Socially constructed subjective norms and subjective norm-behavior consistency

We found support for the hypothesis that, under conditions of ill-formed intentions, subjective norms measured after group interaction can affect behavior directly. Perceived subjective norms converged within groups for subjects in a discussion condition, and these “normalized” subjective norms affected behavior directly. Based upon previous research, we expected that attitudes and subjective norms can influence behavior directly because ill-formed intentions are inconsistent with behavior. Instead, we found that attitudes and subjective norms affected behavior directly for discussion subjects even when ill-formed intentions were, consistent with behavior. The findings indicate that, under conditions of ill-formed intentions, the manner of attitudes and subjective norm formation may be more crucial for predicting behavior than the strength of the intention-behavior relationship.