A fascinating study that gets at at the power of gestures, postures, and practice, even when it’s only at the level of visualization. I want to see a follow-up study as to the effects of crushing real vs. virtual smokes
Smokers who crushed computer-simulated cigarettes as part of a psychosocial treatment program in a virtual reality environment had significantly reduced nicotine dependence and higher rates of tobacco abstinence than smokers participating in the same program who grasped a computer-simulated ball, according to a study described in the current issue of CyberPsychology and Behavior.
from “Crushing Cigarettes In A Virtual Reality Environment Reduces Tobacco Addiction,” Science Daily, 28 October 2009
Nov 6, 2009, updated Mar 31, 2025