The art of thinking · Thinking in practice
Implementation intention
Also known as: If–then plan, Implementation intentions
German: Durchführungsintention
In motivation psychology, an implementation intention is a plan of the form “If situation X arises, then I will do Y”, which links a goal to a specific situation and response; Peter M. Gollwitzer described the concept and its effects in 1999.
- Thinking models
- Learning
In one sentence
An implementation intention is an if–then plan that links a goal to a specific situation and response (Peter M. Gollwitzer, 1999).
Example
“When I open a new topic on Monday morning, I first write down its guiding question” is an implementation intention; “I want to work more thoroughly” is a goal intention.
How it applies
- The concept: Gollwitzer (1999) distinguished goal intentions (“I intend to reach Z”) from implementation intentions, which specify when, where and how to act. The if-part makes the situation easier to notice; the then-part makes the response more automatic once the situation arises.
- The evidence: A meta-analysis by Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran (2006) of 94 independent tests found a medium-to-large effect of implementation intentions on reaching goals.
- Working method: Writing the first step of a routine as an if–then plan ties it to a fixed situation; repetition in that situation can then build a habit.
Implementation intention vs. habit
An implementation intention is a deliberate plan that delegates the start of an action to a situation. A habit is the result of repetition, in which the situation triggers the action without a plan. The first can lead to the second.
External references
- Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493
- Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38002-1
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