Two individual multiple regression analyses were used to examine the extent to which the
level of identification with the peer group targeted by an ad presenting two anti-smoking
beliefs will be positively associated with strength of subsequent anti-smoking beliefs. The
two beliefs of interest were that “Tobacco company executives have called younger adult
smokers ‘replacement smokers’” and “Tobacco company executives have tried targeting
potential smokers in school bathrooms, playgrounds, YMCAs and city parks.” The
independent variable of interest was the level of identification with the peer group targeted
by the ad. Covariates entered were gender, age, whether the respondent identified with a
high risk group, lifetime cigarettes smoked and whether the respondent lives with a smoker.
Table 2 presents descriptive statistics for all variables included in the model.
playgrounds, YMCAs and city parks”) was of marginal statistical significance (p = .07).
Table 3 presents regression coefficients for each model.