Author: Jennifer Watson
A giant thinker who influenced our world without most of us knowing it recently passed away.
His name was Martin Fishbein. And if you don’t know his name, you’ve likely seen the result of his work.
An expert in consumer behavioral research and persuasive communication, Fishbein coauthored a theory that described how beliefs, attitudes, social norms and intentions influence behavior. The theory became known as the Theory of Reasoned Action.
If that sounds like dusty academics, it isn’t. His thinking had real-world applications that saved countless lives. Fishbein put his theory to the test during a sabbatical from teaching and helped the Centers for Disease Control reduce the spread of AIDS caused by illegal drug use. The communications campaign he helped shape convinced drug users to stop sharing dirty needles.
Since then, many public health campaigns aimed at convincing us to give up bad habits have drawn from his work. They’ve helped us quit smoking, receive vaccines and make healthier choices for our lives.
In fact, his work helped form the foundation for an entire school of communications called social marketing, which is simply the use of public relations, marketing and research to effect positive social change.
At the time of his death, Fishbein was the director of the Health Communication Program at the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. He had just published an updated volume on his Theory of Reasoned Action. And if you want to know why we do what we do, his book is worth a read.
