Temporal stability is assumed to be an important basis for attitudes being strong predictors of behaviour, but this notion has been little tested. The current research reports tests of temporal stability in moderating the attitude–behaviour relationship, specifically in relation to cognitive attitude (i.e., evaluation implied by cognitions about an attitude object) and affective attitude (i.e., evaluation implied by feelings about the attitude object). In three prospective studies (Study 1: physical activity, N = 909; Study 2: multiple health behaviours, N = 281; Study 3: smoking initiation, N = 3,371), temporal stability is shown to moderate the cognitive and affective attitudes to subsequent behaviour relationship in two-, three-, and four-wave designs utilizing between- (Studies 1 and 3) and within-participants (Study 2) analyses and controlling for past behaviour. Effects were more consistent for affective attitudes (when affective and cognitive attitudes were considered simultaneously and past behaviour controlled). Moderation effects were attenuated, but remained significant, in three- and four-wave compared with two-wave designs. The findings underline the role of temporal stability as an indicator of strength and confirm the relative importance of affective over cognitive (components of) attitudes for predicting behaviour.

中文翻译：

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态度稳定性作为认知和情感态度和行为之间关系的调节剂

时间稳定性被认为是态度作为行为强预测指标的重要基础，但这一概念几乎没有经过测试。目前的研究报告了调节态度-行为关系的时间稳定性测试，特别是与认知态度（即对态度对象的认知所暗示的评价）和情感态度（即对态度对象的感觉所暗示的评价）有关的测试。在三项前瞻性研究中（研究 1：身体活动，N  = 909；研究 2：多种健康行为，N  = 281；研究 3：开始吸烟，N = 3,371)，时间稳定性被证明可以调节认知和情感态度对随后的行为关系的二波、三波和四波设计，利用之间（研究 1 和 3）和参与者内部（研究 2）分析和控制过去的行为。对情感态度的影响更为一致（当同时考虑情感和认知态度并控制过去的行为时）。与两波设计相比，三波和四波设计的缓和效果有所减弱，但仍然显着。研究结果强调了时间稳定性作为强度指标的作用，并证实了情感相对于认知（组成）态度在预测行为方面的相对重要性。