Loss Aversion and Current, Former, and Never-Smoking Status. 2023

Eric A Thrailkill, and Michael DeSarno, and Stephen T Higgins
Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, Burlington VT, USA.

BACKGROUND Loss aversion (LA) is a bias in decision-making wherein potential losses have a greater influence on choices than equivalent gains. Such a bias may protect individuals from harm. Consistent with this idea, lower LA has been measured in individuals who endorse current cigarette smoking as well as other substance use compared to controls matched on important sociodemographic variables (age, gender, and educational attainment). The goal of the present study was to systematically replicate and extend this association between LA and smoking status by comparing those meeting criteria for current-, former-, and never-smoking status. OBJECTIVE In total, 984 individuals (N = 984) that endorsed current cigarette smoking (past 30-day use; n = 361), former-smoking (no past 30-day use, >100 cigarettes lifetime; n = 317), and never-smoking (no past 30-day use, <100 cigarettes lifetime; n = 306) were recruited using standard crowdsourcing methods and completed measures of LA (50-50 gambles) and delay discounting (DD) (monetary choice questionnaire), an important decision-making bias with an established relationship to cigarette-smoking status. RESULTS Lower LA was observed in those endorsing current smoking compared to former smoking (t[952] = -9.57, Bonferroni corrected p < .0001), and never-smoking (t[952] = -3.99, Bonferroni corrected p = .0002). LA was also greater in former- compared to the never-smoking (t[952] = -5.26, Bonferroni corrected p < .0001). This pattern did not change when accounting for DD and sociodemographics. DD results replicated prior findings. CONCLUSIONS The results support LA as a decision-making bias related to the risk of cigarette smoking and other substance use. Further research is needed to understand the causal contributions of LA and DD and their potential intersections. CONCLUSIONS Low LA is a risk factor for cigarette smoking. This study reports higher LA among individuals that endorsed never-smoking and former-smoking status in comparison to those endorsing current cigarette smoking. LA may influence or be influenced by a change in smoking status.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D004522 Educational Status Educational attainment or level of education of an individual. Education Level,Educational Achievement,Educational Attainment,Educational Level,Level of Education,Maternal Education Level,Maternal Educational Attainment,Maternal Educational Level,Paternal Education Level,Paternal Educational Attainment,Paternal Educational Level,Achievement, Educational,Educational Status, Maternal,Educational Status, Paternal,Maternal Educational Status,Paternal Educational Status,Status, Educational,Attainment, Educational,Attainment, Maternal Educational,Attainment, Paternal Educational,Education Level, Maternal,Education Level, Paternal,Education Levels,Educational Achievements,Educational Attainment, Maternal,Educational Attainment, Paternal,Educational Attainments,Educational Level, Maternal,Educational Level, Paternal,Educational Levels,Level, Education,Level, Educational,Level, Maternal Education,Level, Maternal Educational,Level, Paternal Education,Level, Paternal Educational,Levels, Maternal Educational,Maternal Education Levels,Maternal Educational Attainments,Maternal Educational Levels,Paternal Education Levels,Paternal Educational Attainments,Paternal Educational Levels,Status, Maternal Educational,Status, Paternal Educational
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000073865 Cigarette Smoking The SMOKING of CIGARETTES. Smoking, Cigarette
D014026 Nicotiana A plant genus of the family SOLANACEAE. Members contain NICOTINE and other biologically active chemicals; the dried leaves of Nicotiana tabacum are used for SMOKING. Tobacco Plant,Nicotiana tabacum,Plant, Tobacco,Plants, Tobacco,Tobacco Plants
D019966 Substance-Related Disorders Disorders related to substance use or abuse. Chemical Dependence,Drug Abuse,Drug Addiction,Drug Dependence,Drug Habituation,Drug Use Disorder,Drug Use Disorders,Organic Mental Disorders, Substance-Induced,Substance Abuse,Substance Dependence,Substance Related Disorder,Substance Use,Substance Use Disorder,Substance Use Disorders,Prescription Drug Abuse,Substance Addiction,Abuse, Drug,Abuse, Prescription Drug,Abuse, Substance,Addiction, Drug,Addiction, Substance,Chemical Dependences,Dependence, Chemical,Dependence, Drug,Dependence, Substance,Dependences, Chemical,Disorder, Drug Use,Disorder, Substance Related,Disorder, Substance Use,Disorders, Substance Related,Drug Abuse, Prescription,Habituation, Drug,Organic Mental Disorders, Substance Induced,Related Disorder, Substance,Related Disorders, Substance,Substance Abuses,Substance Uses,Use, Substance
D062789 Tobacco Products Substances and products derived from NICOTIANA TABACUM. Cigarettes,Cigars,Bidis,Bidis Tobacco,Cigarillos,Kreteks,Kreteks Tobacco,Pipe Tobacco,Tobacco, Bidi,Bidi,Bidi Tobacco,Bidi Tobaccos,Bidis Tobaccos,Cigar,Cigarette,Cigarillo,Kretek,Kreteks Tobaccos,Pipe Tobaccos,Product, Tobacco,Products, Tobacco,Tobacco Product,Tobacco, Bidis,Tobacco, Kreteks,Tobacco, Pipe,Tobaccos, Bidi,Tobaccos, Bidis,Tobaccos, Kreteks,Tobaccos, Pipe
D066300 Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Devices or objects designed to provide NICOTINE in the form of an inhaled aerosol. E-Cig,E-Cigarette,Electronic Cigarette,Electronic Cigarettes,Electronic Nicotine Delivery System,E-Cigarettes,E-Cigs,Cigarette, Electronic,Cigarettes, Electronic,E Cig,E Cigarette,E Cigarettes,E Cigs

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