Influence of Television Viewing and Sensation Seeking on Adolescents' Unrealistic Perceptions about Smoking and Smokers: Evidence From a National Survey

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of TV viewing and sensation seeking on adolescents' estimates of smoking prevalence and perceptions about smokers. Analysis of a nationally representative sample of adolescents (N = 6,792) indicates that more TV viewing is associated with higher estimates of smoking prevalence. Heavier TV consumption and higher sensation-seeking tendency both predict more favorable perceptions about smokers. Sensation seeking moderates the relationship between TV viewing and perceptions about smokers such that the relationship holds stronger for high- versus low-sensation seekers.

Notes

¹A relationship is moderated in the sense that this relationship is either strengthened or attenuated by a third variable (see Baron & Kenny, 1986, for a detailed discussion).

*p < .05. **p < .01.

†p < .10. *p < .05. **p < .01.

†p < .10. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

²We thank an anonymous reviewer for sharing this insight.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Xiaoli Nan

Xiaoli Nan (Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2005) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at University of Maryland. His research interests include persuasion processes and media effects, particularly in the domains of health communication, risk communication, and social marketing.