Title: The fallacy of one-dimensional theory of planned behaviour structure in predicting health behaviour

Authors: Sheau-Fen Yap; Md Nor Othman; Yu-Ghee Wee

Addresses: Department of Marketing, Advertising, Retailing and Sales, Faculty of Business and Law, Auckland University of Technology, 46 Wakefield Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand ' Department of Marketing, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ' Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Business, University Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Karung Berkunci 36, Pengkalan Chepa, 16100 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia

Abstract: Most research on exercise is dominated in the West. Drawing on a socio-cognitive theory, this research aims at addressing methodological issues in an Eastern culture where recent developments of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) applications have been limited. To answer the call for reinterpretation of the TPB measurement, we propose and test a more complex factor structure of TPB predictors. Cross-sectional data was collected from a quota sample of 512 adults in Malaysia. This study provides an empirical validation that the multidimensional, first-order model has achieved measurement validity and possesses better fit compared to the global, second-order TPB structure. Our investigation of the specific effects of social cognitive components on exercise intention and behaviour also improves the understanding of this theoretical relationship.

Keywords: exercise; health promotion; theory of planned behaviour; TPB; social cognition; health behaviour; Malaysia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBHR.2013.054516

International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research, 2013 Vol.4 No.1, pp.26 - 44

Published online: 21 Jun 2014 *

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