| Abstract: | A behavior-analytic account of the smoking acquisition process is presented and contrasted with other formulations. Assessment implications of the approach are described and briefly illustrated. Data from studies on the onset of experimental smoking and the transition to regular smoking are presented and evaluated with respect to the proposed framework. These data are quite consistent with the behavior-analytic account but do not disconfirm alternative accounts. The implications of the data for both prevention programs and future research are discussed. |
