AJZEN AND FISHBEIN THEORY OF REASONED ACTION AS APPLIED TO MORAL BEHAVIOR - A CONFIRMATORY ANALYSIS

A confirmatory test of Ajzen and Fishbein's (1980) theory of reasoned action as applied to the realm of moral behavior using structural equation modeling was conducted. Ss were 1,056 male and female athletes ranging in age from 10 to 18 years (M = 14.5). Ss completed a questionnaire that contained 2 hypothetical situations related to moral behavior in sports. For each situation, Ss completed scales assessing all components of the model. A modified version of the theory provided a significant improvement over the Ajzen and Fishbein model. This model retained the basic relationships postulated by the theory and added correlations between the attitudinal and normative structures and a causal path from normative beliefs to attitudes. This model was very robust, holding for the 2 situations. Implications for the construct validity of the theory of reasoned action and its application for moral behavior are drawn.