The Trans-Contextual Model
Together with my late, great colleague Nikos Chatzisarantis, I developed an integrated model that explains the processes by which autonomous motivation and autonomy support for activities (e.g., physical activity, learning) in an educational setting relates to autonomous motivation, attitudes, and intention toward, and actual participation in, activities outside of school. The model has been applied in numerous educational contexts (e.g., physical education classes, math and science lessons) and extra-mural behaviors (e.g., physical activity, math and science homework). I continue to work with my regular collaborators including Derwin K. C. Chan (Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong, China), Kyra Hamilton (Grffith University, Australia), Taru Lintunen and Juho Polet (University of Jyväskylä, Finland, and Vello Hein and Andre Koka (Tartu University, Estonia) to develop and further test the model.
Representative publications:
Hagger, M. S., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. D. (2012). Transferring motivation from educational to extramural contexts: A review of the trans-contextual model. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 27, 195-212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-011-0082-5
Hagger, M. S., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. D. (2016). The trans-contextual model of autonomous motivation in education: Conceptual and empirical issues and meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 86, 360-407. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315585005
Hagger, M. S., Chatzisarantis, N. L. D., Barkoukis, V., Wang, C. K. J., & Baranowski, J. (2005). Perceived autonomy support in physical education and leisure-time physical activity: A cross-cultural evaluation of the trans-contextual model. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97, 287-301. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.97.3.376
Hagger, M. S., Chatzisarantis, N. L. D., Culverhouse, T., & Biddle, S. J. H. (2003). The processes by which perceived autonomy support in physical education promotes leisure-time physical activity intentions and behavior: A trans-contextual model. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 784–795. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.95.4.784
Hagger, M. S., Chatzisarantis, N. L. D., Hein, V., Pihu, M., Soós, I., Karsai, I., Lintunen, T. & Leemans, S. (2009). Teacher, peer, and parent autonomy support in physical education and leisure-time physical activity: A trans-contextual model of motivation in four nations. Psychology and Health, 24, 689-711. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870440801956192
Hagger, M. S., Sultan, S., Hardcastle, S. J., Reeve, J., Patall, E. A., Fraser, B. J., Hamilton, K., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. D. (2016). Applying the trans-contextual model to mathematics activities in the classroom and homework behaviour and attainment. Learning and Individual Differences, 45, 166-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.11.017
New research:
Hagger, M. S., & Hamilton, K. (2018). Motivational predictors of students' participation in out-of-school learning activities and academic attainment in science: An application of the trans-contextual model using Bayesian path analysis. Learning and Individual Differences, 67, 232-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2018.09.002
Kalajas-Tilga, H., Hein, V., Koka, A., Tilga, H., Raudsepp, L., & Hagger, M. S. (2022). Application of the trans-contextual model to predict change in leisure time physical activity. Psychology & Health, 37(1), 62-86. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2020.1869741
Kalajas-Tilga, H., Hein, V., Koka, A., Tilga, H., Raudsepp, L., & Hagger, M. S. (2022). Trans-contextual model predicting change in out-of-school physical activity: A one-year longitudinal study. European Physical Education Review, 28(2), 463-481. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X211053807
Lee, A., S. Y., Standage, M., Hagger, M. S., & *Chan, D. K. C. (2021). Predictors of in-school and out-of-school sport injury prevention: A test of the trans-contextual model. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 31(1), 215-225. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13826
Lee, A., S. Y., Standage, M., Hagger, M. S., & *Chan, D. K. C. (2021). Applying the trans-contextual model to promote sport injury prevention behaviours among secondary school students. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 31(9), 1840-1852. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14002
Lee, A. S. Y., Standage, M., Hagger, M. S., & *Chan, D. K. C. (2019). Sport injury prevention in-school and out-of-school? A qualitative investigation of the trans-contextual model. PLoS ONE, 14(9), e0222015. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222015
Polet, J. J., Schneider, J., Hassandra, M., Lintunen, T., Laukkanen, A., Hankonen, N., Hirvensalo, M., Tammelin, T. H., Hamilton, K., & Hagger, M. S. (2021). Predictors of school students’ leisure-time physical activity: An extended trans-contextual model using Bayesian path analysis. PLoS ONE, 16(11), e0258829. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258829
Polet, J., Lintunen, T., Schneider, J., & Hagger, M. S. (2020). Predicting change in middle school students’ leisure-time physical activity participation: A prospective test of the trans-contextual model. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 50(9), 512-523. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12691
Majeed, R., & Hagger, M. S. (2025). The trans-contextual model of motivation in education: Progress and new directions. In L. García-González, K. D. Cocker & D. González-Cutre (Eds.), Motivation in physical education (pp. 53–74). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-86908-2_3
Theory Integration
Another strand of my research focuses on the integration of theories to address the boundary conditions and limitations of current theory, such as redundancy across constructs, auxiliary hypotheses, and omitted processes and, in so doing, facilitate more comprehensive, effective prediction of behavior. For example, I have integrated motivational theories such as self-determination theory and social cognition theories like the theory of planned behavior and reasoned action approach, and dual-process theories incorporating constructs that represent non-conscious processes (e.g., implicit attitudes, habit) as behavioral determinants within current social cognition models.
Representative publications:
Hagger, M. S. (2009). Theoretical integration in health psychology: Unifying ideas and complimentary explanations. British Journal of Health Psychology, 14, 189-194. https://doi.org/10.1348/135910708x397034
Hagger, M. S., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. D. (2009). Integrating the theory of planned behaviour and self-determination theory in health behaviour: A meta-analysis. British Journal of Health Psychology, 14, 275-302. https://doi.org/10.1348/135910708x373959
Hagger, M. S., Gucciardi, D. F., Turrell, A., & Hamilton, K. (2019). Self-control and health-related behavior: The role of implicit self-control, trait self-control, and lay beliefs in self-control. British Journal of Health Psychology. doi: 10.1111/bjhp.12378
Hagger, M. S., Trost, N., Keech, J., Chan, D. K. C., & Hamilton, K. (2017). Predicting sugar consumption: Application of an integrated dual-process, dual-phase model. Appetite, 116, 147-156. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.04.032
Hamilton, K., Kirkpatrick, A., Rebar, A., & Hagger, M. S. (2017). Child sun safety: Application of an integrated behavior change model. Health Psychology, 36, 916-926. doi: 10.1037/hea0000533
New research:
Balla, J., *Polet, J., Kokko, K., Hirvensalo, M., Vasankari, T., Lintunen, T., & Hagger, M. S. (2024). Predicting adolescents’ physical activity intentions: testing an integrated social cognition model. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 31(1), 41-54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-023-10156-3
Griffith, Z. M., *Polet, J., Lintunen, T., Hamilton, K., & Hagger, M. S. (2024). Social cognition, personality and social-political correlates of health behaviors: Application of an integrated theoretical model. Social Science and Medicine, 347, 116779. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116779
Hagger, M. S., Smith, S. R., *Keech, J. J., *Moyers, S. A., & Hamilton, K. (2022). Predicting physical distancing over time during COVID-19: Testing an integrated model. Psychology & Health, 37(12), 1436-1456. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2021.1968397
Kaushal, N., Nemati, D., Keith, N., & Hagger, M. S. (2024). A longitudinal theory-based investigation of how environmental aesthetics predicts home-based exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 56(9), 1664-1671. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000003450
Kaushal, N., Berlin, K., & Hagger, M. S. (2022). Determinants of virtual exercise equipment use: An integrated model investigation. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 44(1), 42-51. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2021-0143
Simpson-Rojas, D., Phipps, D. J., Jenkins, K., Fleig, L., Hagger, M. S., & Hamilton, K. (2024). Predicting alcohol consumption: Application of an integrated social cognition model of intentions, habits, and cue consistency. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 16(4), 2340–2361. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12589