Predicting Behavior: Combining Intention With Investment

In recent years, several social researchers have focused on ways to improve the prediction of behavior from attitudes. We examined the use of a measure of investment from the Rusbult and Farrell model of commitment as a means for enhancing prediction in the Ajzen and Fishbein intention model. Analysis of data collected from 95 subjects who were asked about their intention to participate in music-related activities over the next week and month showed that investment and its interaction with intention explain additional behavior variance beyond intention alone. The full model consisting of intention, investment, and their interaction explained, for the one-week period, nearly 53% of the criterion variance, and for the one-month period, nearly 78% of the criterion variance.