RESEARCH_FILE
Paschal Sheeran
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Known for:Empirical research on the intention-behavior gap and implementation intentions, including the landmark 94-study meta-analysis with Gollwitzer and a definitive Annual Review synthesis positioning if-then plans as the leading tool for bridging intention and action
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“It's not the right moment”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“This is a normal moment, not a special one. I can start with one small piece.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Choose one small, non-urgent task you have been postponing. Set a five-minute window, then do only the first visible step: lay out the papers, name the file, or sort the items into one pile. Stop when the window ends, even if the task is unfinished.
Key findings
- 2006
Co-authoring the meta-analysis with Gollwitzer, Sheeran documented d = 0.65 across 94 studies and analyzed the moderators and processes, finding the effect was not driven by any single goal domain or population. Implementation Intentions and Goal Achievement: A Meta-analysis of Effects and Processes ↗
- 2016
With Thomas Webb, Sheeran synthesized the broader intention-behavior gap literature in Annual Review of Psychology, finding that even high-motivation populations fail to act a substantial proportion of the time, and confirming implementation intentions as the leading evidence-based remedy. The Intention-Behavior Gap ↗