reasoned action, theory of

n. The theory of reasoned action (TRA) is a model for the prediction of people's behavior from knowledge of three characteristics: their intention to perform the behavior, their attitudes about the behavior, and subjective norms (other people's attitudes) about the behavior. First, the TRA states that a specific behavior can be predicted most directly from the person's intention to perform the behavior. Not surprisingly, people are most likely to perform a behavior when they intend to do it and least likely to perform a behavior when they do not intend to do it. Behavioral intention can be predicted from the person's attitudes and subjective norms (perceived attitudes of other people who are important to the person) toward the behavior. – VKP, LAB