| Abstract: | The present paper examines the relationship between personality and smoking status in a random sample of 1257 adults. A broad sample of personality constructs were assessed to cover the major dimensions of personality. These included the EPQ, MMPI MacAndrew and Ego Strength scales, the Vando augmenter-reducer scale, the trait subscale of the STAI and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Factor analysis suggested that trait anxiety, neuroticism, self-esteem and ego strength could be grouped into a construct analogous to Esysenck's notion of neuroticism. Extraversion, augmenting-reducing, and the MacAndrew scale were grouped into a construct called extraversion. Results showed that smokers were the most extraverted group. Gender differences in the relation between smoking and neuroticism were found. Male smokers were much more neurotic than non-smokers and men who quit smoking, whereas there were no group differences in neuroticism for women. Both male and female smokers were high on psychoticism. |
