Departmental Papers (ASC)
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of this Version
January 2005
Publication Source
Communication Research
Volume
32
Issue
4
Start Page
478
Last Page
502
DOI
10.1177/0093650205277320
Abstract
Print news stories about genetics convey information to the public. This study assesses the effects of priming a belief in genetic susceptibility to smoking addiction on smokers' inferences about their own susceptibility to smoking addiction, their efficacy to quit smoking, and their intention to get a genetic test for addiction susceptibility. Respondents were 450 young adult smokers surveyed on the telephone in a randomized experiment embedded in a questionnaire about cigarette smoking practices. In the priming condition, respondents heard a news story about genes for smoking addiction. In the unprimed condition, respondents heard a news story concerning the gender of the offspring of smokers. Priming with the genetics news story did not affect respondents' inferences about personal genetic susceptibility to smoking addiction. However, those finding the news story believable and having a strong family history of smoking were more likely to infer a greater personal genetic susceptibility.
Copyright/Permission Statement
The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Communication Research, Vol 32/Issue 4, 2005, © SAGE Publications, Inc., 2005, by SAGE Publications, Inc. at the Communication Research page: http://crx.sagepub.com/ on SAGE Journals Online: http://online.sagepub.com/
Keywords
smoking, priming, genetic testing, family smoking
Recommended Citation
Cappella, J. N., Lerman, C., Romantan, A., & Baruh, L. (2005). News about Genetics and Smoking Priming, Family Smoking History, and News Story Believability on Inferences of Genetic Susceptibility to Tobacco Addiction. Communication Research, 32 (4), 478-502. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650205277320
Date Posted: 03 April 2008
This document has been peer reviewed.