Toward a theory of distinct types of “impulsive” behaviors: A meta-analysis of self-report and behavioral measures.

Abstract

Impulsivity is considered a personality trait affecting behavior in many life domains, from recreational activities to important decision making. When extreme, it is associated with mental health problems, such as substance use disorders, as well as with interpersonal and social difficulties, including juvenile delinquency and criminality. Yet, trait impulsivity may not be a unitary construct. We review commonly used self-report measures of personality trait impulsivity and related constructs (e.g., sensation seeking), plus the opposite pole, control or constraint. A meta-analytic principal-components factor analysis demonstrated that these scales comprise 3 distinct factors, each of which aligns with a broad, higher order personality factor-Neuroticism/Negative Emotionality, Disinhibition versus Constraint/Conscientiousness, and Extraversion/Positive Emotionality/Sensation Seeking. Moreover, Disinhibition versus Constraint/Conscientiousness comprise 2 correlated but distinct subfactors: Disinhibition versus Constraint and Conscientiousness/Will versus Resourcelessness. We also review laboratory tasks that purport to measure a construct similar to trait impulsivity. A meta-analytic principal-components factor analysis demonstrated that these tasks constitute 4 factors (Inattention, Inhibition, Impulsive Decision-Making, and Shifting). Although relations between these 2 measurement models are consistently low to very low, relations between both trait scales and laboratory behavioral tasks and daily-life impulsive behaviors are moderate. That is, both independently predict problematic daily-life impulsive behaviors, such as substance use, gambling, and delinquency; their joint use has incremental predictive power over the use of either type of measure alone and furthers our understanding of these important, problematic behaviors. Future use of confirmatory methods should help to ascertain with greater precision the number of and relations between impulsivity-related components.

Premeditation moderates the relation between sensation seeking and risky substance use among young adults.

“…Relatedly, we encourage future research to examine the developmental asymmetry model using behavioral measures of these constructs as well. Although support for direct overlap between laboratory-based behavioral measures and self-reported trait measures is modest, both methods of measuring these constructs have independently predicted externalizing behavior outcomes (Cyders & Coskunpinar, 2011;Sharma et al, 2014). Thus, examining interactions between reward sensitivity and impulse control measured using laboratory tasks may provide additional support for the developmental asymmetry model.…”

“…Impulse control has frequently been operationalized as the ability to think before acting and plan ahead (Whiteside & Lynam, 2001Wills, Ainette, Stoolmiller, Gibbons, & Shinar, 2008), and is commonly referred to as planning, premeditation, or "good self-control," with similar or identical items used as indicators of these parallel constructs (King, Patock-Peckham, Dager, Thimm, & Gates, 2014;Sharma, Markon, & Clark, 2014). A wide body of personality literature suggests a direct and inverse relation between impulse control and problem behaviors.…”

Self-affirmation improves music performance among performers high on the impulsivity dimension of sensation seeking

“…It would be interesting for future research to explore associations between impulsivity, self-affirmation and music performance utilising other conceptualisations of impulsivity (e.g., Sharma et al, 2014;Knezevic-Budisin et al, 2015).…”

“…Thus, Whiteside and Lynam (2001) identified four distinct facets of impulsivity: urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation-seeking, while Sharma, Markon and Clark (2014) suggested that impulsivity was underpinned by three distinct personality traits (e.g., neuroticism, disinhibition, and extraversion), and put forward four types of impulsive behaviour: inattention, inhibition, impulsive decision-making, and shifting. KnezevicBudisin, Pedden, White, Miller, and Hoaken (2015), on the other hand, propose a twofactor model, with one factor reflecting the tendency to act without thinking or planning and the other reflecting a need for reward, excitement and risk-taking.…”

Análisis de las propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario: rasgo inteligencia emocional versión corta en estudiantes mexicanos

“…Para medirla como rasgo mediante autoinforme se ha propuesto el "Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire" (TEIQue) 9 . La utilización de autoinformes para medición de rasgos de personalidad los ha mostrado estables 21,22 , no obstante, su uso se recomienda acompañado de tareas en laboratorio 23 , y reportes de terceros 24 , al mostrar validez incremental al evaluar personalidad y desempeño 25 .…”