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Are Deterrent Pictures Effective? The Impact of Warning Labels on Cognitive Dissonance in Smokers
Author(s) -
Glock Sabine,
Kneer Julia
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
applied psychology: health and well‐being
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.276
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1758-0854
pISSN - 1758-0846
DOI - 10.1111/j.1758-0854.2009.01019.x
Subject(s) - cognitive dissonance , psychology , cognition , self perception theory , perception , social psychology , cognitive psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , neuroscience
An experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of cigarette warning labels on cognitive dissonance in smokers. Smokers' and non‐smokers' risk perceptions with regard to smoking‐related diseases were measured with ratings as well as with response latencies before and after presentation of warning labels. Results indicated an influence of warning labels on smokers' ratings, revealing cognitive dissonance reducing strategies after confrontation with warning labels. Response latencies showed an impact of confrontation with smoking‐related health risks rather than an impact of warning labels. Findings are discussed in terms of cognitive dissonance theory.