The interactive effect of mortality reminders and tobacco craving on smoking topography
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Although fatal consequences of smoking are often highlighted in health communications, the question of how awareness of death affects actual smoking behavior has yet to be addressed. Two experiments informed by the terror management health model were conducted to examine this issue. Previous research suggests that the effects of mortality reminders on health-related decisions are often moderated by relevant individual difference or situational variables. Thus, a moderated effect was hypothesized here, and cigarette cravings were tentatively explored in this regard. METHODS: In both studies, relatively light smokers completed a brief questionnaire about cigarette cravings, were reminded of their mortality or a control topic, and then smoked five puffs from a cigarette while the topography (i.e., volume, duration, and velocity) of their inhalations was recorded. RESULTS: Significant craving × death reminder interactions emerged in both experiments. After reminders of mortality, stronger cravings predicted greater smoking intensity. Further, reminders of mortality increased smoking intensity for those with stronger cravings in both studies, and there was also some indication that mortality reminders decreased smoking intensity for those with weaker cravings. CONCLUSIONS: Although there are limitations in the present research's utilization of light smokers as opposed to heavy smokers, these findings indicate a nuanced effect of mortality reminders on smoking intensity and suggest that careful consideration needs to be given to when and how reminders of death are used in communications about smoking. The discussion also highlights the benefits of social psychologically informed theory for understanding health and smoking behavior.
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Conscious death thoughts reduce smoking intensity among smokers with low cravings.
“Additionally, conscious death thoughts reduce smoking intensity among smokers with low cravings [30].”
From An Appreciative View of the Brighter Side of Terror Management Processes (2015) · cites this paper as [30]
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- Authors
- Arndt, J., Vail, K. E., Cox, C. R., Goldenberg, J. L., Piasecki, T. M., & Gibbons, F. X.
- Affiliations
- University of Missouri (US)
- Venue
- Health Psychology
- Published
- 2013
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 525-532
- ISSN
- 0278-6133 (ISSN-L)
- 1930-7810
- OpenAlex
- W2322885420
- Cited by
- 40
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 6.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Cancer Institute (R01CA09658)
- National Science Foundation
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
- Keywords
- cigarette craving, smoking topography, smoking intensity, terror management theory, death awareness, health communication, light smokers, moderated effects, smoking behavior
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Smoking, Reminder Systems, Young Adult, Health Communication
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