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The Influence of Nicotine Craving and Personality Characteristics on Risky Decision Making in Nicotine Dependent College Students

Buelow, Melissa T.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1246932131

Abstract Details

2009, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Psychology (Arts and Sciences).
Previous research has shown that nicotine dependent individuals exhibit riskier behavior on decision making and other executive function tasks relative to non-smokers, and that performance varies as a function of nicotine satiation level. Links have also been found between impulsive sensation seeking and nicotine dependence, but their relationships with craving and decision making have rarely been studied. The current study examined the relationships between nicotine dependence, craving, impulsive sensation seeking, reward drive, and risky decision making in smokers and non-smokers. Smokers were randomly assigned to either overnight nicotine abstinence or to smoke as usual, and then all participants completed a series of questionnaires, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), and the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). No group differences were found on the IGT or the BART. Abstinent smokers reported significantly higher nicotine craving than ad libitum smokers. Prior to testing the hypothesized models, confirmatory factor analyses of the personality characteristics and decision making variables did not support either as a unitary construct in the present sample. The predicted non-smoker and smoker models did not fit the data; however, a regression model was found for the non-smoker group for the IGT data. Results of additional regression analyses showed limited support for nicotine craving and dependence affecting IGT and BART performance, but indicated that, among ad libitum smokers only, personality characteristics affected performance on the IGT. The results of this study run contrary to numerous studies showing worse performance on decision making tasks among substance dependent individuals; however, they are in keeping with conflicting findings in the literature regarding performance stability across nicotine satiation level.
Julie A. Suhr, PhD (Advisor)
John Garske, PhD (Committee Member)
Ken Holroyd, PhD (Committee Member)
Frank Bellezza, PhD (Committee Member)
Karen Coschigano, PhD (Committee Member)
85 p.
Psychology
nicotine dependence; craving; IGT; BART; impulsive sensation seeking; BAS

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Buelow, M. T. (2009). The Influence of Nicotine Craving and Personality Characteristics on Risky Decision Making in Nicotine Dependent College Students [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1246932131

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Buelow, Melissa. The Influence of Nicotine Craving and Personality Characteristics on Risky Decision Making in Nicotine Dependent College Students. 2009. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1246932131.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Buelow, Melissa. "The Influence of Nicotine Craving and Personality Characteristics on Risky Decision Making in Nicotine Dependent College Students." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1246932131

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1246932131
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© 2009, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.