| Abstract: | A smoking questionnaire containing 26 items covering a range of stressful and nonstressful situations was administered to a sample of 60 light and medium cigarette smokers. Principal component analysis revealed two main factors relating to high and low emotional and attentional stress. Sex and personality differences were found in extent of desire on these factors. Introverts tended to have high desire in selective attentional situations and females had higher desire in situations of emotional stress. Differences in inhalation patterns and length of habit were also related to sex and extraversion.It is proposed that differences in smoking behaviour and the apparent paradoxical effects of smoking may reflect the use of smoking as a rewarding distraction from, rather than contribution to, current stressful activity. Predictions concerning the nature of a smoker's habit may thus be aided by considering individual differences in attentional as well as emotional styles. |
