Smoking Attentional bias: The Role of Automaticity, affect and cognitive control

This thesis examines the presence of smoking attentional bias across smokers, smokers attempting to quit, and never-smokers and the role that affect, automaticity and cognitive control play in smoking attentional biases. It does so by: i) examining the relationship between smoking attentional bias and smoking status, ii) examining whether smoking attentional bias is automatic, iii) examining whether smoking attentional bias stems from the affective relationship of smoking stimuli, and iv) examining the interaction between smoking attentional bias and cognitive control.

The thesis begins by describing theoretical models of attentional bias in addictions and the approaches taken to measure addiction-related attentional bias. It then examines previous findings in relation to abstinence, affect, automaticity and cognitive control and their role in smoking attentional bias. Finally, it presents seven empirical studies which examine the role of abstinence, affect, automaticity and cognitive control in relation to smoking attentional bias.

In summary, the findings show strong evidence for smoking attentional bias in smokers and the presence of smoking attentional bias in smokers attempting to quit under certain conditions. Specifically, i) where there is explicit awareness of the presence of smoking stimuli, ii) where exposure to smoking stimuli is relatively long and iii) in conditions that yield greater anxiety. The findings also show evidence that smoking attentional bias is automatic in early stages of attentional processing and that it is unrelated to the explicit affective ratings of stimuli or smoking behaviour measures. There is also evidence that smoking attentional bias can be manipulated. It is concluded that previous models of addiction-related attentional bias do not sufficiently explain the underlying mechanisms of smoking attentional bias. Furthermore, it suggests that interventions which decrease the salience of smoking and decrease the exposure to smoking stimuli and anxiety will be more effective in reducing smoking attentional bias during quit attempts.