Increasing perceived choice about change in smokers: Implications

Using a representative sample of 434 daily smokers, this study tested the immediate impact of providing “safer smoking tips”. As was predicted, a randomized half of respondents who were asked about their knowledge of “safer smoking tips” before being asked about their perceptions of choice about smoking rated their perceived choice as higher than respondents who were not asked the safer smoking tips first. However, the present study also provided evidence of the need for caution because hearing about safer smoking tips was associated with lower ratings of perceptions of health risks from smoking. Perceived choice has been identified as an important factor in change from negative health behaviors, and the implications and future directions of this research are discussed.