Theory Database - Theory 60: Social Action Theory (Ewart)

This is a searchable database of theories of behaviour change that have been formalised according to an Ontology-Based Modelling System.

For more information, see:

West, R., Godinho, C. A., Bohlen, L. C., Carey, R. N., Hastings, J., Lefevre, C. E., & Michie, S. (2019). Development of a formal system for representing behaviour-change theories. Nature human behaviour, 3(5), 526. doi.org/10.1038/s41562-019-0561-2.
Hale, J., Hastings, J., West, R., Lefevre, C. E., Direito, A., Connell Bohlen, L., Godinho, C., Anderson, N., Zink, S., Goarke, H., and Michie, S. (2020) An ontology-based modelling system (OBMS) for representing behaviour change theories applied to 76 theories [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]. Wellcome Open Research.

Theory 60: Social Action Theory (Ewart)

Number of Constructs: 57
Number of Triples: 80

Theory triples

Settings influences Generative capabilities
Outcomes influences Motivation
Social interdependence influences Outcomes
Health protective action / health habits influences Social interdependence
Health protective action / health habits influences Outcomes
Outcomes influences Health protective action / health habits
Generative capabilities influences Constructive thinking
Motivation influences Constructive thinking
Generative capabilities influences Motivation
Social interaction processes influences Motivation
Social interaction processes influences Constructive thinking
Self-change processes influences Action state
Contextual influences influences Self-change processes
Social power influences Self-regulatory resources
Self-regulatory resources influences Social power
Assets influences Social power
Assets influences Self-regulatory resources
Self-regulatory resources influences Assets
Social power influences Assets
Social-emotional competence influences the 'Self-regulatory resources' to 'Assets' Influences relationship
Social-emotional competence influences the 'Assets' to 'Self-regulatory resources' Influences relationship
Social-emotional competence influences the 'Self-regulatory resources' to 'Social power' Influences relationship
Social-emotional competence influences the 'Social power' to 'Self-regulatory resources' Influences relationship
Social-emotional competence influences the 'Social power' to 'Assets' Influences relationship
Social-emotional competence influences the 'Assets' to 'Social power' Influences relationship
Action contexts influences Generative capabilities
Action contexts influences Social interaction processes
Settings influences Social interaction processes
Organisational systems influences Social interaction processes
Relationship systems influences Generative capabilities
Organisational systems influences Generative capabilities
Relationship systems influences Social interaction processes
Temperament influences Social interaction processes
Temperament influences Generative capabilities
Biological conditions influences Social interaction processes
Biological conditions influences Generative capabilities
Action linkage part of Social interdependence
Goal congruence part of Social interdependence
Attention control part of Generative capabilities
Declarative knowledge schemas part of Generative capabilities
Procedural schemas part of Generative capabilities
Direction and mode part of Attention control
Cueing part of Attention control
Proactive simulation part of Constructive thinking
Action planning part of Constructive thinking
Problem solving part of Constructive thinking
Outcome expectancies or outcomes? part of Motivation
Self-efficacy part of Motivation
Control part of Social interaction processes
Engagement part of Social interaction processes
Orientation part of Social interaction processes
Motivation part of Self-change processes
Constructive thinking part of Self-change processes
Generative capabilities part of Self-change processes
Outcomes part of Action state
Health protective action / health habits part of Action state
Social interdependence part of Action state
Self-regulatory resources part of Contextual influences
Incentive portfolio part of Self-regulatory resources
Interpersonal portfolio part of Self-regulatory resources
Control part of Incentive portfolio
Value part of Incentive portfolio
Social knowledge part of Social-emotional competence
Emotion scipts part of Social-emotional competence
Coalitions part of Social power
Hierarchies part of Social power
Dyads part of Social power
Appetitive part of Assets
Mobility part of Assets
Generative part of Assets
Mood / arousal part of Action contexts
Physical part of Action contexts
Social part of Action contexts
Biological part of Action contexts
Social part of Settings
Tasks part of Settings
Physical part of Settings
Type part of Outcomes
Immediacy part of Outcomes
Frequency part of Outcomes

Theory constructs and annotations

Settings Environmental factors that can influence behaviour; consist of the physical features of one's environment, the tasks routinely performed there, and the people comprising one's proximal social milieu [ ENVO:01000254 (Environmental system) 60 2 56 47 76 49 72 58 67 63 46 4 17 5 66 9 3 10 14 ]
Generative capabilities Various forms of knowledge that allow one to envisage alternative goals and create novel action strategies [ BCIO:050848 (capability to imagine future scenarios) 60 ]
Outcomes
Motivation [ BCIO:006133 (Behavioural motivation) 60 8 31 56 41 30 70 74 12 54 67 ]
Social interdependence A state in which action scripts are interlinked, meaning that someone in a close social relationship has the potential to influence another's action sequences [ BCIO:006099 (Social influence behaviour) 60 10 4 72 14 9 54 ]
Health protective action / health habits [ BCIO:006158 (Habitual behaviour) 60 77 67 ]
Constructive thinking
Social interaction processes Processes that involve reciprocal stimulation or response between two or more individuals [ BCIO:006099 (Social influence behaviour) 60 59 49 33 29 32 30 80 ]
Self-change processes
Action state A steady but continuously oscillating action state that emphasises the role of social context in maintaining health routines or habits
Contextual influences The environmental factors that can either disrupt or maintain one's action state by influencing self-change processes [ BCIO:006086 (Behavioural opportunity) 60 73 25 1 32 11 4 67 65 59 8 74 66 41 5 77 56 9 12 79 ]
Social power
Self-regulatory resources [ BCIO:006005 (Self-regulation capability) 60 19 10 63 34 ]
Assets
Social-emotional competence
Action contexts The setting or circumstances in which the action takes place (e.g. physical, social, biological and mood) [ ENVO:01000254 (Environmental system) 60 2 56 47 76 49 72 58 67 63 46 4 17 5 66 9 3 10 14 ]
Organisational systems The organisational structure at the governmental, economic, educational and healthcare levels of one's environment [ ENVO:01000254 (Environmental system) 60 2 56 47 76 49 72 58 67 63 46 4 17 5 66 9 3 10 14 ]
Relationship systems Social relationships within one’s environment that can influence behaviour (e.g. cooperation of a spouse) [ BCIO:006090 (Social behavioural opportunity) 60 32 69 8 82 83 39 34 3 10 ]
Temperament The basic foundation of personality, usually assumed to be biologically determined and present early in life [ MF:0000202 (Personality) 60 33 35 17 ]
Biological conditions Circumstances or factors related to one's biological state [ MF:0000032 (Bodily disposition) 60 72 ]
Action linkage Scripted behaviour (i.e. action) chains that have become connected; occurs among people in close social relationships [ BCIO:050804 (Behaviour chain) 60 ]
Goal congruence [ BCIO:006049 (Goal) 60 52 25 53 5 17 67 77 ]
Attention control [ MF:0000018 (Attending) 60 , BCIO:050214 (Attentional self-regulation capability) 60 58 ]
Declarative knowledge schemas Sets of knowledge that represent facts and beliefs about the world and about oneself [ BCIO:006052 (Knowledge) 60 52 9 64 3 14 ]
Procedural schemas Sets of knowledge that represent the skills and routines for performing tasks [ BCIO:006046 (Action schema) 60 ]
Direction and mode
Cueing [ BCIO:006092 (internal stimulus for behaviour) 60 ]
Proactive simulation
Action planning
Problem solving Strategies that provide guides for action in different circumstances [ BCIO:050744 (Problem solving) 60 ]
Outcome expectancies or outcomes? Beliefs about whether or not a recommended action will lead to valued outcomes [ BCIO:050648 (Evaluative belief about the positive consequences of a behaviour) 60 28 57 32 73 78 16 3 ]
Self-efficacy Beliefs about whether or not one is capable of performing a recommended behaviour [ BCIO:006154 (Self-efficacy belief for a behaviour) 60 56 54 66 14 81 82 73 16 17 4 57 42 80 78 ]
Control
Engagement
Orientation
Incentive portfolio
Interpersonal portfolio
Value
Social knowledge [ BCIO:006052 (Knowledge) 60 52 9 64 3 14 ]
Emotion scipts
Coalitions
Hierarchies
Dyads
Appetitive
Mobility
Generative
Mood / arousal States of mood or arousal present within oneself when the action takes place [ MFOEM:000195 (Affective process) 60 55 54 ]
Physical [ ENVO:01000254 (Environmental system) 60 , ENVO:01000254 (Environmental system) 60 2 56 47 76 49 72 58 67 63 46 4 17 5 66 9 3 10 14 ]
Social [ BCIO:006001 (Social environmental system) 60 , BCIO:006001 (Social environmental system) 60 62 13 68 10 14 69 72 33 28 80 41 64 4 65 77 3 57 ]
Biological The biological conditions one is experiencing when the action takes place
Tasks The tasks routinely performed within one's environment
Type
Immediacy
Frequency

Theory illustration

Theory Reference

Ewart, C.K. (1991). Social Action Theory for a Public Health Psychology. American Psychologist, 46(9), 931-946.

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