Project Quit: Positive vs. Negative Offers of an Online Stop Smoking Program

This project is designed to test the effects of affirmation and positive/negative imagery on individuals' thoughts about quitting smoking and willingness to join a stop smoking program. Previous studies have noted that viewing negative images elicits a stronger emotional response, and many stop-smoking campaigns have used such images to push people to quit smoking. However, research also shows that people are generally resistant to health messages. Using affirmation can help to lessen that resistance.

In this study, we use a 2x3 design to study the individual effects of negative imagery and affirmation on smokers' intentions to quit smoking, acceptance of an offer to join a quit smoking program, and program participation and outcomes. We hope to find out whether there is an additive effect of the negative imagery and affirmation on the outcomes listed above. Our specific aims are:

Aim 1: Determine if affirmation increases the uptake of an offer of joining a stop smoking program.

Aim 2: Determine if image type (positive vs. neutral vs. negative) increases the uptake of the stop smoking program offer.

Aim 3: Determine whether there is an interaction between image type and affirmation in people's willingness to join a stop smoking program.