The case for investigating social context in laboratory studies of smoking

Abstract

Background With increasing frequency, addiction is conceived of as a brain disease, and such accounts seem especially pertinent with regard to the rapid delivery of nicotine to the brain via cigarette smoke. Moreover, drug administration trials (cigarette puffs) suggest that the behavior of smoking becomes automatized, with individuals developing prototypic approaches to smoking a cigarette. Compared with presumably more social activities such as drinking alcohol, there may be little opportunity for social processes to influence smoking behavior. Yet survey research examining smoking motivation often reveals a broadly defined “social” factor and field research suggests that social context does influence smoking. Argument We posit that laboratory smoking research has largely ignored social contextual factors that may help to understand better the precise mechanisms underlying smoking behavior and smoking motivation. Method We reviewed laboratory studies examining the effect of social context (operationalized as modeling) on smoking behavior. Studies were identified by searching PsychInfo and Medline using the following keywords: smoking, nicotine, tobacco, cigarette, consumption, topography, puff, smoking behavior, cigarettes smoked, modeling, imitation, social context, social influence, peer pressure. The reference and citation lists of these studies were then searched to identify additional studies. Conclusions Few laboratory smoking studies target social context. Those few studies indicate that smoking behavior can be influenced by the presence of others. There is also some evidence that social context influences the effects of smoking as well as processes related to self-perception and self-regulation that reinforce smoking and hamper smoking cessation efforts.

Why social contexts matter

“…John Dimoff & Michael Sayette argue that laboratory‐based smoking research should ‘systematically and comprehensively’ examine social context . They support their argument in two ways.…”

Experimental study designs examining social context and smoking: scientific challenges and considerations

“…Dimoff & Sayette point out the need for theory‐driven experiments to identify the mechanisms of social context and smoking. Four additional considerations regarding research on risk behaviour such as smoking are discussed below.…”

“…Thirdly, few moderators have been considered in these experiments on smoking (participant's/confederate's level of smoking, sex, arousal‐affiliation, social pressure, nature of interaction) and mediators or moderators need more consideration. Although Dimoff & Sayette provide useful suggestions, an interdisciplinary, theoretical model that integrates the role of genotypes, personality and neurocognitive factors and these social processes (influence, de‐selection, selection), including person–environment interplay, seems to be lacking. The characteristics of the individual and others, and the environmental and cultural setting, should be included in the model.…”

From consensus to action: time to incorporate social context into laboratory studies of smoking

“…In our paper we observed that smoking is almost always studied in the laboratory as if it occurs in an interpersonal vacuum. We concluded that understanding of smoking will remain incomplete if investigators continue to rely entirely upon laboratory research conducted while individuals participate in isolation . It was both striking and heartening to us to find unanimity among the commentators in their support of our position .…”