Scientific article
English

Does the campaign against tobacco use necessarily reduce the attractions of smoking for young people ? Identity issues surrounding initiation into tobacco consumption

Published inRevue européenne de psychologie appliquée, vol. 57, no. 4, p. 257-265
Publication date2007
Abstract

The present study examines the attitude of Swiss adolescents towards tobacco consumption as a function of its implications for identity and their perception of the antismoking social norm. A total of 228 girls and 213 boys, aged 11–15 years, answered a questionnaire assessing personal attitude towards tobacco consumption (the main dependent variable), the salience of the antismoking norm (perceived attitudes of family, teachers, politicians and society in general), and their identification with smokers, as well as their self-image and their perception of the image (positive and negative) of smokers. The results show that a prosmoking attitude is associated with a stronger identification with smokers, a more positive (and less negative) image of smokers, a more negative self-image, and weaker salience of the antismoking norm. A pro-smoking attitude is also associated with a self-image that is closer to the image of the smoker, independently of the latter's valence. Finally, a prosmoking attitude is associated with a negative self-image specifically among those who identify more strongly with smokers but who also perceived a strong antismoking norm. This last result suggests that a strong antismoking norm can help to make smoking an attractive behaviour for young people, in particular those with a negative self-image.

Keywords
  • Prosmoking attitude
  • Smoker identification
  • Self-image
  • Antismoking norm
Citation (ISO format)
FALOMIR PICHASTOR, Juan Manuel et al. Does the campaign against tobacco use necessarily reduce the attractions of smoking for young people ? Identity issues surrounding initiation into tobacco consumption. In: Revue européenne de psychologie appliquée, 2007, vol. 57, n° 4, p. 257–265. doi: 10.1016/j.erap.2006.12.002
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Journal ISSN1162-9088
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