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Theory of Interpersonal Behavior

Theory of Interpersonal Behavior integrates cognitive, affective, and social factors to predict behaviour.

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Responsive Flow Diagram - Theory of Interpersonal Behavior
Attitude: How we feel about doing something
Social Norms: Expectations of others
Habit: Our routines and tendencies
Behavior: The action we take
What is:

Theory of Interpersonal Behavior

In simple words, imagine:

Deciding to join a club because you think it's fun, your friends are in it, and you feel welcome.

The Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour explains how our habits, intentions, and social norms influence our actions

It looks at three main factors:

  • Attitude: How we feel about doing something.
  • Social norms: What others expect us to do.
  • ‍Habit: What we usually do without thinking

If all these factors align, we’re more likely to act. This theory helps companies predict and influence behaviour.

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Explain it to Grandma:

Think of this theory like deciding to join a gardening club. You join because you enjoy gardening (that's your attitude), your friends are also part of the club (that's social influence), and you've gotten used to spending your Saturdays with them (that's habit). It's all about how our thoughts, feelings, and the people around us guide our actions, like planting seeds in a garden.

Business Cases:

Tesco
Facebook
Barclays
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Tesco
Clubcard Loyalty Programme
Retail

Tesco used the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior to design its Clubcard loyalty programme. The programme analysed customer attitudes, social norms, and habits to encourage repeat purchases and build long-term customer relationships.

Result
Successful
The programme significantly increased customer retention and sales, becoming one of the most successful loyalty programmes in the UK.
Facebook
Facebook Groups
Social Media

Facebook leveraged the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior to enhance the Groups feature. By understanding users' attitudes towards communities, social influence, and habitual use, Facebook created a platform where people could engage with like-minded individuals.

Result
Successful
The Groups feature has become a major driver of user engagement and retention on Facebook.
Barclays
Barclays Pingit
Banking

Barclays applied the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior when launching Pingit, a mobile payment app. The company considered customer attitudes towards mobile banking, social influence, and mobile usage habits to design an intuitive payment solution.

Result
Partially successful
While Pingit was initially popular, its adoption was slower than anticipated due to competition and user habits being rooted in traditional banking methods.

Academic Research:

Theory of Interpersonal Behavior

Authors:

Harry C. Triandis

Paper Link

https://open.ncl.ac.uk/academic-theories/15/theory-of-interpersonal-behaviour

Year Researched

1977

Summary:

The Theory of Interpersonal Behavior explained how a person's actions are influenced by their attitudes, social norms, and habits. It suggests that behavior is a result of intention, which is shaped by what people think, how they feel, and what they see others doing. Essentially, people do things based on their beliefs, feelings, and the habits they've developed.

Some links

  • https://obssr.od.nih.gov/sites/obssr/files/Social-and-Behavioral-Theories.pdf
  • https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_1390
  • https://open.ncl.ac.uk/theories/2/theory-of-interpersonal-behaviour
  • https://www.cres.gr
  • https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019188691530071X