Influence of Risk Perception on Attitudes and Norms Regarding Electronic Cigarettes

Abstract

The use of electronic cigarettes has grown substantially over the last few years. Currently, about 4% of adults use electronic cigarettes, about 16% of high school students report use in the past 30 days, as do approximately 11-25% of college students. A hallmark of the reduction in tobacco use has been the shift in social norms concerning smoking in public. Such norms may also drive views on acceptability of public electronic cigarette use. While normative factors have been given attention, little substantive application of the literature on risk perception has been brought to bear. The overall aim of this study was to place a cognitive-affective measure of risk perception within a model that also includes social cues for e-cigarettes, addictiveness beliefs, and tobacco use to predict perceived social acceptability for public use of e-cigarettes. To do so, a cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted among a sample of undergraduate students at a Western university (n = 395). A structural equation model showed that the acceptability of public e-cigarette use was influenced by social cues, beliefs about addiction, and cognitive risk perception, even after controlling for nicotine use. What is revealed is that cognitive assessment of e-cigarette risk and perception of addictiveness had a suppressing effect on perceived acceptability of public vaping, while greater exposure to social cues exerted a countervailing effect. This is evidence of the role that risk perception and social norms may play in the increases in electronic cigarette use that have been observed.

Risk perception and COVID-19 preventive behaviors: application of the integrative model of behavioral prediction

“…Similarly, people might project their risk estimations onto others and subsequently infer others' approval and implementation of preventive behaviors, which affect their own perception of social norms. For example, research has found that risk perception influences perceived norms for vaping (Trumbo, 2018). Furthermore, researchers suggest that when people feel that they are susceptible to a disease, they are motivated to look for ways to cope with the risk, which might lead to perception of self-efficacy (De Vries et al, 2012).…”

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Young Adults About Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems in the United States

“…Although 75.8% of the participants in one study recognized e-cigarettes as a tobacco product, those who were current users were less likely to do so 37 . Eight studies indicated that participants perceived a lower risk of harm from e-cigarettes than from traditional cigarettes 34,36,39,43,45,47–49 . However, whereas 1 study indicated participants perceived a low risk of e-cigarettes, another indicated a lower relative risk 43,45 .…”

“…37 Eight studies indicated that participants perceived a lower risk of harm from e-cigarettes than from traditional cigarettes. 34,36,39,43,45,[47][48][49] However, whereas 1 study indicated participants perceived a low risk of e-cigarettes, another indicated a lower relative risk. 43,45 In other words, participants saw it as healthier, but not necessarily free of harm, or confused the idea of healthier than with healthy.…”

Vaping in the Context of Delinquency Among Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Comparison Among Alcohol and Cigarette Use

“…Adoption of vaping products is primarily by young adults, specifically males (Bostean et al, 2015; Eichler et al, 2016; Mantey et al, 2019; Measham et al, 2016), but use is increasing among younger populations (Miech et al, 2019). Trumbo (2018) indicated that males had higher level of public acceptance for vaping. Vaping is associated with blue-collar workers (Eichler et al, 2016).…”