Monday, December 30, 2024
12/30/2024
ABSTRACT (No change from original, funded submission) Young adults’ initiation and use of e-cigarettes are on the rise in the U.S. E-cigarette use produces toxicants, is addictive, and is associated with future use of combustible tobacco products among young adults. The situation is compounded by aggressive e-cigarette marketing, which often features flavors, models, marketing claims, and price promotions. Evidence has shown the strong influence of tobacco marketing on the initiation and use of tobacco products among young adults, especially young adults who are naïve to tobacco. Thus, a timely public health response comprising more regulation on e-cigarette marketing is needed to prevent and reduce e-cigarette uptake among this group. Although e-cigarette marketing has been pervasive and is rapidly growing, there is a lack of studies examining the influence of e-cigarette advertisement features on young adults’ reactions and other behavioral antecedents. The proposed project will examine the influence of four e- cigarette advertisement features (flavors, models, marketing claims, and price promotions) among young adult non-tobacco users (including never users and experimenters) who are susceptible to e-cigarette use. This study will pursue two Specific Aims: Aim 1 is to identify key features of e-cigarette advertisements that lead to greater attention, cognitive arousal, and positive emotional responses; and Aim 2 is to determine whether edited e-cigarette advertisements without key features lead to reduced positive e-cigarette perceptions and behavioral intentions compared to original, unaltered advertisements. The Aim 1 study will use within-subjects design and adopt eye-tracking technology equipped with pupil diameter assessment and facial expression analysis among 70 young adults. The Aim 2 study will adopt a between-subjects comparative randomized experiment among 900 nationally representative young adults enrolled in an online panel. Individual differences (e.g., biological sex and tobacco use history) in neurocognitive reactions and e-cigarette related perceptions and behavioral intentions will also be assessed for the two studies. The proposed research will innovatively use neuroscience technologies to objectively measure young adults’ neurocognitive reactions to e- cigarette advertisements and help draw causal inferences between viewing e-cigarette advertisements features and immediate perceptions and intentions of using e-cigarettes. This research is directly relevant to the development of the FDA’s policymaking efforts to reduce the impact of e-cigarette advertisements on potential uptake of e-cigarettes among young adults who are naïve to tobacco products.
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