Experimental Application of Planned Behavior Theory in Explaining the behavior of keep up with the Joneses of Married Women in Yazd

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor of Sociology, Division of Cooperative and Social Welfare, Yazd University

2 Assistant Professor Sociology, Division of Cooperative and Social Welfare, Yazd University

3 M.A. in Social Research, Yazd University

Abstract

Introduction: Behavior of keep up with the Joneses is driven by a set of socio-cultural factors. The prevalence of this behavior has increased according to statistics and its continuum in society has wide cultural, social consequences. Therefore, the present study has tried to rely on the theory of planned behavior, investigate the causes of behavior of keep up with the Joneses among married women in Yazd.
Method: The method we used in this study was a survey; the survey data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire structures was measured using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and all were above 0.70 percent. The sampling method was multi-stage clusters and the statistical sample was 245 married women of Yazd city who were between 19 and 73 years. In this research the most important variables related to behavior of keep up with the Joneses of married women in Yazd city were evaluated using Ajzen's theory of "Planned Behavior".
Finding: The findings of the study showed that the majority of respondents had low behavior of keep up with the Joneses. Behavior of keep up with the Joneses were more common among younger women, but there was no significant difference between mean behavior of keep up with the Joneses in terms of occupation, type of home and area of residence. Women with higher levels of education also had more behavior of keep up with the Joneses; and more years that have passed since their marriage, behavior of keep up with the Joneses was reduced among them, but income variable had no significant relationship with behavior of keep up with the Joneses. The findings also show that the variables of planned behavior theory explain behavior of keep up with the Joneses among married women. Variables of Attitude, subjective norms, and intent on behavior of keep up with the Joneses had a significant positive relationship with behavior of keep up with the Joneses (P <0.001); and the relationship between perceived behavioral control by behavior of keep up with the Joneses was reversely meaningful (P <0.001). The results of regression analysis showed that the variables of this study explain 25.1% of the changes in behavior of keep up with the Joneses among married women and two variables of perceived behavioral control and intent on behavior of keep up with the Joneses had a significant effect behavior of keep up with the Joneses.
Results & Conclusion: In general, the obtained results confirm the propositions of the theory of planned behavior and show that, as the theory of planned behavior suggests, intent on behavior of keep up with the Joneses and perceived behavioral control lead to the occurrence of behavior of keep up with the Joneses. But according to the findings, Contrary to Ajzen's prediction, the perceived behavioral control variable had no indirect effect through intent on behavior in individuals, and this theory hypothesis is not confirmed. In this research, intent on behavior of keep up with the Joneses has been strongly influenced by individuals 's attitudes; that is, individuals who have a positive feeling about the consequences of their behavior of keep up with the Joneses, they showed a stronger intention to do behavior of keep up with the Joneses. According to the study, as Ajzen's predicted, individuals, despite their positive attitudes and subjective norms (variables of rational action), are confronted with factors (perceived behavioral control) that prevent them from engaging in behavior; and this assumption of theory was also confirmed. In addition, the mentioned variable (perceived behavioral control) was able to predict individual’s behavior more than intention as an independent variable in the theory of reasoned action.

Keywords

References

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Quarterly of Social Studies and Research in Iran
Volume 9, Issue 2
July 2020
Pages 315-342

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