Looming perception in daily cigarette smokers: Impact on anxiety, motivation, and behavior

Cigarette smoking has been linked to millions of American deaths and a host of life-threatening diseases, yet the majority of current smokers demonstrate a lack of motivation to quit. One established factor that influences this motivation is smokers' perception of vulnerability towards smoking-related illness, a form of threat appraisal. The present study attempted to increase smokers' perceived vulnerability through guided imagery sequences. Seventy two daily smokers underwent imagery exercises in a Control Condition or Looming Condition that portrayed smoking-related health consequences as rising in risk. Between group differences revealed that those in the Looming Condition experienced a greater increase in anxiety during the exercises as well as non-significant trends that suggested increases in motivation to quit, self-efficacy, and perceived probability that they would experience smoking-related illness. At a one-month follow-up there were also non-significant trends suggesting a reduction in smoking, more treatment seeking, and quit attempts in the predicted direction.