When good intentions are not enough : Moderators of the implementation intention effect

Abstract

Furnishing ones goals with implementation intentions ('If I encounter situation X, then I'll perform behavior Y') has been shown to be an effective self-regulatory strategy to improve goal-achievement. Recent research has suggested that the beneficial effect of implementation intentions on goal-success can be moderated by situational and individual factors. But these findings had either methodological inaccuracies or were conducted in the field without the ability to control for confounding factors. The present research explored the impact of three possible moderators on the implementation intention effect in a controlled laboratory setting.