Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
We all know the dangers of smoking cigarettes these days, and we don’t condone it. However, the 1950s were a different time, where the advertising and cultural pressure to smoke was intense. Smoking was seen as the epitome of cool and sophistication, and people were largely unaware of any negative consequences. That’s when cigarette psychology came into play.
RELATED:
The Psychology of Holding a Cigarette
The article below, from a 1959 issue of Caper Magazine, shows a few examples of what psychoanalyst Dr. William Neutra hypothesized after observing how people chose to smoke. According to his psychoanalysis, the body language of the method an individual uses to hold the cigarette shines a light onto their character traits, exposing their personality type, moods, and insecurities.
Examples of Cigarette Psychology
Scroll down to see the character analysis in the vintage magazine. If you are a smoker, perhaps you might recognize some of these yourself. Next time, observe your hand holding a cigarette; it might help you understand yourself better!
(h/t: Vintage Everyday)
A psychoanalyst in the 1950s believed that the method an individual uses to hold a cigarette shines a light onto their inner selves, exposing their character type, moods, and insecurities
1. Just a guess for this female mannerism: insecure, afraid to lose that cigarette. She probably holds on to her man like glue
2. Typical grasp of a female bored with her date. She has to concentrate on the tip to keep from yawning
3. Dr. Neutra claims this man is an intellectual, a very brainy type of guy, a contemplative character
4. This person is generally unreliable, weak, hard to live with, and inclined to excessive lying
5. Very tense individual, direct, straight-forward, inclined towards stubbornness
6. A hail fellow, well-met character who enjoys high living. Sort of the Texas millionaire type
7. This guy’s obviously daring, calculating, literally likes to “play with fire”
8. A dreamer, always off on a tangent
9. Very pessimistic, excessive in business caution
Here’s what people had to say about it
How Do You Hold Your Cigarette?
Were you able to relate to any examples from the cigarette-holding psychology? If yes, don’t forget to let us know in the comments. Who knew something so trivial could be so insightful, right? But then again, psychology never fails to surprise. If you know someone who smokes, share this with them. Or, just share it with all your friends. We are sure they will be just as fascinated by cigarette psychology, not just the smokers.
If you are into psychology or anything related to it, you should definitely check out our article about psychology tricks that will simply amaze you!
59Kviews
Share on Facebook
What do you think ?
Matt Richardson 6 years ago
Personally, i'm waiting for an article on the psychology of donut selection. That should be far more informative and reliable.
Elfmonkey 6 years ago (edited)
Wow, people really don't understand Psychology at all. 1. It IS a science. It uses the scientific method. 2. The c**p you mostly see on telly is - shockingly - not real! 3. The depiction on TV is based on psychodynamic psychoanalysis. Freudian. Which is considered bullshi... pseudoscience by the majority of psychologists from other approaches. The ink blot tests, dream analysis, these kind of "what does X say about you" tests... A load of c**p. Anyway: you wouldn't have knowledge about mental illnesses without Psychology, there wouldn't be no treatments and hell, you wouldn't know how to bring up your kids right without it! We know currently more about the universe than the human brain, but it is not for lack of trying: most people just happen to object to getting their brain probed at while they're still alive (and even when they're dead). Them pesky ethics also prevent psychologists from going all Pavlov or Harlow on people...
r3dd3v1lL 6 years ago
I'm not normally religious, but thank GOD for those "pesky ethics". I mean why shouldn't a well educated white male be allowed to perform electro shock therapy and lobotomy on innocent people just because he "knows better" and they are "ill". I mean it's all for the "greater good", and not the personal satisfaction of dominating/ hurting other people, right?
Load More Replies...
Roxy 6 years ago
The way people hold their cigs has to do with how they were taught, what's comfortable for them, and or other ways. There are no psychology to how a person holds their cigs! Geez, they can assume their personality of how those people act and would most likely hold one but its not a done deal. Even back in the 50's, the people were morons!
Basil 6 years ago
Hmm . . . you say that how people hold their cigs has to do with behavior based on what they were taught, what's comfortable for them (aka they have a pattern of doing something a certain way), other reasons . . . sure, you can't tell these behaviors and patterns just by looking like this article says. But you could learn about what a person was taught and why they prefer certain things by asking them, and you could use that information to draw certain conclusions then about why they have certain behaviors. And those observations about that person's behaviors- that's literally psychology.
Load More Replies... Matt Richardson 6 years ago
Personally, i'm waiting for an article on the psychology of donut selection. That should be far more informative and reliable.
Elfmonkey 6 years ago (edited)
Wow, people really don't understand Psychology at all. 1. It IS a science. It uses the scientific method. 2. The c**p you mostly see on telly is - shockingly - not real! 3. The depiction on TV is based on psychodynamic psychoanalysis. Freudian. Which is considered bullshi... pseudoscience by the majority of psychologists from other approaches. The ink blot tests, dream analysis, these kind of "what does X say about you" tests... A load of c**p. Anyway: you wouldn't have knowledge about mental illnesses without Psychology, there wouldn't be no treatments and hell, you wouldn't know how to bring up your kids right without it! We know currently more about the universe than the human brain, but it is not for lack of trying: most people just happen to object to getting their brain probed at while they're still alive (and even when they're dead). Them pesky ethics also prevent psychologists from going all Pavlov or Harlow on people...
r3dd3v1lL 6 years ago
I'm not normally religious, but thank GOD for those "pesky ethics". I mean why shouldn't a well educated white male be allowed to perform electro shock therapy and lobotomy on innocent people just because he "knows better" and they are "ill". I mean it's all for the "greater good", and not the personal satisfaction of dominating/ hurting other people, right?
Load More Replies... Roxy 6 years ago
The way people hold their cigs has to do with how they were taught, what's comfortable for them, and or other ways. There are no psychology to how a person holds their cigs! Geez, they can assume their personality of how those people act and would most likely hold one but its not a done deal. Even back in the 50's, the people were morons!
Basil 6 years ago
Hmm . . . you say that how people hold their cigs has to do with behavior based on what they were taught, what's comfortable for them (aka they have a pattern of doing something a certain way), other reasons . . . sure, you can't tell these behaviors and patterns just by looking like this article says. But you could learn about what a person was taught and why they prefer certain things by asking them, and you could use that information to draw certain conclusions then about why they have certain behaviors. And those observations about that person's behaviors- that's literally psychology.
Load More Replies...
Related on Bored Panda
66
35