The theory of planned behaviour applied to addictive behaviour
The theory of planned behaviour says three things shape whether someone intends to act: their own attitude, what others think, and how much control they feel they have. Together, these predict addictive behaviour.
Real World
A teenager whose close friends all vape (subjective norm) and who believes vaping is a harmless way to relax (attitude) is far more likely to intend to vape than a teen whose friends disapprove and who views it as unhealthy.
Exam Focus
Always identify all three TPB components (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control) — omitting one loses easy description marks.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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