Regulatory focus theory, anxiety, and smoking: The regulatory focus orientation of the anxious smoker
Abstract (summary)
Regulatory focus theory proposes that behavior is regulated by one of two regulatory focus orientations. Prevention orientation is the regulatory focus orientation associated with security, approaching safe end-states, and avoiding negative results. Promotion orientation is the regulatory focus orientation associated with nurturance, approaching positive end-states, and avoiding non-gain results. Studies suggest that people who experience anxiety are likely to have a prevention orientation; chronic smokers are likely to have a promotion orientation. Chronic smokers may smoke to reduce anxiety which is consistent with a promotion orientation. Individuals with anxiety may experience an increase in anxiety as a nicotine withdrawal symptom and this is consistent with a prevention orientation. The primary regulatory focus of the intersection of these two groups was unknown. An examination of the regulatory focus orientation of anxious smokers provides information that is missing from the current literature regarding the possible regulatory focus of anxious smokers. This examination suggests that the behavior of smoking and the promotion regulatory focus is more consistent with the population of anxious smokers than the prevention regulatory focus which is consistent with the symptom of anxiety.
Indexing (details)
Psychology
0621: Psychology