Smoking habits of smoking researchers: missionaries or hypocrites?

Summa~y.-A survey of the smoking behavior of researchers who produce literature related to smoking was conducted. This group's current rate of cigarette consumption did not differ from the national rate or that of a comparison group of researchers, but differences were found in the current rate of cigar and pipe smoking and in the speed with which producers of smoking research are ceasing the habit. Per capita consumption of cigarettes in the United States continues to increase, despite conclusive evidence thzt smoking adversely affects one's health (5). Reviews of the extensive literature on the experimental modification of smoking have indicated that, while such efforts often result in the rapid extinction of smoking in most Ss, they have generally not been successful in bringing about long-term changes in cigarette consumption (1, 3, 4). Although extensive efforts have been made to modify the smoking behavior of motivated Ss, it is interesting to note that the smoking behavior of the modifiers themselves has gone unexamined. Therefore, a survey was conducted to assess the smoking habits of those researchers who have published the experimental studies on cigarette smoking and particularly those who have published studies on its modification. The survey seems particululy timely in view of the current emphasis on ceasing the smoking habit. These efforts have relied largely on the presumption that an increase in the public's knowledge of the ill-effects of smoking will result in a corresponding decrease in smoking rates. The group represented in the current survey is presumably among the most sophisticated regarding knowledge of the illeffects of smoking and knowledge of successful strategies for modifying the behavior. If mere knowledge were to have an appreciable effect on the smoking habits of the general public, then one might expect this effect to occur initially in this well-informed group. A detailed postcard survey and cover letter were mailed to 103 producers of literature on smoking (Sample A) and to 94 producers of psychological research on topics unrelated to smoking (Sample B). Sample A was comprised of all authors (when addresses were available) of studies on smoking indexed in Psy~hological Abstracts, Volumes 39 to 47. The majority of such studies were on the experimental modification of smoking behavior, while the remaining were theozetical or review articles related to smoking. In Sample B were authors of studies on topics unrelated to cigarette smoking appearing in Behavior Research and Therapy, Volume 10, ]ournu1 of Abnormal Psychology, Volume 80, and Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Volume 39, No. 2. The prestamped, anonymous postcard contained six questions regarding current smoking behavior and four questions regarding changes in smoking behavior during the past 10 yr. Return rates were 79 and 78% for Samples A and B, resptively. Five questionnaires from Sample A and two from Sample B were returned marked "undeliverable" by the post office. Of Sample A, 3496, and 48% of Sample B reported that they mrrendy smoke at least one cigarette per day, a nonsignificant group difference (X" 2.84, p < .lo), and neither sample differed significantly from the national incidence of 36% (U. S. Public Health