University researchers are searching for smokers for a study they hope could lead to better ways to quit.

A handful of other studies have tried to look at a potential link between addiction and the perception of
time, but this effort by a trio in Bowling Green State University’s psychology department combines a few
research methods to take a new approach.
"Over the last 10 years or so, I’ve been particularly interested in the psychology of craving as an
experience that drives people to use the drug and fall off the wagon," said professor Harold
Rosenberg, who said he’s been studying alcohol, tobacco and drug addictions for 35 years.
Also involved in the research is associate professor Richard Anderson and Brent Lang, a graduate student
in the psychology department.
People will start by sharing background information, including details of their tobacco use –
participants should have smoked at least one-half pack of cigarettes per day for the last three months
and not be actively trying to quit. Some questions quantify use in different ways, while others
subjectively get at a person’s level of addiction and past attempts to quit.
"They’re basically questions that they’ve found to correlate well with stronger dependence,"
Rosenberg said.
"The idea of most of these questions is to get some idea of who are these people in terms of their
smoking behavior."
Next comes a set of time-estimation exercises – basically a series of questions that ask participants to
measure how much time has passed or how long the exercise will last.
Once those tasks are complete, participants will be allowed to smoke if they wish.
Essentially, the group has aimed to find out whether there’s a link between the intensity of cravings and
the anticipation of fulfilling them.
"If that’s the case, we think that might help us, when we’re trying to help people cope with
cravings, to recognize how their anticipation of how long it’ll be until they can smoke has an impact on
their craving, and if you adjust your anticipation, you adjust your craving," Rosenberg explained.

"You won’t be as influenced by your anticipation if you can adjust your anticipation."
Those who participate in the study, which takes about an hour, will be entered into a drawing to win one
of two $25 gift cards.
Volunteers may contact researchers at 419-372-4520 or by email at [email protected].
"At the end of the day, if what we find is that there is some relationship between craving and time
estimation, we want to be able to say who does it apply to?’ If we get a nice range of smokers, then we
have more confidence in … its applicability."