title: Executive function moderates the intention-behavior link for physical activity and dietary behavior.
abstract: Dominant theories of health behavior posit that social-cognitive and conative variables are sufficient to explain health behavior tendencies. The current studies challenge this assumption in two ways: (1) by demonstrating that unique variance in health protective behavior is predictable by knowing about individual differences in executive functioning, and (2) by demonstrating that executive function moderates the association between intention and behavior. In Studies 1 and 2, participants completed a computer-based task of executive function (Go/NoGo task) and articulated 1-week behavioral intentions for physical activity (Study 1) and dietary behavior (Study 2). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that executive function predicts unique variance in both behaviors, and strongly moderates the association between behavioral intention and behavioral performance. Together behavioral intention and executive function explain more variance in health protective behavior than 'rational actor' models that have been widely adopted and disseminated.
authors.affiliation: a Departments of Kinesiology & Psychology, University of Waterloo , Waterloo , Ontanio , N2L 3GI , Canada.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Geoffrey T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Lynette J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Epp
authors.forename: Lorin J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Elias
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009043:Motor Activity; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Health behavior; executive function; motivation; self-regulation; time perspective