title: Examining direct and indirect pathways to health behaviour: the influence of cognitive and affective probability beliefs.
abstract: This study aimed to extricate the influence of rational (e.g., 'I think …') and intuitive (e.g., 'I feel …') probability beliefs in the behavioural decision-making process regarding skin cancer prevention practices. Structural equation modelling was used in two longitudinal surveys (sun protection during winter sports [N = 491]; sun protection during summer [N = 277]) to examine direct and indirect behavioural effects of affective and cognitive likelihood (i.e. unmediated or mediated by intention), controlled for attitude, social influence and self-efficacy. Affective likelihood was directly related to sun protection in both studies, whereas no direct effects were found for cognitive likelihood. After accounting for past sun protective behaviour, affective likelihood was only directly related to sun protection in Study 1. No support was found for the indirect effects of affective and cognitive likelihood through intention. The findings underscore the importance of feelings of (cancer) risk in the decision-making process and should be acknowledged by health behaviour theories and risk communication practices. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School for Public Health and Primary Care (Caphri), Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Eva.janssen@maastrichtuniversity.nl
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Osch
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lechner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003071:Cognition; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D011582:Psychological Theory; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013473:Sunscreening Agents