Self-affirmation reduces smokers' defensiveness to graphic on-pack cigarette warning labels.
Abstract
Objective Little is known about how smokers respond to graphic images depicting the health consequences of smoking. The authors tested whether smokers respond defensively to such images and whether allowing them to self-affirm reduces their defensiveness. Design Young smokers (N = 87) were randomly allocated to self-affirm or perform a control task prior to viewing 4 images intended for future use on cigarette packs in the European Union. Measures were taken immediately postexposure and after 1 week. Main outcome measures Participants rated each image for threat and personal relevance. Once all 4 images had been viewed, they completed measures of intentions, self-efficacy, and perceived behavioral control for reducing cigarette consumption, negative thoughts and feelings about smoking, personal vulnerability to 6 smoking-related diseases, desire to quit, and plans to quit. At the 1-week follow-up, measures of self-reported smoking and desire to reduce consumption were taken. Results Relative to controls, self-affirmed participants rated the images as more threatening and personally relevant, and they reported more negative thoughts and feelings and higher levels of control, self-efficacy, and intentions. Risk level moderated the effect of self-affirmation on relevance and intentions: Self-affirmation increased ratings on both measures among those who smoked more. In addition, self-affirmation moderated the threat-intention relationship, which was weaker in the self-affirmed g…
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Relative to participants in a control condition, participants who first completed a self-affirmation-listing their desirable qualities-saw the advertisements as more distressing, expressed greater confidence in their ability to stop smoking, and had a stronger motivation to quit.
“Relative to participants in a control condition, participants who first completed a self-affirmation-listing their desirable qualities-saw the advertisements as more distressing, expressed greater confidence in their ability to stop smoking, and had a stronger motivation to quit.”
From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Harris et al. 2007
However, in some studies, affirmed participants fail to make the behavioral changes that they predict they will.
“However, in some studies, affirmed participants fail to make the behavioral changes that they predict they will (Harris et al. 2007, Harris & Napper 2005, Reed & Aspinwall 1998; for a review, see Harris & Epton 2010).”
From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Harris et al. 2007
The effects of affirmation on attitude and motivation tend to persist, even one month later.
“The effects of affirmation on attitude and motivation tend to persist, even one month later (Harris et al. 2007, Harris & Napper 2005).”
From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Harris et al. 2007
This effect on motivation persisted one week later.
“This effect on motivation persisted one week later.”
From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Harris et al. 2007
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“, the value of raising a family or maintaining health) might buffer against defensive processing—dismissal of a health message perceived as personally threatening—because it has been shown that selfaffirmation prior to exposure to graphic images on cigarette pack warnings reduces such defensive processing [41].”
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- Authors
- Harris, P. R., Mayle, K., Mabbott, L., & Napper, L.
- Affiliations
- University of Sheffield (GB)
- Venue
- Health Psychology
- Published
- 2007
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 437-446
- ISSN
- 0278-6133 (ISSN-L)
- 1930-7810
- OpenAlex
- W1997968660
- Cited by
- 234
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 6.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
- Keywords
- self-affirmation, graphic warning labels, cigarette packaging, smoking, defensive responding, threat appraisal, perceived personal relevance, self-efficacy, perceived behavioral control, smoking cessation intentions, risk perception, young smokers
- MeSH terms
- Smoking Prevention, Adolescent, Adult, Attitude to Health, Defense Mechanisms, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Health Promotion, Humans, Male, Models, Psychological, Product Labeling, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Risk-Taking, Smoking, Nicotiana, Smoking Cessation, Self Efficacy, Intention
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