Planned Behaviour Change - Lab Report Example

Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 3 Introduction 3 Study Design 4 Data Collection 4 Analysis 4 Results 4 Sample Profile 4 Reliability Analysis 6 Model 6 Mode 1 7 Model 2 8 Model 3 9 Multiple Comparisons 10 Conclusions 14 References 15 List of Tables Table 1: Descriptive Statistics for Attitude, Intention, Confidence and Probability 4 Table 2: Country and Gender Cross-tabulation 5 Table 3: Chi-Square Tests 5 Table 4: Binomial Test 6 Table 5: Summary of Reliability Analysis 6 Table 6: Hierarchical regression Analysis for Confidence of Stopping Smoking 7 Table 7: Descriptive Statistics and T-test Multiple Comparisons 10 Table 8: Multiple Comparisons of Attitudes and Intentions by Country 11 Table 9: Table 5: Multiple Comparisons of Confidence and Probability by Country 13 Abstract The main aim of the study was to determine if the use of planned behavior to a model with the intentions, planed and whishes on stopping smoking. 500 participants took part in this study and were selected in random from four countries in Europe namely; Greece; Italy; Poland; and Spain. All the participants had a questionnaire, which had mostly closed questions, administered to them. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS and the results indicated that the confidence to stop smoking was very high as age grew and that females were more confident to stop smoking than males. Poland smokers agreed to stop smoking as compared to smokers in the other three countries (Greece, Spain and Italy). Introduction According to Ajzen (1988); Ajzen (1991); O’Donnel et al. (1994) and Conner (1993), a persons planned behaviour change has a significant contribution to his/her attitudes towards various conditions. Further, to them, the success of the planned behaviour significantly depends on the social-economic situation of the person in the past, present and future aspirations. Ajzen and Driver (1991: 1992); Ajzen and Fishbein (1980); Dejoy and Wilson (1995); DeVellis et al. (1990) and Newcomb et al. (1992) support the above assertions arguing that if one plans to do away of a certain behaviour, then there are strings attached which range from financial stability to family cohesion. Further, intentions and wishes to abandon a certain habit depend on time and gender. From research, time affects any outcome since other factors come into play which might significantly affect the results or influence earlier readings/measurements. The way a person acts now has a significant bearing on how he/she will react in the near future as well as in a distant future. Godin et al. (1993); Adams (1994); Godin (1993) and Heatherton et al. (1991) argue that time lapse has effects not only on the results but also on the validity and reliability of research findings. This is so because of factorial design impacts on the end-term outcome. Gender on the other hand is a very important aspect to consider in planned behaviour changes as it is believed that females are better and more confident to follow a rule they had set than males as the later are easy to influence and change their track than females. Hellman et al. (1991); Godin et al. (1992); Liska (1984); MacKay (1994) and Joreskog and Sorbom (1993) is support of the above argument argue that females are more likely to convince of the negative impact of an habit than their male counterparts since they are most likely to give it a hearing while males are more likely to challenge it through quotations. However, as Neter et al. (1989) puts it, this also depends on the social-economic status of the person, a woman or a man. Study Design Data Collection All the participants had a questionnaire, which had mostly closed questions, administered to them. According to Bryman (2008), collecting data using a questionnaire is advantageous since it results into more information and is cheap to administer to a large group like in this case were 500 participants. The use of closed questions leads to data that is easy to analyze. Analysis The data was analyzed using SPSS and results tabulations were used to represent the results. The following statistical analyses were applied; Descriptive statistics; T-tests; Chi-square tests; Binomial tests; Multiple comparisons; and Regression analysis. And the results and explanations follow; Results Sample Profile Table 1: Descriptive Statistics for Attitude, Intention, Confidence and Probability Att1 (good to bad) Att2 (pleasant to unpleasant) Att3 (enjoyable to un-enjoyable) Att4-(positive to negative) Intend Plan Want SE smoker - confidence SE smoker - probability Cases 467 459 448 459 447 421 470 485 496 Mean -1.03 .91 .64 -1.41 1.83 1.83 2.45 3.68 3.52 Std. Deviation 2.174 2.105 2.021 2.030 1.666 1.674 1.225 1.945 1.934 Minimum -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 0 0 Maximum 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 6 6 Out of the 500 participants; 467 responded to the first attitude on whether smoking is good or bad; 459 responded to the second one on pleasantness of smoking; 448 responded to the attitude of enjoyment in smoking; 449 responded to the attitude of positiveness in smoking; 447 intent to stop smoking; 421 plan to stop smoking; 470 want to stop smoking; 485 are confident of stopping smoking within the next three months but at various levels; 496 are un-certain of stopping smoking within the next three months. All this responses were at various levels. In total, the smokers were in agreement that smoking is bad (-1.03) with the level of spread being high 2.174. This was also the case in the attitude of smoking being pleasant although not as strong (mean = .91) due to differing levels 2.105. The trend also continued in the fact that smoking is enjoyable (.64) although most of the smokers were in agreement that smoking is negative and is harmful to their health (Mean = -1.41). Smokers in the four countries gave below average ratings on the intent, plans and if they wanted to stop smoking in the next three months (Mean = 1.83, 1.83 and 2.45 respectively). Table 2: Country and Gender Cross-tabulation Gender Total Male Female COUNTRY Greece 101 58 159 Italy 60 52 112 Poland 57 66 123 Spain 44 58 102 Total 262 234 496 Table 3: Chi-Square Tests Value Df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) Pearson Chi-Square 13.242 3 .004 Likelihood Ratio 13.352 3 .004 Linear-by-Linear Association 12.663 1 .000 N of Valid Cases 496 0 cells (.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 48.12. Greece had the highest number of participants in this research study with 159 (Male = 101, Female = 58) followed by Poland with 123 (Male = 57, Female = 66). Italy had the third largest with 112 (Male = 60, Female = 52) while Spain had 102 (Male = 44, Female = 58). The difference in this sample representation for males and females was significant at 5% level of significance [Chi-square = 13.242, DF = 3, P = 0.004]. However, a binomial test shows that there is no difference between males and females in the whole sample [Test Proportion =.5, p = 225] (see table 4). Table 4: Binomial Test Category N Observed Prop. Test Prop. Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) Gender Group 1 Male 262 .53 .50 .225(a) Group 2 Female 234 .47 Total 496 1.00 a Based on Z Approximation. Reliability Analysis Table 5: Summary of Reliability Analysis Partial Correlation Alpha (α) Range Attitude smoking - good to bad (Att1) .3616 .7741 -3 to 3 Attitude smoking - pleasant to unpleasant (Att2) .4438 .7649 -3 to 3 Attitude smoking - enjoyable to un-enjoyable (Att3) .4024 .7709 -3 to 3 Attitude smoking - positive to negative (Att4) .3814 .7701 -3 to 3 Intend .5225 .7540 -3 to 3 Plan .5064 .7579 -3 to 3 Want .4561 .7673 -3 to 3 SE smoker – confidence (PBC1) .5603 .7459 0 to 6 SE smoker – probability (PBC2) .5294 .7517 0 to 6 For any research study to attain the required scientific rigor, validity and reliability of the variables should be maintained. Further, the sample should be in such a way that it is un-biased to allow for generalizability of the research study results. In this regard, the Cronbach alpha (0 Read More