Smoking and EEG power spectra: effects of differences in arousal seeking

Reversal theory, a general theory of motivation, emotion and action, has recently been shown to predict lapses in smoking cessation. Individuals are less likely to lapse if they are in the telic (serious-minded, arousal avoidant, goal-oriented) state than when they are in the paratelic (playful, arousal seeking, spontaneous) state. The literature indicates that people can smoke in such a way as to either increase or decrease central nervous system arousal; smoking in the telic and paratelic states might therefore differentially affect the resting electroencephalograph, as quantified by Fast Fourier Transform analysis. The basic hypothesis was supported. Theta power was decreased when subjects in the telic state smoked, while beta 2 power was increased when subjects in the paratelic state smoked; the latter finding was, however, true only for men. The results have important implications for research on changing health behaviors and for smoking cessation programs.