Cancer is one of the major chronic diseases associated with smoking behavior. Images depicting the negative health consequences of nicotine dependence, such as cancer, may evoke different emotional responses between males and females.
This study aimed to examine gender differences in emotional responses (valence and arousal) to cancer-related images associated with nicotine dependence.
A set of cancer-related images, used as part of Malaysia's national public health campaigns on tobacco prevention, was presented to participants aged 18-35 years from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. All participants (N = 99) were non-smokers and rated their emotional responses in terms of valence and arousal using the non-verbal pictorial Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) scale, which ranges from 1 (low valence/high unpleasantness; calm) to 9 (high valence/high pleasantness; excited). Socio-demographic information was also collected.
Female participants (M = 34.20, SD = 14.11) reported slightly higher arousal toward cancer-related images than male participants (M = 29.40, SD = 15.64), with a small-to-moderate effect size (d = 0.33). However, this difference in arousal ratings between males and females was not statistically significant. Similarly, there was no meaningful difference in valence ratings for cancer-related images between males (M = 14.34, SD = 11.49) and females (M = 15.05, SD = 11.67), with a negligible effect size (d = 0.06).
Both male and female participants exhibited comparable emotional responses to cancer-related images associated with nicotine dependence. This suggests that such images are equally effective across genders in evoking emotional reactions, supporting their continued use in public education campaigns aimed at increasing awareness and discouraging tobacco use.