In addition to the collection of surveys, the survey library provides descriptions of behavioral and social theories commonly used to guide HIV-related research.* This section of the library provides a short overview of a number of theories, both individual behavior and community or structural theories. It also provides more detail on a specific theory if you go to that link, including the main constructs of that theory—such as social support or attitudes—and methodological advice about how to design questions for these constructs via the
Topics section of the library. Links to the survey instruments used as sources for the questions can be found in the
Instruments section.
A. AIDS Risk Reduction Model
The AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM) includes three main constructs to explain how people adopt or change HIV-related behavior. These constructs are: risk assessment, commitment to change and enactment.
B. Diffusion of Innovation Theory
This theory explains how a new idea or behavior is spread throughout a population. The theory describes different types of people in a population, such as early adopters and opinion leaders.
C. Ecological Systems Theory
There are a number of different versions of ecological models, but in general, they recognize that successful activities to promote health, including HIV risk reduction, not only address changing individual behaviors, but address multiple levels surrounding individuals, such as families, communities, institutions, and policies. Ecological Systems Theory is one such theory.
D. Health Belief Model
The Health Belief Model asserts that health behavior is guided by an individual’s perception about the behavior. In this model four key issues influence whether a person takes on a behavior: susceptibility to, seriousness of, barriers to, and benefits of the behavior.
E. Social Capital Theory
Social Capital Theory asserts that social life, networks, norms, and trust enable participants to act together more effectively to pursue shared objectives, such as HIV risk reduction.
F. Social Cognitive Theory
The premise of the Social Cognitive Theory (or its earlier version, Social Learning Theory) is that new behaviors are learned either by modeling the behavior of others or by direct experience. The confidence one feels towards enacting a behavior, called self-efficacy, is a key component of the theory.
G. Social Network Theory
Social Network Theory looks at social behavior not as an individual phenomenon but through relationships, and appreciates that HIV risk behavior, unlike many other health behaviors, usually directly involves two people.
H. Stages of Change Model
This model posits six stages that individuals pass through when changing behavior: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and relapse.
I. Theory for Individual and Social Change or Empowerment Model
This theory asserts that social change happens through dialogue to build up a critical perception of the social, cultural, political, and economic forces that structure reality, and by taking action against forces that are oppressive.
J. Theory of Gender and Power
The Theory of Gender and Power is a social-structural theory addressing the wider social and environmental issues surrounding women, such as distribution of power and authority, and gender-specific norms.
K. Theory of Reasoned Action
The Theory of Reasoned Action (or its later incarnation, the Theory of Planned Behavior) is based on the assumption that human beings are quite rational and make systematic use of the information available to them, to make choices about whether to enact a behavior or not.
*Much of this information was obtained from Karusa Kiragu and Julie Pulerwitz, "Application of behavior change theory to HIV programs: Lessons learned from operations research at Horizons," unpublished manuscript, with some input from Rachel King's "Sexual behavioral change for HIV: Where have theories taken us?," June 1999.
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