Smoking Behavior, Information Sources, and Consumption Values of Teenagers: Implications for Public Policy and Other Intervention Failures

Abstract

This paper uses a hierarchical decision process model, uses of information, and a theory of consumption values as a strategic framework for evaluating the general failure of intervention strategies for teenage smoking initiation. Extremely high smoking consideration-to-trial rates and rapid cessation by occasional smokers provide narrow but unused strategic opportunities for intervention. Use of information sources varies by stage of model with interpersonal sources dominating consideration, trial, and cessation stages and mass media showing only a slightly increasing use in cessation compared to the earlier stages. The decision process model and consumption values are necessary for planning strategic interventions. Existing intervention programs are not appropriately targeted in the decision process. Programs should be developed to reduce the smoking consideration to trial rates in younger children and to encourage rapid cessation in older teenagers. The use of either print or broadcast mass media intervention programs is not supported.Continuing high levels of teenage tobacco use in the United States and elsewhere cast doubts on the success of public policy interventions and the efficacy of widely held teenage smoking beliefs. While levels of teenage smoking have recently shown a slight decrease, high-school smoking rates are more than one-fourth higher than in 1991, and the percentage of frequent high-school smokers has risen approximately 32% during the same time period (Brooks 2000). Surprisingly, little appears to have changed since 1988, when one group of researchers observed:In spite of the attention, smoking behavior among adolescents has not decreased appreciably over the past five years, and the most intensive intervention efforts have been judged to be only of modest success (Cleary et al. 1988, p. 137).

Cultural value, consumption value, and global brand image: A cross‐national study

“…In identifying consumer behavior related to consumption values, many studies (Albaum et al, 2002;Chen, Shang, & Lin, 2008;Finch, Trombley, & Rabas, 1998;Long & Shiffman, 2000;Pope, 1998) have used Sheth, Newman, and Gross' (1991) theory of consumption values, composed of functional value, social value, emotional value, epistemic value, and conditional value. The theory defined each value as follows: Functional value is "the utility that is perceived to possess on criteria salient to its physical or functional purposes" (p. 32); social value is "derived from its association with one or more distinctive social groups" (p. 38); emotional value is "derived from feelings or affective states" (p. 50); epistemic value is "derived from its capacity to provide novelty, arouse curiosity, and/or satisfy knowledge-seeking aspirations" (p. 62); and conditional value is "derived from its capacity to provide temporary functional or social value in the context of a specific and transient set of circumstances or contingencies" (p. 69).…”

Population, health and risk factors in a transitional economy

“…The information about the benefits of quitting smoking may be targeted primarily at the young segments. Given the influence of the peer pressure from siblings and friends on smoking behaviour (Albaum, Baker, Hozier, & Rogers, 2002), the importance of interpersonal communication in targeting the youth should not be neglected. Young people tend to underestimate the harmful effects of smoking at least in the short run (Slovic, 2001).…”

Why Do Consumers Buy Fair Trade Products? An Evolutionary Perspective Using the Theory of Consumption Values

“…The theory was originally presented in 1991, and since then it has been used to explain consumer choice in fields as diverse as higher education (Lai, To, Lung, & Lai, 2012), teenagers' smoking behavior (Albaum, Baker, Hozier, & Rogers, 2002), technology adoption (Hedman & Gimpel, 2010;Turel, Serenko, & Bontis, 2010) and ethical consumption (Green & Peloza, 2011). TCV has shown substantial explanatory as well as prescriptive power in more than 200 studies concerning the choice of buying versus not buying, the choice of product type, and the choice of brand type (Sheth et al, 1991a).…”