Un-cooling Smoking Using Social Identity Theory

Institution:	University of Southern California
Investigator(s):	Meghan Moran, M.A.
Award Cycle:	2009 (Cycle 18)	Grant #: 18FT-0175	Award: $90,000
Subject Area:	Tobacco-Use Prevention and Cessation
Award Type:	Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards

Abstracts

Initial Award Abstract

Research has found that the extent to which adolescents affiliate with certain peer crowds has a marked effect on those adolescents’ smoking behavior. This project uses Social Identity Theory (Tajfel, 1978; Tajfel and Turner, 1979)as a lens through which to understand this effect. According to Social Identity Theory, individuals identify as members of social groups and categories and are likely to exhibit prototypical behaviors depending on the strength and salience of that identification. Preliminary research related to this project found, for instance, that adolescents who strongly identify as rebels are over four times more likely than those who do not to be current smokers, even after controlling for factors such as sensation seeking and social norms.

The current project has several hypotheses. First, it is hypothesized that adolescents who identify with social categories for which smoking is prototypical (such as rebel) will be more likely to smoke, while adolescents who identify with social categories for which not smoking is prototypical will be less likely to smoke. It is also hypothesized that social identity will moderate the effects of sensation seeking, social norms and attitudes towards smoking. Finally, this project hypothesizes that social identity will moderate the effects of anti-smoking ads, such that anti-smoking ads targeting and appealing to specific social categories will be more effective in changing smoking-related beliefs, attitudes and behavioral intentions among those who strongly identify with the targeted social category. This project uses survey and experimental research to test these hypotheses.

Ultimately, this research will offer an understanding of the mechanisms through which social identity predicts adolescent smoking behavior and of the extent to which social identity is a useful construct in the development of anti-smoking campaigns, as well as practical recommendations for health practitioners and campaign developers on how social identity can be used to design anti-tobacco interventions and campaigns.

Publications

Comments on adolescent peer crowd affilation: A response to cross and Fletcher
Periodical: Journal of Youth and Adolescence			Index Medicus:
Authors: Pokhrel P, Brown BB, Moran MB, Sussman S				ART
Yr: 2010	Vol: 38	Nbr: 2	Abs:	Pg: 213-216

Peer group self-identification in samples of Russian and US adolescents
Periodical: Journal of Drug Education			Index Medicus:
Authors: Sussman S, Sun P, Gunning M, Moran MB, Pokhrel P, Rohrback LA, Kniazer V, Masugutov R				ART
Yr:	Vol:	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg:

Comments on adolescent peer crowd affilation: A response to cross and Fletcher
Periodical: Journal of Youth and Adolescence			Index Medicus:
Authors: Pokhrel P, Brown BB, Moran MB, Sussman S				ART
Yr: 2010	Vol: 38	Nbr: 2	Abs:	Pg: 213-216

Peer group self-identification in samples of Russian and US adolescents
Periodical: Journal of Drug Education			Index Medicus:
Authors: Sussman S, Sun P, Gunning M, Moran MB, Pokhrel P, Rohrback LA, Kniazer V, Masugutov R				ART
Yr:	Vol:	Nbr:	Abs:	Pg: