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September 11, 2008
Study suggests smokers may underestimate their cravings
HealthDay (9/9, McKeever) reported that "when smokers are not craving, they fail to appreciate just how powerful their cravings will be," which "may lead them to make decisions -- such as choosing to attend a party where there will be lots of smoking -- that they may come to regret," according to a study published in the September issue of Psychological Science.
U.S. researchers examined "the 'cold-to-hot empathy gap' -- that is, the tendency for people in a 'cold' state (one not influenced by visceral factors such as hunger or fatigue) to improperly predict their own behavior when in a 'hot' state (hungry, fatigued)." The investigators recruited 98 smokers, and put them through "two experimental sessions."
In the first session, participants determined "how much money they would need to delay smoking for five minutes in the second session, a time when all participants would be in a 'hot' state." During the second session, the authors found that "the 'cold' smokers from the first session asked for significantly more money to delay smoking for just five minutes, while those originally in a 'hot' state did not request an increase."
Related Links:
- "Study Probes Why Smokers Find It Hard to Quit," Kevin McKeever, HealthDay News, September 9, 2008.
- Association for Psychological Science
Posted by admin at September 11, 2008 11:00 AM