ABSTRACT
A series of ‘social cognition’ models which specify modifiable cognitive antecedents of action have been proposed (Conner & Norman, 1996; Eagly & Chaiken, 1993). In this introductory chapter we review the development of these models and identify core constructs representing correspondences between them. We also discuss recent theorising which, looking beyond motivation, has focused on action control and self-regulation processes. In doing so we map progress from early attempts to model health-related beliefs (Hochbaum, 1958) to recent explorations of the cognitive underpinnings goal-related action initiation and maintenance (Gollwitzer & Bargh, 1996).
