-intensity, or vigorous-intensity activities achieving a minimum total physical activity of at least 3000 MET-minutes/week. The criteria of moderate physical activity: (a) 3 or more days of vigorous-intensity activity of at least 20 minutes per day; or (b) 5 or more days of moderate-intensity activity and/or walking of at least 30 minutes per day; or (c) 5 or more days of any combination of walking, moderate-intensity, or vigorous intensity activities achieving a minimum total physical activity of at least 600 MET-minutes/week. Individuals who did not meet the criteria for moderate or high were considered to have low levels of physical activity.

3 We examined an alternative TPB model that included baseline physical activity as a covariate. This alternative model reflects, and accounts for, established relationships between previous behavior and downstream psychosocial constructs subsumed within the TPB (see Hagger et al., 2002; Rhodes & Courneya, 2003) when examining the predictive utility of the model. Parameter estimates and Wald test of parameter equalities showed a pattern of results that is directly consistent with the primary TPB model which did not include baseline physical activity as a covariate (see Appendix B for details).

Additional information

Funding

This project is supported by (1) Seed Funding of Basic Research of The University of Hong Kong [104004966.092935.22400.301.01] awarded to Dr Derwin Chan and Prof Ryan Rhodes, and (2) World Class University Funding Program for International Research Publication of Brawijaya University, Indonesia awarded to Dr. Cleoputri Yusainy.