Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Create Health Change: The Case of University Sleep-Positive Campaigns

Abstract

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is designed to identify factors that influence human behavior (Alas, Anshari, Sabtu, & Yunus, 2016). TPB was developed by Icek Ajzen in 1985 as an extension of Fishbein and Ajzen’s (1975)1 Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen, 1985, 1988). While initially constructed for use in psychology, the theory has become popular among communication researchers and practitioners. A search for the theory in Communication and Mass Media Complete, a research database dedicated to communication research, reveals nearly 250 studies utilizing TPB and over 150 applying TPB’s predecessor, the Theory of Reasoned Action. The theory is one of several persuasion theories seeking to understand, predict, and influence individuals’ behaviors based on preexisting attitudes. Within communication, TPB is predominantly used to help create, analyze, and understand the influence of communication tactics on an individual’s behavior or intention to perform a desired behavior.