January 9, 2012   Young people, aged 16 to 24, who smoke daily light up more cigarettes in the company of a smoking peer. Unfortunately, anti-smoking campaigns neglect this effect, says NWO-funded researcher Zeena Harakeh. Harakeh, a social scientist from Utrecht University, sought to determine what persuades young smokers to light up a cigarette. Her research showed that this group ultimately smokes more cigarettes when they see other young smokers.

“I call this implicit, passive influencing, as it happens without the other person actively offering a cigarette,” explains Harakeh. Interestingly, young smokers who communicate with a peer online and see this person smoking will smoke more themselves.  “So the effect is there even when they do not smell the cigarette scent of the other,” says Harakeh.

For More Information:
http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/01/08/young-smokers-light-more-cigarettes-while-seeing-someone-else-smoke/33436.html