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
Results of the statistical analysis indicated that identification with the group targeted by the
ad viewed was positively associated with strength of one of the ad’s two key beliefs
(“Tobacco company executives have called younger adult smokers ‘replacement smokers”).
This relationship was statistically significant (p = .004). The relationship between
identification with the group targeted by the ad and the second key belief (“Tobacco
company executives have tried targeting potential smokers in school bathrooms,
playgrounds, YMCAs and city parks”) was of marginal statistical significance (p = .07).
Table 3 presents regression coefficients for each model.