Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 6, 2026
07:51
A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder
Published on: June 18, 2018
11.2K
Impulsivity moderates the relationship between previous quit failure and cue-induced craving
Joel Erblich1, Alexandra Michalowski2
1Department of Psychology, Hunter College and Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States; Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
Addictive Behaviors
|July 18, 2015
Summary
Smokers with higher impulsivity experienced more cigarette cravings after exposure to smoking cues, particularly if previous quit attempts were shorter. Understanding impulsivity is key for managing cravings during smoking cessation.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Addiction Research
- Psychology
Background:
- Poor inhibitory control predicts relapse in various substance use disorders, including nicotine dependence.
- Higher impulsivity in smokers is linked to impaired regulation of smoking urges and may moderate cue-induced cravings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between smoking cessation failures, cue-induced cravings, and individual levels of impulsivity.
- To evaluate how impulsivity influences cigarette cravings in response to smoking cues.
Main Methods:
- 151 current smokers completed questionnaires on impulsivity and past quit attempts.
- Participants rated cigarette cravings before and after laboratory exposure to smoking cues.
Main Results:
- Shorter duration of failed smoking cessation attempts correlated with increased cue-induced cravings.
- This association was more pronounced in smokers exhibiting higher levels of impulsivity.
Conclusions:
- Trait impulsivity is a significant factor in understanding and managing cue-induced cigarette cravings.
- Interventions targeting impulsivity may improve smoking cessation outcomes by reducing craving responses.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Self-Regulation
325
Self-regulation, also known as self-control, encompasses a range of cognitive and behavioral processes that allow individuals to adjust their internal states and outward actions to align with socially acceptable norms and long-term goals. It plays a fundamental role in adaptive functioning, from resisting impulsive behaviors to persisting through challenging tasks. While its benefits are widely recognized, self-regulation is not limitless. Muraven and Baumeister's theory posits that...
325
01:17Drug Dependence
1.9K
Medications are typically administered to achieve therapeutic effects. Some drugs can modify an individual's mood and perception, frequently resulting in various enjoyable experiences. However, this can result in drug dependency, a condition marked by continuous drug use despite potential negative consequences. Drug dependency primarily falls into two categories: psychological and physical dependence. Psychological dependence occurs when the pleasurable feelings induced by the drug...
1.9K
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
45.2K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
45.2K
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
1.5K
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not...
1.5K
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
19.1K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
19.1K
01:05Instinctive Drift
1.3K
Instinctive drift refers to the tendency of animals to revert to their innate behaviors despite repeated reinforcement. Breland and Breland demonstrated this concept in an experiment with a raccoon. The raccoon was trained to pick up two coins and place them in a container in exchange for food. Initially, the raccoon learned to associate the coins with food, making them a conditioned stimulus or a substitute for food. However, over time, the raccoon became less willing to put the coins into the...
1.3K