Smoking behaviour: Main motives and the effect of personality

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to investigate the relation between personality and the maintenance motivation for smoking. The dimensions of personality were extravers ion-introversion as used by Eysenck and motivation for smoking included both stimulation and relaxation as the immediate experiences of smokers. It was expected that for extraverts reinforcement for the maintenance of smoking behaviour was more likely to be stimulation», whereas for introverts it was relaxation. The more addicted the person was the more likely he would smoke in both high and low arousal situations. Men would have a higher desire for a cigarette in the low-arousal situations, whereas women would have a higher desire in the high-arousal situations. It was also expected that more cigarette smoking would occur for stimulation purposes (i.e. under low-arousal situations). 75 students and 75 working people participated in the study. 90 were males and 60 were females. Personality was assessed by using the EPQ. addiction was assessed by using the SHQ and stimulation and relaxation smoking scores were obtained by using the SSQ. Results indicate that people smoke for relaxation purposes as much as for stimulation purposes. Both extraverts and introverts smoke for stimulation purposes, however for introverts reinforcement for the maintenance of smoking behaviour is more likely to be relaxation. The more addicted the person the more likely he will smoke both for stimulation and relaxation purposes. Also no significant difference exists between sexes in terms of the reinforcement for the maintenance of smoking behaviour.