Implementation Intentions

Gollwitzer, P. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493-503. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.54.7.493

The successful pursuit of goals consists of strongly committing to goals and effectively implementing them. However, the sole act of strongly committing to a goal may not be sufficient because goal achievement may be hindered by problems, such as failing to get started and keeping on track or overextending oneself. After one is strongly committed to a goal, it is necessary to plan out how to deal with possible unexpected situations.

Gollwitzer (1999) emphasized importance of supplementing goal intentions (goals) with implementation intentions where implementation intentions define when, where, and how one wants to act on one’s goals. The if-component of an implementation intention defines when, where, and how one wants to act and the then-component describes how it will be done.

Making implementation intentions not only boosts the activation of the mental representation of the situational cue in the if-component but also forms a link between the mental representation of this cue and mental representation of the specified response. Gollwitzer (1999) suggested that once the critical cue is encountered the initiation of the goal-directed response displays features of automatically. There is empirical evidence that if-then planners act more quickly and effectively with cognitive demands and forming if-then plan automates goal striving. Strategic automation hypothesis has been supported by studies that gathered data using EEG or fMRI. Implementation intentions help goal achievement when goal commitment is high. Self-efficacy was found to control effects of implementation intention while socially prescribed perfectionist (people who always try to please others) show weaker implementation intention effects. It was also found that conscientiousness controls implementation intention effects where increases in goal achievement are only found for low conscientiousness individuals and in those individuals with high conscientiousness cannot be enhanced (because they already show perfect goal attainment when they begin).

Implementation intention effects are usually stronger for difficult goals, and they are helping in getting started and keeping on track. Two types of implementation intentions are effective in mastering temptations. First one defines the temptation as a situational cue and links it to thinking of the goal as the response in then-component. The second one defines an ongoing activity (which is independent of the temptation) as a situational cue and links it to continuing this activity as the response in the then-component. Implementation intentions also help individuals in engaging in automated goal striving and behavior control. Even though by forming implementation intentions people might be able to break out the bad habits if it is about strong habit, habitual response should win over the if-then planned response. Stronger implementation intention effects are found in goals, which are framed as approach rather than avoidance goals.

It is good to keep in mind that behavior can also be changed, not only changing old habits, but also by focusing on new habits. Oettingen (2012) developed a self-regulation strategy for goal setting called mental contrasting in which people imagine desire future and then reflect on possible obstacles of present reality. Mental contrasting creates a readiness for making plans that link present reality obstacles to goal directed behavior. There is also behavior change intervention, which combines mental contrasting with forming implementation intentions. It is a cost and time effective self-regulation intervention to promote healthy and to prevent unhealthy behaviors. It helps in forming strong goal commitments and following up on those commitments.