Oddly Wired
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behavior

Asking someone about their plans makes them more likely to act.

The mere measurement effect demonstrates that asking people if they will perform an action increases the probability that they will do so.

Research indicates that responding to surveys about future behaviors forces people to evaluate their intentions. This brief process makes the behavior more salient and increases the likelihood of follow-through.

The simple act of planning creates a psychological commitment.

Where this comes from

Study
Vicki Morwitz, 1997
What the check found
The mere measurement effect is a well-established phenomenon, and the 1997 paper by Morwitz et al. is a foundational study in this area.
Confidence
Solid, with limits

Related

One of these every day, and every one names the study it came from. When a finding is contested, it says so.