Value-based decision-making in daily tobacco smokers following experimental manipulation of mood

Background: Induction of negative mood increases tobacco choice in dependent smokers; however, less is known about the mechanisms behind this. This study addressed this gap by applying a computational model of value-based decision-making to tobacco and tobacco-unrelated choices following mood manipulation. Method: Using a pre-registered, within-subject design, 49 daily tobacco smokers (›10 daily cigarettes) watched two different videos which primed them to experience negative and positive mood (tobacco valuation and devaluation, respectively). Participants completed self-report measures of mood and craving to smoke before and after priming, followed by a two-alternative forced-choice task with (separate) blocks of tobacco-related and unrelated (animal) images. On each block, participants selected the image that they previously rated higher. A drift-diffusion model was fitted to the reaction time and error data to estimate evidence accumulation (EA) processes and response thresholds during the different blocks. Results: After watching videos intended to induce negative mood, happiness scores were lower (p ‹ .001, d = 1.16), while sadness and craving to smoke scores were higher (both ps ‹ .001, ds › .60), compared to after watching videos intended to induce positive mood. However, contrary to hypotheses, the experimental manipulation did not robustly affect EA rates (F = 1.15, p = .29, ηp2 = .02) or response thresholds (F = .07, p = .79, ηp2 = .00) for either tobacco or tobacco-unrelated decisions. Conclusions: Manipulation of mood in daily smokers did not lead to alterations in the internal processes that precede value-based decisions made about tobacco and tobacco-unrelated cues.