Beyond cognition: Predicting health risk behaviors from instrumental and affective beliefs.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Two studies assessed the relative contribution of affective and instrumental beliefs to the prediction of 2 risk behaviors: driving above the speed limit and smoking. DESIGN: Both studies took the form of large-scale questionnaire surveys (Study 1, N=292; Study 2, N=500) measuring instrumental and affective beliefs and self-reported behavior. In both cases, behavior was also measured objectively. OUTCOME MEASURES: In Study 1, speeding behavior was measured via infrared camera along sections of road with 30 mph, 40 mph, and 60 mph speed limits. Self-reports of speeding in these same contexts represented a 2nd dependent variable. In Study 2, level of smoking was measured via a carbon monoxide monitor, and participants were asked to indicate the number of cigarettes they smoked in a week. RESULTS: In Study 1, positive and negative instrumental and affective beliefs were significant predictors of self-reported speed. The most powerful predictor was negative affective beliefs. Observed speed was predicted by negative affective beliefs only. In Study 2, the significant predictors of self-reported smoking and objective measures of smoking were positive and negative affective beliefs. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate the importance of affective beliefs across 2 health risk behaviors. Implications for social cognition models and interventions are discussed.

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