title: Smoking-related warning messages formulated as questions positively influence short-term smoking behaviour.
abstract: Research demonstrated that by reformulating smoking warnings into questions, defensive responses in smokers are reduced and smoking-related risk perception increases. We explored whether these positive outcomes can be generalised to actual behaviour. Participants saw either a movie presenting subheadings with smoking-related questions or statements. Afterwards, the time was measured until participants lit their first cigarette. Smokers who were presented with questions about the harms of smoking waited longer before lighting up a cigarette than smokers who were presented with statements. Presenting questions instead of the statements seems to be an effective means to prolonging smokers' abstinence.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Germany Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands B.Muller@psych.ru.nl.
authors.forename: Barbara Cn
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Simone M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.affiliation: University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glock
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ap
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dijksterhuis
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rutger Cme
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rick B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: van Baaren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009040:Motion Pictures; D011897:Random Allocation; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: self-persuasion; short-term abstinence; smoking; warning labels