.png)
We’ve all been there: it’s January 1st, and our resolve to exercise, eat better, or start a new habit feels unshakable. But as the days turn into weeks, that iron-clad resolve often begins to rust. In psychology, this is known as the Intention-Behavior Gap—the frustrating space between what we plan to do and what we actually do.
Dr. Christopher M. Jones, a researcher at the University of Bremen, is dedicated to understanding why this gap exists and how we can bridge it. While many blame a "lack of willpower," Dr. Jones’s research suggests that human intentions are far more dynamic than we realize.
“Many theories assume that intentions are steady guides for action,” Dr. Jones explains. “But the reality is that intentions change across the day depending on the situation we are in. The real question isn't just how strong an intention is, but how durable it remains when life gets messy.”
ExpiWell spoke with Dr. Jones to discuss his deep dive into Intention Durability and how real-time data is helping us understand how to make health protocols stick—even during the height of a global pandemic.
.png)
Using the context of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)—like social distancing and mask-wearing—Dr. Jones explored the "durability" of human goals.2 While past research measured intentions weeks or months apart, his team wanted to see the micro-dynamics of daily life.
They investigated how stable intentions remain over hours and whether that stability helps people navigate real-world challenges, distractions, and shifting environments. By studying this in real-time, the research provides a much richer understanding of how we regulate our own behavior.
The primary drive behind this work is to make public health interventions more effective. Whether it’s vaccination, quitting smoking, or maintaining exercise, success relies on psychological readiness.
"Durable intentions signal that a person isn't just meaning to act; they are able to sustain that intention across time and context," Dr. Jones says. "However, it’s also vital not to put everything on the individual. Our findings highlight how important contextual facilitators—like social norms and clear regulations—are in helping us translate our intentions into behavior, especially when our internal motivation dips."
To capture the truth of human behavior, Dr. Jones moved the lab into the real world. He utilized Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) via the ExpiWell app to track participants as they navigated their daily routines.
Study Snapshot: Unprecedented Scale
To understand why we struggle to follow through on our goals, Dr. Jones moved past static surveys to capture a "high-definition movie" of human behavior. By tracking 600+ participants through their actual routines, he didn't just collect data—he captured 19,000 "micro-moments" of real-world decision-making.
This massive undertaking was powered by ExpiWell, which acted as a seamless bridge into the participants' lived experiences. The data revealed a startling story: while human resolve is volatile, the secret to success isn't a sudden "spike" of motivation, but Intention Durability. The 19,000 assessments showed that those who stayed consistent weren't the "most" motivated, but the ones whose intentions were stable enough to survive a busy day. Without the real-time precision of ExpiWell, this hidden rhythm of human habit might have remained invisible.
Surprising Findings: The Dynamic Mind
The results of the study offered a fresh, more empathetic look at how we function:
"EMA allows us to bring context front and center. Health behaviors aren’t just personal choices—they’re shaped by daily routines, social norms, and environmental constraints."3 — Dr. Christopher M. Jones
Dr. Jones believes EMA is the key to moving away from "one-size-fits-all" solutions. By identifying when people are most vulnerable to lapses, researchers can design smarter interventions that fit into the actual flow of people's lives.
"In public health, this granularity can help design interventions that provide support exactly when it's needed," he notes. "It gets us away from results that lack the within-person perspective that underlies most successful interventions."
Managing a study with 600 participants and 19,000 assessments requires a platform that is both powerful and user-friendly. Dr. Jones found that partner in ExpiWell.
"ExpiWell made the procedures seamless for both researchers and participants," he shares. "The app was reliable and intuitive. A huge win for us was the QR-code functionality, which allowed us to enroll participants directly through a website without face-to-face meetings—a vital feature during the early phases of the pandemic."
Dr. Jones’s work is a powerful reminder that our environments and the durability of our thoughts are just as important as our willpower. We invite you to explore more about his findings and other impactful studies in our Journal Publications section.
Are you ready to discover the "why" behind your participants' behaviors in real-time? Reach out to us at sales@expiwell.com and let’s discuss how our platform can support your next breakthrough.
ExpiWell Researcher in focus: Dr. Paula C. Lowe on Mind Wandering Among Working Adults
ExpiWell Researcher in focus: Dr. Rosie Shrout on the Power of Relationships
ExpiWell Researcher in Focus: Alisa Bedrov on the Effects of Secrets in human Relationships
