Investigating psychophysiological and self-report responses to antioral nicotine pouch social media videos

This study examines young adult oral nicotine pouch (ONP) users' cognitive and emotional responses to user-generated antioral nicotine pouch (a-ONP) TikTok (a video-based social media platform) videos varying in the presence and absence of disgust-eliciting content.

One hundred and two young adult ONP users were exposed to a TikTok simulation that contained user-generated a-ONP TikTok videos. Participants' psychophysiological responses were recorded while participants viewed the TikTok simulations. Self-reported craving, behavioral intentions to use ONPs, perceived harm reduction, arousal, and negative emotional valence were measured at baseline and post TikTok simulation exposure.

In support of the negativity bias hypothesis, the psychophysiological data indicated that a-ONP TikTok videos present in disgust-eliciting content led to increased negative emotional valence, arousal, and greater second-by-second attention versus a-ONP TikTok videos absent in disgust-eliciting content. Self-reported outcomes revealed a decrease in behavioral intentions to use ONPs for a-ONP TikTok videos present in disgust-eliciting content versus those absent in disgust-eliciting content. Craving, behavioral intentions to use ONPs, and perceived harm reduction of ONPs decreased after exposure to a-ONP TikTok videos present in disgust-eliciting content when compared to participants' baseline reports.

User-generated a-ONP TikTok videos with disgust-eliciting content that were presented in a natural TikTok simulation led to effective message outcomes reflected by increased attention and self-reported outcomes. This study extends future opportunities to identify other potential message content used on social media to reduce ONP use and demonstrates the validity of viewing a-ONP TikTok videos in a natural media context. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).