Smoking among university students in Canada and South Korea: linking diffusion theory with consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence.

This research examines the relationship between consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (CSII) and smoking diffusion patterns in Canada and South Korea. It is hypothesized that individuals with higher susceptibility to interpersonal influence are more likely to follow the dominant trend with regard to smoking behavior. Among South Korean females, smoking prevalence has been increasing and, in line with this trend, smokers were found to have a higher susceptibility to interpersonal influence than non-smokers. Among Canadians and among South Korean males, smoking has been in decline and, in line with this trend, non-smokers were found to have a higher susceptibility to interpersonal influence than smokers. Implications for social marketers and health professionals are discussed.