Tell me why... The influence of self-involvement on short term smoking behaviour.
Previous studies found that information is more persuasive when self-generated (high self-involvement), rather than when simply read or heard (low self-involvement). In two studies, we investigated whether differences in self-involvement concerning smoking issues would influence immediate smoking behaviour. As predicted, results indicate that participants who developed their own arguments against smoking waited longer before lighting up a cigarette than those who read arguments against smoking that were developed by other participants (Study 1). Further, participants who additionally generated their own arguments were less likely to smoke within 30 min than those who read prepared arguments against smoking (Study 2). In sum, our studies illustrate that personal involvement in generating anti-smoking arguments can reduce short term smoking behaviour.
Müller
Barbara C N
BC
Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands. B.Muller@psych.ru.nl
van Baaren
Rick B
RB
Ritter
Simone M
SM
Woud
Marcella L
ML
Bergmann
Heiko
H
Harakeh
Zeena
Z
Engels
Rutger C M E
RC
Dijksterhuis
Ap
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult