An-Li Wang1,2, Zhenhao Shi2, Victoria P Fairchild2, Catherine A Aronowitz3, Daniel D Langleben2,3. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. 3. Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Abstract
Background: Graphic warning labels (GWLs) on cigarette packages, that combine textual warnings with emotionally salient images depicting the adverse health consequences of smoking, have been adopted in most European countries. In the US, the courts deemed the evidence justifying the inclusion of emotionally salient images in GWLs insufficient and put the implementation on hold. We conducted a controlled experimental study examining the effect of emotional salience of GWL's images on the recall of their text component. Methods: Seventy-three non-treatment-seeking daily smokers received cigarette packs carrying GWLs for a period of 4 weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to receive packs with GWLs previously rated as eliciting high or low level of emotional reaction (ER). The two conditions differed in respect to images but used the same textual warning statements. Participants' recognition of GWL images and statements were tested separately at baseline and again after the 4-week repetitive exposure. Results: Textual warning statements were recognized more accurately when paired with high ER images than when paired with low ER images, both at baseline and after daily exposure to GWLs over a 4-week period. Conclusion: The results suggest that emotional salience of GWLs facilitates cognitive processing of the textual warnings, resulting in better remembering of the information about the health hazards of smoking. Thus, high emotional salience of the pictorial component of GWLs is essential for their overall effectiveness.
RCT Entities:
Background: Graphic warning labels (GWLs) on cigarette packages, that combine textual warnings with emotionally salient images depicting the adverse health consequences of smoking, have been adopted in most European countries. In the US, the courts deemed the evidence justifying the inclusion of emotionally salient images in GWLs insufficient and put the implementation on hold. We conducted a controlled experimental study examining the effect of emotional salience of GWL's images on the recall of their text component. Methods: Seventy-three non-treatment-seeking daily smokers received cigarette packs carrying GWLs for a period of 4 weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to receive packs with GWLs previously rated as eliciting high or low level of emotional reaction (ER). The two conditions differed in respect to images but used the same textual warning statements. Participants' recognition of GWL images and statements were tested separately at baseline and again after the 4-week repetitive exposure. Results: Textual warning statements were recognized more accurately when paired with high ER images than when paired with low ER images, both at baseline and after daily exposure to GWLs over a 4-week period. Conclusion: The results suggest that emotional salience of GWLs facilitates cognitive processing of the textual warnings, resulting in better remembering of the information about the health hazards of smoking. Thus, high emotional salience of the pictorial component of GWLs is essential for their overall effectiveness.
Authors: An-Li Wang; Dan Romer; Igor Elman; Bruce I Turetsky; Ruben C Gur; Daniel D Langleben Journal: Addict Biol Date: 2013-12-15 Impact factor: 4.280
Authors: Andrew A Strasser; Kathy Z Tang; Daniel Romer; Christopher Jepson; Joseph N Cappella Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2012-07 Impact factor: 5.043
Authors: Daniel D Langleben; James W Loughead; Kosha Ruparel; Jonathan G Hakun; Samantha Busch-Winokur; Matthew B Holloway; Andrew A Strasser; Joseph N Cappella; Caryn Lerman Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2009-01-14 Impact factor: 6.556