Whither Fact, Artifact, and Attitude: Reflections on the Theory of Reasoned Action

Abstract

In response to Fishbein and Middlestadt's (1995) study, the theory of reasoned action is evaluated in the context of general attitude theory. Although the theory has been theoretically interesting and practically useful, concerns are raised regarding its implementation, with particular respect to measurement, falsifiabil-ity, and testability issues. The theory provides a solid foundation for the study of consumer behavior, but participants in the debate over affect or belief-based attitude mediation should consider additional attitude theories that build on and complement the theory of reasoned action.