Adolescents' self-perceptions (real and ideal), perceptions of their ideal date, and perceptions of stereotypic male and female smokers and nonsmokers were assessed. These perceptions were related to subjects' smoking status and to their intentions to smoke. Subjects who smoked differed from nonsmokers in having real self-concepts and ideal dates that more closely matched the stereotypic smoker. Most important, nonsmoking subjects who had self-concepts, ideal dates, and certain aspects of ideal selves that were close to the smoker stereotype were most likely to intend to smoke.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Comer, R. , & Laird, J. D.Choosing to suffer as a consequence of expecting to suffer: Why do people do it?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1975, 32, 92-101.
2.
Darley, J. M. , & Fazio, R. H.The origin of self-fulfilling prophecies in the social interaction sequence. American Psychologist, 1980, 35, 867-881.
3.
Evans, R. I. , Rozelle, R. M., Mittelmark, M. B., Hansen, W.B., Bane, A. L., & Havis, J.Deterring the onset of smoking in children: Knowledge of immediate physiological effects and coping with peer pressure, media pressure, and parent modeling. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1978, 8, 126-135.
4.
Kaplan, H. B.Deviant behavior in defense of self. New York: Academic Press, 1980.
5.
McKennell, A. C. , & Bynner, J. M.Self images and smoking behavior among school boys. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 1969, 39, 27-39.
6.
National Cancer Institute . Cigarette smoking among teenagers and young women. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare; Public Health Service, DHEW Publication No. (NIH) 77-1203, 1975.
7.
Polivy, J. , Hackett, R., & Bycio, P.The effect of perceived smoking status on attractiveness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 1979, 5, 401-404.
8.
Sherman, S. J. , Chassin, L., Presson, C. C., & Olshavsky, R. W.Social psychological factors in adolescent cigarette smoking. Proceedings of the Division 23 program, 87th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, 1979, 8-10.
9.
U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare . Smoking and health: A report of the Surgeon General. Public Health Service, Office on Smoking and Health, DHEW Publication No. (PHS) 79-50066. Washington, DC1979.
