Date of Award
5-2006
Honors Thesis Number
16134
Major
Psychology
Faculty Advisor
Gilbert, David
Abstract
The effects of anticipating smoking-related pictures on a brain measure of anticipation, the contingent negative variation (CNV), were assessed in 6 habitual smokers and in 6 nonsmokers. Groups were balanced by gender. The CNV was measured using a standard 16-channel EEG cap. The participants viewed 30 repeated images that were smoking-related, positive, or neutral. Smokers generated a greater CNV during the anticipation of smoking-related pictures, compared to non-smokers. The present findings indicate that the procedures used in the present study might be useful to assess the effects of smoking cessation treatments and individual differences in the degree to which smokers are addicted to smoking and are sensitive to environmental stimuli associated with smoking.