Figure 1.

Model of cognitive control (CC) in relation to smoking behavior. Our proposed model suggests both nicotine withdrawal–related disruption of CC as a state factor and trait CC (gray rectangles) impact current CC functioning, which in turn impacts self-regulation and smoking reinforcement (white rectangles). Depending on whether these factors increase or decrease self-regulation (ie, brake pedal) and/or smoking reinforcement (ie, gas pedal), this will lead to a decision point: smoke or not smoke. This decision influences whether smoking behavior or smoking abstinence is maintained. Finally, long-term smoking may have detrimental effects on CC, thus creating a negative feedback loop (dashed line), which may also impact CC-related indirect reinforcement of smoking behavior.