Abstract
This study was focused on the relationships between sensation seeking, functional and dysfunctional impulsivity in youth. The aim of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect effects of functional and dysfunctional impulsivity on sensation seeking in youth controlled for gender and age in the group of 19–25-year-old. Radoslavova & Velichkov’s (2005) self-report paper-and-pencil questionnaire was used to measure sensation seeking, functional and dysfunctional types of impulsivity among 764 students. Dysfunctional impulsivity was directly and indirectly related to sensation seeking mediated by functional impulsivity and being statistically controlled for age and gender. Functional impulsivity also was directly and indirectly related to sensation seeking mediated by dysfunctional impulsivity with gender and age as controlled confound variables. Dysfunctional impulsivity had larger direct and indirect effects as a mediator on sensation seeking than the corresponding effects of functional impulsivity on sensation seeking controlling for age and gender. These findings suggest the possibility for existence of some deficiencies in the speed, accuracy, and effectiveness of processing information, making decisions, and implementing actions during the search for optimal stimulation among youth.
Highlights
It is important to study impulsivity because it influences on the speed and accuracy of processing information, as well as on the effectiveness of made decisions and implemented actions (Dickman, 1990)
Increase of sensation seeking was related to increase in dysfunctional impulsivity (r = 0.409; p < .001; N = 764; 95% bias corrected accelerated bootstrapped confidence intervals varied berween 0.347 and 0.469) and increase in functional impulsivity (r = 0.387; p < .001; N = 764; 95% bias corrected accelerated bootstrapped confidence intervals varied berween 0.321 and 0.451)
Further cross-cultural studies on the link between impulsivity, its types and sensation seeking may reveal more about its nature while longitudinal studies may contribute to establish the tendencies in its development and manifestations. This was the first study that compared the direct and indirect contribution of functional and dysfunctional impulsivity on sensation seeking controlled for such potential confound variables as gender and age from 19 to 25 years old
Summary
It is important to study impulsivity because it influences on the speed and accuracy of processing information, as well as on the effectiveness of made decisions and implemented actions (Dickman, 1990). Impulsivity is related to some others personality traits. Hysterical personality traits are related to impulsiveness (Schalling & Åsberg, 1985). Extraversion includes impulsivity and sociability (Eysenck, 1987; Schalling, & Åsberg, 1985). Impulsivity as a part of Extraversion is called solidity, and high impulsivity means low solidity (Schalling & Åsberg, 1985). Impulsivity is a part of Psychotism (Ahn & Vassileva, 2016; Radoslavova & Velichkov, 2005), together with sensation seeking (Radoslavova & Velichkov, 2005). Sensation-seeking is a personality trait that includes the desire to pursue novel, intense and adventurous experiences, even if risks are involved, and disliking dull or repetitive activities (Cross, Cyrenne, & Brown, 2013)
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