Attentional bias in smokers: exposure to dynamic smoking cues in contemporary movies
From Journal of Psychopharmacology
Tobacco use is still prevalent in films, this study explores how people respond to on-screen smoking images by examining eye movement of smokers and non-smokers while watching a movie clip, using eye-tracking technology. This research reveals that smokers have an attentional bias for smoking related pictorial cues. Smokers notice the images quicker and gaze longer. It is suggested these observations should be taken into account by therapies designed help stop people smoking, in order to increase success rates and to prevent relapses.
