The perceived influence of cigarette advertisements and smoking susceptibility among seventh graders

A perceptual bias, the third person effect, has been observed where individ uals believe themselves to differ from others regarding the perceived influ ence of media messages. Given the frequency with which youth encounter pros moking messages and the reported negative effects of these messages, it is of value to study whether youth perceive cigarette advertisements to influe nce themselves and their friends and peers. This study examined the associa tions between exposure to social and information prosmoking environments, t he perceived influence of cigarette advertisements on self; best friends, a nd other youth, and smoking susceptibility. A sample of 571 seventh graders completed surveys on tobacco advertisements and promotions. Using Student' s-t, chi-square, ANOVA tests and proportional odds models, we found signifi cant associations between perceived influence of cigarette advertisements a nd exposure to social and information prosmoking environments as well as sm oking susceptibility. These data suggest that youth be taught that everyone is vulnerable to the tobacco industry's strategies and be given skills to resist prosmoking advertising.