14 DAY TRIAL // A new study published earlier this week in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that, when it comes to convincing smokers to kick the habit, the best way to go is to offer them a cash reward of sorts. In not so many words, bribe them.
This piece of advice is based on data obtained while carrying out a series of experiments in human behavior with the help of over 2,500 volunteers.
As detailed in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study participants were split into groups and offered the chance to join distinct smoking-cessation programs.
Of these programs, one type offered a $800 (€710) cash reward to those who succeeded. Another involved a $150 (€130) deposit that would be returned along with a $650 (€580) prize if all went well, and a third simply offered information and other aids.
Of the guys and gals who agreed to join either of these programs, 16% of the ones who took the cash reward challenge managed to quit over a period of 6 months.
The deposit-based and the ordinary smoking-cessation programs, on the other hand, had a success rate of about 10% and 6%, respectively. Once again, it was the thought of making money and not losing their deposit that motivated people best.
“Reward-based programs were much more commonly accepted than deposit-based programs, leading to higher rates of sustained abstinence from smoking,” reads the New England Journal of Medicine paper detailing this study.
As for whether smokers should try to kick the habit on their own or as part of a group, it looks like it doesn't really matter when it comes to getting the desired results.