Self-regulation in Health Behavior: Concepts, Theories, and Central Issues

Good health is of critical importance to many people while they are generally aware that their behavior plays an important role in achieving and maintaining physical well-being. In Western societies, it is difficult not knowing that one is, to some extent, responsible for one’s own health as people are continuously reminded of the importance of their behavior for staying healthy by both public health campaigns and medical care professionals (Brownell, 1991). Yet, even though good health is generally considered important, and many people have good intentions for health behavior, the vast majority report difficulties in consistently performing those behaviors. They may find it hard, for instance, to maintain a healthy diet or a pattern of regular exercise in the face of temptations of modern life (e.g., Rothman, Baldwin & Hertel, 2004). Changing a bad health habit seems even more difficult than maintaining a good one (Polivy & Herman, 2002; cf. Norcross, Ratzin & Payne, 1989). The proverbial road to hell does indeed seem to be paved with good intentions (cf. Powers, Koestner & Topciu, 2005). The question is: Why is it so difficult to act upon intentions or maintain attempts for changing health behavior, even for people who seem to be motivated? Only recently has the so-called ‘‘intention-behavior gap’’ started to attract substantial attention, and currently this is one of the most researched aspects of health behavior (e.g., Sheeran, 2002; Sheeran, Milne, Webb & Gollwitzer, 2005; also see Sheeran, Webb & Gollwitzer, this volume), and a crucial aspect of self-regulation. Selfregulation broadly refers to the processes of goal setting and goal striving, and includes dealing with a range of challenges that individuals may face when trying to achieve something that is important but, almost by definition, difficult to attain (Mischel, Cantor & Feldman, 1996). Important new questions arise from a self-regulation approach to health behavior, such as the following: How do people set health goals, and do they in fact