Testing the Decoy Effect to Increase Tobacco Treatment Uptake

Tobacco Smoking

Prior research has shown that the context in which program options are presented to consumer impacts consumer choice (known as the 'decoy effect'). The aims of this study are to: (1) test whether the decoy effect can impact smokers' selection of hypothetical tobacco treatment options; (2) examine sociodemographic moderators of the decoy effect; and and (3) examine whether presenting the time and clinical effectiveness of of the different treatment options modifies the decoy effect.

The investigators will recruit and conduct a cross-sectional online survey through ResearchMatch (www.researchmatch.org) with 600 tobacco users across the country. The survey will ask participants for their preferences regarding hypothetical tobacco treatment programs. Participants will be randomized to 12 conditions (n=50 per condition). Each condition has a different combination of treatment options. The survey will also assess sociodemographics and tobacco use behaviors. All participants will be asked if they would like to receive information about the state's smoking cessation quitline. Participants who would like to receive information will be given the 1800-QUIT-NOW number and smokefree.gov website address.

United States