Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Implicit theories of smoking and association with interest in quitting among current smokers

  • Published:
Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Many cigarette smokers make multiple attempts to quit before they are successful. Implicit theories of smoking (ITS)–beliefs about whether smoking behavior is something that is changeable (incremental belief) or fixed (entity belief)–may play a role in quitting. Four iterations of the cross-sectional, nationally-representative Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) were used in logistic regression analyses to examine how smokers’ ITS relates to (1) attempts to quit in the past 12 months; (2) considering quitting in the next 6 months; and (3) the interaction between ITS and past quit attempts on considering quitting. Greater incremental beliefs were not significantly associated with having tried to quit in the past year (β = .27, p = .055); however, greater incremental beliefs were associated with greater likelihood of considering quitting in the next 6 months (β = .22, p = .04). Past quit attempts did not moderate the association between ITS and considering quitting (β = .59, p = .10). Results suggest that incremental beliefs are associated with increased intentions to quit.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arciszewski, T., Berjot, S., & Finez, L. (2012). Threat of the thin-ideal body image and body malleability beliefs: Effects on body image self-discrepanciesand behavioral intentions. Body Image, 9(3), 334–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Auster-Gussman, L. A., & Rothman, A. J. (2018). Understanding the prevalence and correlates of implicit theories of weight in the United States: Insights from a nationally representative sample. Psychology & Health,33, 483–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (2004). Health promotion by social cognitive means. Health education & behavior,31, 143–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergkvist, L., & Rossiter, J. R. (2007). The predictive validity of multiple-item versus single-item measures of the same constructs. Journal of Marketing Research,44, 175–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biddle, S. J. H., Wang, C. J. K., Chatzisarantis, N. L. D., et al. (2003). Motivation for physical activity in young people: Entity and incremental beliefs about athletic ability. Journal of Sports Sciences,21, 973–989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blackwell, L. S., Trzesniewski, K. H., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Child Development, 78(1), 246–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borland, R., Yong, H. H., Balmford, J., Cooper, J., Cummings, K. M., O’connor, R. J., et al. (2010). Motivational factors predict quit attempts but not maintenance of smoking cessation: Findings from the International Tobacco Control Four country project. Nicotine & Tobacco Research,12, 4–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bunda, K., & Busseri, M. A. (2017). Lay theories of health, self-rated health, and health behavior intentions. Journal of Health Psychology, Online first, https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105316689143

  • Burnette, J. L. (2010). Implicit theories of body weight: Entity beliefs can weigh you down. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,36, 410–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burnette, J. L., & Finkel, E. J. (2012). Buffering against weight gain following dieting setbacks: An implicit theory intervention. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology,48, 721–725.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burnette, J. L., Hoyt, C. L., & Orvidas, K. (2017). Mindsets of body weight. In C. M. Zedelius, B. C. N. Müller, & J. W. Schooler (Eds.), The science of lay theories (pp. 319–338). Berlin: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Chaiton, M., Diemert, L., Cohen, J. E., Bondy, S. J., Selby, P., Philipneri, A., et al. (2016). Estimating the number of quit attempts it takes to quit smoking successfully in a longitudinal cohort of smokers. British Medical Journal Open,6, e011045.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dweck, C. S. (2012). Mindsets and human nature: Promoting change in the Middle East, the schoolyard, the racial divide, and willpower. American Psychologist,67, 614–622.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dweck, C. S., Chiu, C., & Hong, Y. (1995). Implicit theories and their role in judgments and reactions: A world from two perspectives. Psychological Inquiry,6, 267–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrer, R. A., Klein, W. M., Avishai, A., Jones, K., Villegas, M., & Sheeran, P. (2018). When does risk perception predict protection motivation for health threats? A person-by-situation analysis. PloS one,13, e0191994.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrer, R. A., Portnoy, D. B., & Klein, W. M. (2013). Worry and risk perceptions as independent and interacting predictors of health protective behaviors. Journal of Health Communication,18, 397–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finney-Rutten, L. J. F., Davis, T., Beckjord, E. B., et al. (2012). Picking up the pace: Changes in method and frame for the Health Information National Trends Survey (2011–2014). Journal of Health Communication,17, 979–989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitz, C. C., Kaufman, A., & Moore, P. J. (2015). Lay theories of smoking and young adult nonsmokers’ and smokers’ smoking expectations. Journal of Health Psychology,20, 438–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gwaltney, C. J., Metrik, J., Kahler, C. W., & Shiffman, S. (2009). Self-efficacy and smoking cessation: a meta-analysis. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors,23, 56–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Job, V., Dweck, C. S., & Walton, G. M. (2010). Ego depletion—Is it all in your head? Implicit the- ories about willpower affect self-regulation. Psychological Science,21, 1686–1693.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Job, V., Walton, G. M., Bernecker, K., et al. (2015). Implicit theories about willpower predict self-regulation and grades in everyday life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,108, 637–647.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasimatis, M., Miller, M., & Marcussen, L. (1996). The effects of implicit theories on exercise motivation. Journal of Research in Personality,30, 510–516.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, T. K., Marcus, B. H., Pinto, B. M., Emmons, K. M., & Abrams, D. B. (1996). Cognitive–behavioral mediators of changing multiple behaviors: smoking and a sedentary lifestyle. Preventive Medicine,25, 684–691.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lavinghouze, S. R., Malarcher, A., Jama, A., Neff, L., Debrot, K., & Whalen, L. (2015). Trends in quit attempts among adult cigarette smokers—United States, 2001–2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 64(40), 1129–1135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luttrell, A., Petty, R. E., & Xu, M. (2017). Replicating and fixing failed replications: The case of need for cognition and argument quality. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology,69, 178–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, C., Kaufman, A. R., & Rima, B. (2015). Implicit theories of the body among college women: Implications for physical activity. Journal of Health Psychology,20, 1142–1153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCoy, S. B., Gibbons, F. X., Reis, T. J., Gerrard, M., Luus, C. E., & Sufka, A. V. W. (1992). Perceptions of smoking risk as a function of smoking status. Journal of Behavioral Medicine,15, 469–488.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, D., Kreps, G., Hesse, B., et al. (2004). The Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS): Development, design, and dissemination. Journal of Health Communication,9, 443–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero, C., Master, A., Paunesku, D., et al. (2014). Academic and emotional functioning in middle school: The role of implicit theories. Emotion,14, 227–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strecher, V. J., Seijts, G. H., Kok, G. J., Latham, G. P., Glasgow, R., DeVellis, B., et al. (1995). Goal setting as a strategy for health behavior change. Health Education Quarterly,22, 190–200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taber, J. M., Klein, W. M. P., Persky, S., Ferrer, R. A., Kaufman, A. R., Thai, C. L., et al. (2017). Interest in and reactions to genetic risk information: The role of implicit theories and self-affirmation. Social Science and Medicine,190, 101–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thai, C. L., Coa, K. I., & Kaufman, A. R. (2018). Implicit theories of smoking and association with current smoking status. Journal of Health Psychology,23, 1234–1239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vangeli, E., Stapleton, J., Smit, E. S., Borland, R., & West, R. (2011). Predictors of attempts to stop smoking and their success in adult general population samples: a systematic review. Addiction,106, 2110–2121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vietor, N. A. (2001). Understanding Smoking Relapse from an Implicit Theories Framework. Houston, TX: University of Houston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, T. W., Asman, K., Gentzke, A. S., Cullen, K. A., Holder-Hayes, E., Reyes-Guzman, C., et al. (2018). Tobacco product use among adults – United States, 2017. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report,67944, 1225–1232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westat. (2013). Health Information National Trends Survey 4 (HINTS 4): Cycle 2. Rockville, MD: Westat.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeager, D. S., Johnson, R., Spitzer, B. J., et al. (2014). The far-reaching effects of believing people can change: Implicit theories of personality shape stress, health, and achievement during adolescence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,106, 867–884.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, X., Nonnemaker, J., Sherrill, B., Gilsenan, A. W., Coste, F., & West, R. (2009). Attempts to quit smoking and relapse: factors associated with success or failure from the ATTEMPT cohort study. Addictive Behaviors,34, 365–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA, 95053, USA

    Chan L. Thai

  2. Health Behaviors Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA

    Elise L. Rice

  3. Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 309 Kent Hall, Kent, OH, USA

    Jennifer M. Taber

  4. Tobacco Control Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA

    Annette R. Kaufman

  5. Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA

    William M. P. Klein

Authors
  1. Chan L. Thai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elise L. Rice
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jennifer M. Taber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Annette R. Kaufman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. William M. P. Klein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chan L. Thai.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Chan L. Thai, Elise L. Rice, Jennifer M. Taber, Annette R. Kaufman, and William M. P. Klein declare they have no conflicts of interest.

Human and animal rights and Informed consent

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Disclaimer The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the US government. The findings and conclusion in this report are those of the authors and may not necessarily represent NIH positions or policies.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Thai, C.L., Rice, E.L., Taber, J.M. et al. Implicit theories of smoking and association with interest in quitting among current smokers. J Behav Med 43, 544–552 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00058-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00058-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation