An Initial Investigation of the Effects of Tanning-Related Cues on Demand and Craving for Indoor Tanning

Melanoma and other skin cancers have become the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States. Despite the well-established link between skin cancer and indoor tanning, approximately 30 million Americans report engaging in indoor tanning each year, and the majority of these users are white females aged 16 to 29 years. Although some studies have suggested that exposure to ultraviolet radiation may produce reinforcing effects in frequent tanners paralleling the characteristic features of substance use disorders, no previous study has explored the impact of tanning-related cues on demand for tanning. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of tanning-related cues on participants’ behavioral economic demand and craving for indoor tanning. Participants were 23 undergraduate students (22 females, one male), each of whom underwent a cue-exposure procedure consisting of experiencing neutral- and tanning-related cues. Results suggest that participants exhibited an increase in behavioral economic demand and self-reported craving in the condition associated with tanning-related cues relative to neutral-cues. We conclude by discussing notable limitations and offering directions for future research.