Why People Start Smoking - Research Proposal Example

The paper "Why People Start Smoking" is a worthy example of research proposal on social science.All cigarettes packs have a warning reminding the smokers, and non-smokers that smoking can be harmful to their health, despite this people are continuing to their smoking habits and others are starting (Connolly, Alpert, Wayne, Koh, 2007). In fact, there are indicators of the harmful effects at the beginning of the habit, whereby the starters cough or develop a sole throat, but this does not stop them from continuing (Ritz, Ascherio, Checkoway, 2007).

The main reason for this behavior is that smoking is psychological, whereby people are seduced into smoking through glamorization of smoking in movies and advertisement (Sargent, Stoolmiller, Worth, 2007). Moreover, the addiction to nicotine makes it hard for a smoker to quit after stating the behavior, though this behavior can be controlled in a period of two weeks after eliminating the psychological reasons for smoking (Boulet, FitzGerald, McIvor, Zimmerman, Chapman, 2008). Research Question The research paper elaborates on ideas from various sources in order to establish common issues that can contribute to answering the research question: Why people start smoking?

Statement of Purpose The research will focus on exploring various sources in order to identify the reasons that make people develop the habit of smoking, leading to addiction, which makes it difficult to stop that habit. Therefore, the research will identify the factors that contribute to a person developing the habit of getting attracted to the behavior. Summary of Research The review of various sources has indicated that the common reasons for people getting into smoking relates to family attitudes, which condone smoking, whereby people commence these habit during their teenage due to the influence of their siblings, parents, or extended family, who smoke, in fact, the chances of someone becoming a smoker is high if both parents are smokers.

The other reason relates to peer pressure, whereby it is considered a strong predictor-smoking onset for teenagers, while the number of cigarettes provided to them can determine whether they can become smokers or not, however, those involved in sports are less likely to smoke (Burke, Ebbert, Hays, 2008). The other reason for smoking relates to copycatting the behavior in popular culture, whereby social influence exists in the cultural sphere, and it is a tremendously powerful predictor of adolescent smoking.

In fact, this is behavior are in the movies, advertisements and other forms of media, which shape the perceptions of teenagers concerning the things that are attractive and grown-up (Sargent, Stoolmiller, Worth, 2007). In this case, people can commence the behavior of smoking in order to emulate their heroes, who are in the movies or embody stylish things (Hays, Ebbert, 2008). The other reason relates to the environment in which a person grows up in, whereby it has an indirect and substantial influence on determining whether a person will be a smoker (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2008).

In fact, teenagers who live in conditions that are at the poverty line their parents have a low level of education, there are higher chances of becoming smokers. The other factor is the personality traits, whereby it is considered an internal determinant of smokers who are deemed to have certain inborn or nurtured personality traits such as rebelliousness, risk-taking, and unconventionality, thus increasing the chances of smoking (Li, Langholz, Salam, Gilliland, 2005). Smoking behaviors can also be used by a teenager as a way of making up for poor social or personal skills, whereby people who are less socially competent or not trained in refusal self-efficacy or those participating in antisocial activities are at a high risk of becoming smokers (Epstein, Spirito, 2009).

The other reason relates to the availability of cigarettes, whereby there are states where young people can readily access cigarettes. Moreover, the smokers who smoke around children creates a chance of making them smokers, whereby they get or buy cigarettes at an early stage (Meyers, Neuberger, He, 2009). Therefore, people may also smoke since the cigarettes are around them while others can be using other drugs such as marijuana, drinking alcohol. In this case, the use of other drugs can also contribute to smoking due to the reduction in the perception of harm.

Target Audience There are different reasons that have been identified contributing to the decision of starting the smoking, in fact, the predominant number of smokers begins in their teen years since at this age, people do not understand the health risk of smoking and they do not realize the way addiction can be. Therefore, the research target audience is teenagers who are starting to smoke and non–smokers, in order to assist them to make the right decision by avoiding the factors that can contribute to smoking.

Statement of Sources The research will use scholarly journals, books, magazines, and articles from the internet, which entail relevant information regarding the reason why people start smoking and these sources, will be retrieved using the common search engine, Google. These sources will be reviewed in order to identify ideas that can be cited to be evidence to support various ideas in the research. Expectations The research will contribute to the body of knowledge, which entails research done to explore issues related to smoking, thereby providing information that can assist teenagers who have started smoking or not yet smokers to avoid getting carried away into smoking.

It will also create awareness on the reasons that make people smoke, hence providing a basis for understanding various situations that need wise decision making.