A comparison of the psychological characteristics of smokers, ex-smokers, and nonsmokers

Abstract

The present investigation was designed to ascertain differences among smokers (n = 51), ex-smokers (n = 46), and nonsmokers (n = 138) in selfcontrol and needs for affiliation, order, and endurance. Ex-smokers were found to have significantly greater self-control, as well as considerably higher needs for order and endurance, than smokers or nonsmokers, and a markedly greater need for affiliation than smokers. Furthermore, nonsmokers exhibited significantly more self-control than smokers. It was concluded that exsmokers, rather than being intermediate between smokers and nonsmokers, comprised a distinct group on the scales examined.

Reexamining the Relationship Between Shift Work and Health Behavior: Do Fluid Intelligence, Socio-economic Status, and Self-control Moderate the Relation?

“…gence, socio-economic status, and self-control, the effects found in the present work were of a small (e.g., associations between self-control and smoking) to medium (e.g., association between self-control and preventive health care) magnitude. This is partly in line with previous work that has continuously reported small to medium associations between, for instance, self-control and health-related outcomes such as smoking or (excessive) alcohol consumption (Daly et al, 2016;Geist & McNew Herrmann, 1990). However, evidence is mixed because some studies have reported large to very large associations.…”

Measuring Impulsivity and Modeling Its Association With Cigarette Smoking

“…For example, Williams (1973) used questionnaires to demonstrate that ninth grade students who smoked regularly reported higher impulsivity and risk-taking tendencies than nonsmoking ninth graders. Geist and Herrmann (1990) and Jenks (1992) compared adult smokers and nonsmokers and found similar differences (see also Breslau, Kilbey, & Andreski, 1993;Kassel, Shiffman, Gnys, Paty, & Zettler-Segal, 1994).…”

Impulsivity and cigarette smoking: delay discounting in current, never, and ex-smokers

“…Cigarettes smokers have been shown to demonstrate greater impulsivity than non-smokers on personality measures (e.g., Geist and Herrmann 1990;Lipkus et al 1994;Waldeck and Miller 1997); only recently has research examined whether smokers discount future events more so than non-smokers (Mitchell 1999). Discounting by cigarette smokers may be important to examine because smokers typically do not experience major disruptions in their life status (e.g., homelessness, loss of employment) as a result of their dependency, unlike those who are dependent upon heroin or alcohol (cf.…”