Sex differences in the beliefs of nonsmokers about why cigarette smokers smoke.

Abstract

Nonsmokers are becoming more actively used in smoking cessation treatments in social support roles. This study sought to determine if nonsmokers understand the reasons smokers of their own sex and of the opposite sex give for smoking cigarettes. Nonsmokers ( N = 175) were randomly assigned to complete a Reasons for Smoking Scale as they thought a typical smoker of either their own or the opposite sex would complete it [1]. Those results were then matched against a criterion group of smokers ( N = 81) from the same college population who had completed the Reasons scale. Results indicated that male nonsmokers were generally accurate in their perceptions of each sex, underestimating only the importance smoking men attach for relaxation as a reason, and overestimating how much women report smoking out of sheer habit. Nonsmoking women, on the other hand, inaccurately perceived each of the six Reasons factors cited by women who smoke, and were similarly inaccurate on two factors cited by men. These results indicate that education aimed specifically at nonsmoking women may be necessary to make them most effective in helping peers quit smoking.