Implementation intentions: what it is and what it means

Implementation intentions are plans in a when-then format that shift control of behavior from conscious intention to automatic contextual activation. The format specifies a precise time or situational context and the concrete physical action that follows it. The contextual trigger becomes the signal that starts the behavior without requiring a new deliberate decision. The effect size documented by Gollwitzer's meta-analysis is medium to large: d of about 0.65 across dozens of replicated studies.

Distinctive: plans in a when-then format
Distinctive: automatic contextual activation
Essential: without requiring a new deliberate decision
Essential: contextual trigger
Constant: concrete physical action

Glossary

Implementation intentions

Plans in a when-then format that shift control of behavior from conscious intention to automatic activation by context, removing the need for a new deliberate decision at the moment of action.