A "Strange Method" for Quitting Smoking!

Researchers from Harvard University revealed that eliciting feelings of gratitude in smokers helps reduce their desire to smoke. The research team relied on what is called a "framework of evaluative orientation," a theoretical model of emotion and decision-making, and previous experimental studies on the relationship between emotions and risky behaviors, hypothesizing that evoking positive emotions related to gratitude could lead to reduced smoking. The researchers found consistent evidence that stimulating feelings of gratitude was associated with lower smoking rates. Nationally representative surveys in the United States and a global sample indicated that higher levels of gratitude were linked to a decreased likelihood of smoking, even after accounting for other known factors related to smoking. Eliciting gratitude also led to an increase in participants registering for an online smoking cessation program. The study revealed that eliciting feelings of empathy, sadness, and compassion did not produce intentional effects on smoking cessation behaviors. Unlike other positive emotions (such as happiness, compassion, and hope), gratitude has a unique quality that makes people less inclined toward instant gratification and more focused on long-term relationships and health. The research team believes that this unique effect is related to the impact of emotion on smoking behaviors and the desire to quit this bad habit. These findings create opportunities to rethink the scientific foundations of anti-smoking campaigns.