Abstract
Smokers and nonsmokers were compared on three aspects of academic achievement. Although exactly the same percentage of smokers and nonsmokers passed the first-year university examination, smokers obtained significantly higher marks. Similarly, smokers achieved significantly higher marks in their final year examinations in comparison with nonsmokers. Finally, a comparison of the tutorial essay marks of the smokers and nonsmokers again showed that smokers obtained significantly higher marks than nonsmokers. These data are consistent with the idea that ambitious students adopt smoking in the belief that it will help them study and sustain concentration.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Borland, B.L., & Rudolph, J.P. (1975). Relative effects of low socio-economic status, parental smoking and poor scholastic performance on smoking among high school students.Social Science and Medicine, 9, 27–30.
Bryson, R., & Dicken. (unpublished). Smoking behaviour of scientists.
Ellinwood, E.H. (1974). The epidemiology of stimulant abuse. In E. Josephson & E.E. Carroll (Eds.),Drug use. New York: Halsted Press (Wiley), pp. 303–332.
Finn, J.D. (1974).A general model for multivariate analysis. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Hull, C.H., & Nie, N.H. (1981).SPSS update 7-9: New procedures and facilities for releases 7–9. New York: McGraw Hill.
Knopf, A. (1975). The medical school and smoking.British Journal of Medical Education, 9, 17–21.
Knopf, S., & Wakefield, J. (1974). Effect of medical education on smoking behaviour.British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine, 28, 246–251.
Koponen, A. (1960). Personality Characteristics of Purchasers.Journal of Advertising Research, 1, 6–12.
Matarazzo, J.D., & Saslow, G. (1960). Psychological and related characteristics of smokers and non-smokers.Psychological Bulletin, 57, 493–513.
Milman, D.H., & Anker, J.L. (1972). Patterns of drug use among university students: Multiple drug use. In W. Keep (Ed.),Drug abuse. Springfield, Ill: C.C. Thomas, pp. 190–201.
Mizner, G.L., Barter, J.T., & Werme, P.H. (1970). Patterns of drug use among college students: A preliminary report.American Journal of Psychiatry, 127, 15–24.
Rensberger, B. (1972). Amphetamines used by a physician to lift moods of famous patients.New York Times, Dec. 4.
Smith, S.N., & Blachly, P.H. (1966). Amphetamine usage by medical students.Journal of Medical Education, 41, 167–170.
Warburton, D.M., Wesnes, K., & Revell (1983). Personality factors in self-medication by smoking. In W. Janke (Ed.),Response variability to psychotropic drugs. Oxford: Pergamon Press, pp. 167–184.
Wesnes, K., & Warburton, D.M. (1978). The effects of cigarette smoking and nicotine tablets on human attention. In R.E. Thornton (Ed.),Smoking behaviour. London: Churchill-Livingston, pp. 131–147.
Wesnes, K., & Warburton, D.M. (1983a). Effects of smoking on rapid visual information processing performance.Neuropsychobiology, 9, 223–229.
Wesnes, K., & Warburton, D.M. (1983b). Smoking, nicotine and human performance.Pharmacology and Therapeutics 21, 189–208.
Wesnes, K., & Warburton, D.M. (1984). The effects of cigarettes of varying delivery on rapid information processing performance.Psychopharmacology, in press.
Wilkinson, L. (1975). Response variable hypotheses in the multivariate analysis of variance.Psychological Bulletin, 82, 408–412.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Warburton, D.M., Wesnes, K. & Revell, A. Smoking and academic performance. Current Psychology 3, 25–31 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02686521
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02686521