Linguistic Analysis of College Aged Smokers and Never Smokers

Abstract

College-aged adults represent the largest age group reporting current use of cigarettes. One factor that may account for these elevated smoking rates is tobacco advertisements targeting this population. Given the detrimental influence of smoking advertisements, it is essential to focus on counter measures. A unique and promising approach that may prove useful in preventing individuals from engaging in smoking behavior is to examine the manner in which individuals view smoking as well as how they view themselves. This study presents preliminary data on the use of Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count analysis to examine differences in language use among 48 college-aged smokers and never smokers when writing about the way they view themselves with regard to the dangers of smoking. Results revealed significant differences across a number of linguistic domains, indicating that the use of language may have implications for public health messages designed to prevent the onset of smoking, as well as those messages that target smoking cessation.