EFFECT OF DIRECT EXPERIENCE ON THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF ATTITUDES, SUBJECTIVE NORMS AND PERCEIVED BEHAVIORAL-CONTROL FOR PREDICTION OF INTENTIONS AND BEHAVIOR

The study explored the effect of direct personal experience of certain behavior on the relative importance of attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control for the prediction of intentions and beh avior. Regression analyses revealed that the main determinants of inte ntions were attitudes and subjective norms when subjects did not have previous experience of the behavior. When subjects had previous experi ence, intentions were determined by attitudes only. Direct experience affects the structure of predictors of overt behavior too: previously not performed behavior was best predicted by behavioral intentions, wh ereas already experienced behavior was best predicted by intention x p erceived behavioral control interaction.