Conscientiousness, perceived risk, and risk-reduction behaviors: a preliminary study.
Participants (N = 343) from an Oregon community completed surveys at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months to assess personality, the perceived health risk of radon in combination with smoking, and changes in smoking behavior. Conscientiousness predicted instituting a more restrictive household smoking rule (p < .01), and perceived risk predicted reduction in cigarettes smoked per day for men (p < .001). Perceived risk predicted a reduction in the proportion of cigarettes smoked in the home for those who had high (p < .05) but not low or moderate levels of Conscientiousness, a dimension in one personality model. The results demonstrate the importance of Conscientiousness in the prediction of health behavior, particularly behavior that affects others as well as oneself.
Hampson
S E
SE
Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom. s.hampson@surrey.ac.uk
Andrews
J A
JA
Barckley
M
M
Lichtenstein
E
E
Lee
M E
ME
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011886:Radon / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*
D011886:Radon