Can cigarette smoking make a man appear sexier and stronger to women

Abstract

This paper focuses on naďve theories, illusions, and misconceptions regarding the outcome of men’s cigarette smoking on female impressions. Beliefs about those outcomes were examined in a correlational study and their content was compared with the results of previous experimental verifi cation. Male and female participants (N = 396) responded to an advertisement placed on an online general-interest forum and completed a questionnaire concerning their beliefs about the impact of cigarette smoking in men on their self-presentation to women. This included impressions of attractiveness, intelligence, strength, sexiness, and other male qualities. Results show that people believe that smoking decreases a man’s perceived aptitude for being a woman’s long-term partner. The belief that smoking enhances a man’s attractiveness to a woman as a short-term partner was limited to female smokers. Non-smokers believed that smoking in men signals poor impulse-control. Gender, age, smoking status (smoker vs non-smoker), and number of cigarettes smoked daily appeared to play an important role in predicting expressed beliefs. Young female smokers were indicated as the subgroup bearing the most optimistic illusions.