THE MODERATING EFFECT OF BEHAVIOR TYPE ON THE SUBJECTIVE NORM BEHAVIOR RELATIONSHIP

Three experiments were focused on the relationship between subjective norms and behavior. In Experiment 1, American college students were pr esented with an attitudinally or normatively controlled behavior and w ere instructed to suppose that the person most affected by the behavio r approved or disapproved of the student's performing that behavior. T his manipulation had a greater effect on intentions to perform the nor matively controlled behavior than on intentions to perform the attitud inally controlled behavior. Experiments 2 and 3 were attempts to repli cate the interaction, using a manipulation of the subjective norm rath er than a manipulation of the normative proscriptions of a specific ot her. The findings indicate that the effect depends, to some extent, on the cognitive accessibility of behavior-specific important others.