Theory Database - Theory 80: Theory of Triadic Influence

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 80: Theory of Triadic Influence

Number of Constructs: 31
Number of Triples: 83

Theory triples

Self-efficacy influences Decisions / intentions
Health-related behaviour influences Experience
Immediate social context influences Social learning
Immediate social context influences Social bonding
Decisions / intentions influences Health-related behaviour
Cultural environment influences Health-related values
Cultural environment influences Health-related knowledge
Attitudes influences Decisions / intentions
Intrapersonal influences influences Social influences
Experience influences Health-related values
Experience influences Expectations about consequences
Experience influences Motivation to comply
Experience influences Perceived norms
Experience influences Skills
Experience influences Self-determination
Attitudinal influences influences Social influences
Social influences influences Intrapersonal influences
Social influences influences Attitudinal influences
Attitudinal influences influences Intrapersonal influences
Sense of self influences Self-determination
Social bonding influences Self-determination
Health-related knowledge influences Self-determination
Social competence influences Skills
Health-related knowledge influences Skills
Social competence influences Perceived norms
Health-related knowledge influences Perceived norms
Health-related values influences Motivation to comply
Social competence influences Expectations about consequences
Social learning influences Expectations about consequences
Health-related values influences Evaluations of consequences
Sense of self influences Motivation to comply
Intrapersonal influences influences Attitudinal influences
Social normative beliefs influences Decisions / intentions
Social learning influences Perceived norms
Social learning influences Skills
Experience influences Health-related knowledge
Biology / personality influences Sense of self
Biology / personality influences Social competence
Sense of self influences Evaluations of consequences
Social learning influences Evaluations of consequences
Health-related knowledge influences Expectations about consequences
Social bonding influences Motivation to comply
Experience influences Evaluations of consequences
Experience influences Sense of self
Experience influences Social competence
Experience influences Social learning
Experience influences Social bonding
Intrapersonal influences type of Streams of influence
Social influences type of Streams of influence
Attitudinal influences type of Streams of influence
Perceived norms influences (*) Social normative beliefs
Motivation to comply influences (*) Social normative beliefs
Skills influences (*) Self-efficacy
Self-determination influences (*) Self-efficacy
Biology / personality part of Intrapersonal influences
Immediate social context part of Social influences
Cultural environment part of Attitudinal influences
Evaluations of consequences influences (*) Attitudes
Expectations about consequences influences (*) Attitudes
Ultimate causes tier type of Tiers of influence
Social personal nexus tier type of Tiers of influence
Affective / cognitive tier type of Tiers of influence
Decisions tier type of Tiers of influence
Expectancy-value tier type of Tiers of influence
Social competence part of Social personal nexus tier
Social learning part of Social personal nexus tier
Social bonding part of Social personal nexus tier
Health-related knowledge part of Social personal nexus tier
Sense of self part of Social personal nexus tier
Health-related values part of Social personal nexus tier
Self-determination part of Expectancy-value tier
Skills part of Expectancy-value tier
Perceived norms part of Expectancy-value tier
Motivation to comply part of Expectancy-value tier
Expectations about consequences part of Expectancy-value tier
Evaluations of consequences part of Expectancy-value tier
Self-efficacy part of Affective / cognitive tier
Social normative beliefs part of Affective / cognitive tier
Attitudes part of Affective / cognitive tier
Decisions / intentions part of Decisions tier
Biology / personality part of Ultimate causes tier
Immediate social context part of Ultimate causes tier
Cultural environment part of Ultimate causes tier

Theory constructs and annotations

Self-efficacy The sense that one has the skills and will to take charge of their health [ BCIO:006154 (Self-efficacy belief for a behaviour) 80 56 54 66 14 60 81 82 73 16 17 4 57 42 78 ]
Decisions / intentions [ BCIO:006047 (Decision) 80 , BCIO:006016 (Behavioural intention) 80 1 66 14 59 52 73 72 23 77 69 81 74 79 3 24 6 18 57 ]
Health-related behaviour Actions undertaken by the individual that have the potential to influence health outcomes [ BCIO:050437 (health-related behaviour) 80 72 ]
Experience Prior experience of engaging in the health-related behaviour [ BCIO:050827 (past occurrence of a target behaviour) 80 ]
Immediate social context The proximal social setting or micro-environment [ BCIO:006002 (Family environmental system) 80 , BCIO:006003 (Friendship network) 80 , BCIO:050213 (Professional network) 80 12 65 72 ]
Social learning Process through which one's health-related behaviours can be shaped by observing and imitating the attitudes and behaviours of others to whom one is closely bonded [ GO:0098597 (Observational learning) 80 70 57 49 ]
Social bonding Process through which one establishes an affective relation between individuals [ BCIO:050748 (Psychological attachment formation) 80 ]
Cultural environment The broad sociocultural or macro-environment [ BCIO:006001 (Social environmental system) 80 62 13 68 10 14 69 72 33 60 28 41 64 4 65 77 3 57 ]
Health-related values Moral, social or aesthetic principles that concern one's health [ BCIO:050636 (Egoistic personal health value) 80 ]
Health-related knowledge Base of information relating to the causes of health threats and ways to avoid these threats [ BCIO:050690 (Knowledge about threat avoidance) 80 ]
Attitudes General evaluations of health-related behaviour ranging on a scale from negative to positive [ BCIO:050328 (Attitude) 80 72 4 2 1 29 64 35 ]
Intrapersonal influences
Social influences [ BCIO:006099 (Social influence behaviour) 80 59 49 33 29 60 32 30 ]
Expectations about consequences Beliefs about the health / financial consequences of a health-related behaviour [ BCIO:050219 (Belief about the health consequences of a behaviour) 80 , BCIO:050604 (Belief about the financial consequences of a behaviour) 80 14 29 ]
Motivation to comply Willingness to exert physical or mental effort in order to act in accordance with others' normative beliefs [ BCIO:006059 (Willingness to comply) 80 1 3 66 79 72 ]
Perceived norms Perceptions of the standard or range of values that represents the typical performance of a group or individual concerning a given behaviour [ BCIO:006039 (Perceived norm) 80 18 66 77 12 71 10 78 ]
Skills Health-related abilities or proficiencies acquired through training and practice (i.e. in relation to performing health-related behaviours) [ BCIO:006004 (Mental skill) 80 , BCIO:050222 (Self-regulatory skill) 80 , BCIO:006010 (Physical skill) 80 66 5 64 9 ]
Self-determination A sense of control of one's behaviours by internal convictions and decisions rather than by external demands
Attitudinal influences Health-related evaluations that originate in one's broader cultural environment and contribute to health-related decisions [ BCIO:050328 (Attitude) 80 72 4 2 1 29 64 35 ]
Sense of self Conceptions and evaluations of oneself [ ADDICTO:00003 99 (Self-identity) 80 ]
Social competence The extent of one's skill in interpersonal relationships, especially the ability to handle a wide variety of social situations effectively [ BCIO:006011 (Social behavioural capability) 80 ]
Evaluations of consequences Careful examinations or appraisals of the health, financial and social consequences of health-related behaviour [ BCIO:006148 (Evaluative belief about the consequences of behaviour) 80 77 42 39 66 1 35 74 79 ]
Social normative beliefs Perceptions of what is normal and socially acceptable, together with one's inclination to comply with such perceptions [ BCIO:006059 (Willingness to comply) 80 , BCIO:006039 (Perceived norm) 80 1 3 18 66 77 12 71 79 72 10 78 ]
Biology / personality Inherited traits and personality dispositions (i.e. relatively stable, consistent and enduring internal characteristics) of an individual
Streams of influence The cultural/attitudinal, social/interpersonal and intrapersonal influences that determine health-related affect/cognitions and behaviour
Ultimate causes tier The level at which factors in one's background and environment are believed to be the deep-seeded, root causes of behaviour (also called fundamental causes) [ BCIO:006029 (Belief about one's environment) 80 , MFOEM:000075 (Appraisal of causal agency) 80 1 72 76 5 ]
Tiers of influence Conceptualisation of the causal levels through which each stream of influence flows before impacting on behaviour [ MFOEM:000075 (Appraisal of causal agency) 80 1 ]
Social personal nexus tier The level at which the ultimate causes interact to provide personally relevant, but general, social relationships, knowledge, values and sense of self and social competence [ BCIO:006001 (Social environmental system) 80 62 13 68 10 14 69 72 33 60 28 41 64 4 65 77 3 57 ]
Affective / cognitive tier The level at which attitudes, social normative beliefs and self efficacy beliefs are formed [ BCIO:050328 (Attitude) 80 72 4 2 1 29 64 35 ]
Decisions tier The level at which health-related decisions/intentions are formed [ BCIO:006016 (Behavioural intention) 80 1 66 14 59 73 72 23 77 69 52 81 74 79 3 24 18 ]
Expectancy-value tier The level at which variables from the social personal nexus tier are proposed to become specific to the health behaviour in question [ BCIO:006019 (Belief about consequences of a behaviour) 80 74 79 32 55 1 ]

Theory illustration

Theory Reference

Flay, B.R. & Petraitis, J. (1994). The Theory of Triadic Influence: A New Theory of Health Behaviour with Implications for Preventive Interventions. Advances in Medical Sociology, 4, 19-44.

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