INDUCTION OF SMOKING URGE THROUGH IMAGINAL AND IN-VIVO PROCEDURES - PHYSIOLOGICAL AND SELF-REPORT MANIFESTATIONS

This experiment assessed reactivity to imaginal and in vivo smoking an d control cues. One hundred current smokers were assessed during 2 ses sions separated by a 6-hr interval, and half of the participants were abstinent from smoking over this interval. Verbal and physiological re activity measures were selected based on their relevance for several m odels of urge. Results indicated that imaginal and in vivo smoking cue s were equally effective at eliciting high levels of self-reported urg es. Smoking deprivation led to a general enhancement in urge report, r ather than a specific increase to smoking cues. Physiological respondi ng differed somewhat as a function of urge induction method, although autonomic responses to smoking cues were uniformly consistent with the direct effects of nicotine. There was no relationship between verbal and physiological urge indices. Implications of the findings for sever al contemporary models of drug urges are discussed.