I'd be curious to read the methodology and findings of the "number of modern experts [who] conducted a similar experiment and came to a similar conclusion."
Color me mistrustful, skeptical.
I couldn't find anything on point in either of the two largest psychology databases, but I did find a few interesting results (and a fair amount of really dull crap) in the process:
On the personality of young male smokers: I. Smoking, extraversion and neuroticism.
Arnold-Kruger, Marie A.. Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie21. 1 (1973): 72-80.
Studied the relationship between personality characteristics and smoking, in particular the influence of neuroticism and extraversion factors in 900 male, 19- and 20-yr-old military recruits divided into 5 groups: pipe and cigar smokers, nonsmokers, light smokers, medium smokers, and heavy smokers. Ss were given the Freiburger Personality Inventory (FPI) of Fahrenberg, the Eysenck MPI, the Kerekjarte complaint list, and a questionnaire about their smoking habits and consumption. Results indicate a nonlinear relationship between extraversion and consumption: a steep increase in extraversion scores between the groups of nonsmokers to that of light smokers; a further light increase between the groups of light smokers to medium smokers; and a decrease of extraversion in the group of heavy smokers. A positively increasing relationship between the extent of neuroticism and smoking also was indicated: heavy smokers had the highest scores. (English summary) (1 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Occupation and smoking in college graduates.
Seltzer, Carl C.. Journal of Applied Psychology48. 1 (Feb 1964): 1-6.
The results of a study of 895 members of the Harvard Class of 1946, 13 years after graduation, with respect to the association of occupation and smoking behavior, indicate statistically significant differentiations between smokers and nonsmokers; between cigarette, cigar, and pipe smokers; and in accordance with degree or rate of cigarette smoking. The significance of these findings appears to relate to the influence of personality and constitution on smoking behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
The aura of tobacco smoke: Cigars and cigarettes as image makers.
Callison, Coy; Karrh, James A.; Zillmann, Dolf
Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Vol 32(7), Jul 2002, 1329-1343. doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2002.tb01439.x
45 male and 72 female college undergraduates (mean age 20.25 yrs) evaluated the character traits of men and women who were seen smoking cigars, smoking cigarettes, or not smoking. The evaluated adults were about 10 years older than the students. Irrespective of the evaluated persons' gender, ratings of appeal were specific to the gender of the evaluator. Men and women agreed in their perception of cigarette smokers as being less appealing than nonsmokers. However, whereas men ascribed markedly less appeal to cigar smokers than to cigarette smokers, women perceived cigar smokers as being as appealing as nonsmokers. This pattern was observed for all positive aspects of appeal; the inverse pattern was apparent for all negative aspects of appeal. In contrast, men and women concurred in judging cigar smokers as being more confident and secure than either nonsmokers or cigarette smokers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
