Impulsive Individuals Research Articles

The role of impulsivity and delay discounting in student compliance with COVID-19 protective measures

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, governments set recommendations and restrictions that have given rise to new situations that require residents to deliberate and respond nonautomatically. For highly impulsive individuals, dealing with these situations may be harder, as they tend to deliberate less about the consequences of their behaviors. In this study, we investigate the relationship between impulsivity and delay discounting on the one hand and compliance with COVID-19 restrictions on the other hand. We distinguish between compliance with social distancing measures and compliance with hygiene measures. Regression analyses of an international sample of 6759 students from seven European countries reveal that the self-reported personality construct of impulsivity is negatively related to both types of compliance behavior. However, and unexpectedly, we also find a weak positive association between the discount rate—as measured by a behavioral task—and compliance. Our study highlights the importance of individual differences in impulsivity in regard to compliance with public health measures during a pandemic.

Aggressive behaviors in highly sadistic and highly impulsive individuals

Sadism is tightly linked with aggressive behaviors against others, akin to impulsivity. However, whether the aggressive behaviors predicted by sadism and impulsivity differ remains unknown. In this work, self-reported scales were used in Study 1 (N = 1183, 579 males) with correlation analyses, while Studies 2 and 3 utilized the Taylor aggression paradigm and compared reactive/proactive aggression across three groups of individuals: those with highly sadistic traits but an average level of impulsivity (N = 30, 15 males), those with high impulsivity but an average level of sadism (N = 30, 15 males), and those with both low sadism and low impulsivity (i.e., control group; N = 30, 15 males). Results showed that sadism was more strongly correlated with proactive aggression than was impulsivity and that impulsivity was more strongly related to reactive aggression than was sadism. Furthermore, provocation led to more reactive aggression in highly impulsive individuals than in the control group, and highly sadistic individuals showed more proactive aggression than did the control group. The dominance analysis revealed that impulsivity drives reactive aggression over and above sadism, but proactive aggression is mainly driven by sadism. Hence, sadistic and impulsive traits are relatively associated with different types of aggression.

Dysfunction of pre-attentive information processing in impulsive aggressive individuals: acoustic startle-response and P50 study

Dysfunction of pre-attentive information processing in impulsive aggressive individuals: acoustic startle-response and P50 study

Heterogeneity Improves Speed and Accuracy in Social Networks.

How does temporally structured private and social information shape collective decisions? To address this question we consider a network of rational agents who independently accumulate private evidence that triggers a decision upon reaching a threshold. When seen by the whole network, the first agent's choice initiates a wave of new decisions; later decisions have less impact. In heterogeneous networks, first decisions are made quickly by impulsive individuals who need little evidence to make a choice but, even when wrong, can reveal the correct options to nearly everyone else. We conclude that groups comprised of diverse individuals can make more efficient decisions than homogenous ones.

Resting EEG Asymmetry Markers of Multiple Facets of the Behavioral Approach System: A LORETA Analysis

Previously published models of frontal activity linked high relative left frontal activity to the behavioral approach system (BAS) and impulsivity. Additionally, these models did not account for BAS facets encompassing the anticipation of reward, i.e., goal-driven persistence (BAS–GDP) and reward interest (BAS–RI), from those that deal with the actual hedonic experience of reward, i.e., reward reactivity (BAS–RR) and impulsivity (BAS–I). Using resting electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings, the source localization (LORETA) method allowed us to calculate the hemispheric asymmetry of the current density within the alpha band (7.5–13 Hz) in ten regions of interest. Compared to low BAS subtrait scorers, high BAS subtrait scorers (except for BAS–I) were correlated with greater relative left-sided activity in the superior frontal gyrus (BA10). Further, an isolated effective coherence (iCOH) analysis of the beta activity (21 Hz) disclosed that high impulsive scorers as compared to low impulsive ones had higher connectivity between the superior frontal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus, which was not compensated for by enhanced inhibitory alpha (11 Hz) connectivity between these regions. For the beta frequency, we also found in highly impulsive individuals that (i) both left and right middle temporal lobes directly influenced the activity of the left and right superior frontal lobes, and (ii) a clear decoupling between left and right superior frontal lobes. These findings could indicate reduced control by the supervisory system in more impulsive individuals.

The Theory of Cognitive-Conditional Conservatism in Accounting

Literature from multiple fields in psychology and economics have identified that impulsive individuals are more prone to riskier behavior and are less conservative. Accounting literature has studied conservatism for many years, and demonstrated that there are two roots of conservatism, one unconditional and another conditional to news available at decision-making. However, there is no bridge linking both. Using an analytical model, we show that the conservatism level of an accountant is lower for impulsive individuals because of their reduced focus on future consequences of their decisions, which is coupled with an increased focus on present consequences. Hence, we put forward a theory of “cognitive-conditional conservatism”, that is, a third root of conservatism. Additionally, we also prove the asymmetry property of this behavior.

Trait impulsivity and acute stress interact to influence choice and decision speed during multi-stage decision-making

Impulsivity and stress exposure are two factors that are associated with changes in reward-related behavior in ways that are relevant to both healthy and maladaptive decision-making. Nonetheless, little empirical work has examined the possible independent and joint effects of these factors upon reward learning. Here, we sought to examine how trait impulsivity and acute stress exposure affect participants’ choice behavior and decision speed in a two-stage sequential reinforcement-learning task. We found that more impulsive participants were more likely to repeat second-stage choices after previous reward, irrespective of stress condition. Exposure to stress, on the other hand, was associated with an increased tendency to repeat second-stage choices independent of whether these choices previously led to a reward, and this tendency was exacerbated in more impulsive individuals. Such interaction effects between stress and impulsivity were also found on decision speed. Stress and impulsivity levels interacted to drive faster choices overall (again irrespective of reward) at both task stages, while reward received on the previous trial slowed subsequent first-stage choices, particularly among impulsive individuals under stress. Collectively, our results reveal novel, largely interactive effects of trait impulsivity and stress exposure and suggest that stress may reveal individual differences in decision-making tied to impulsivity that are not readily apparent in the absence of stress.

Reprint of "Executive dysfunction, violence and aggression"

Abstract Executive Functio1ns (EFs) is an umbrella expression used for several processes and subprocesses encompassing goal-oriented behavior and decision-making strategies. However, the extent to which impaired EFs relate to and characterize different types of criminal behavior and aggressiveness is not clear. Similarly, research on the association between EFs and psychopathy has also produced mixed findings. The failure to disaggregate between different types of crime and antisocial individuals can impede the identification of specific neurocognitive mechanisms associated with crime. We reviewed the extent to which EFs (according to Miyake latent variable analysis) are associated with violent and non-violent crime, impulsive and premeditated aggression as well as psychopathic traits. Findings, although nonconsensual, suggest a more nuanced view on the association between EFs and crime, suggesting that different executive domains might be more compromised in violent and impulsive individuals, and specific psychopathy facets are more associated with executive dysfunction and criminality. Studies in line with this approach will allow offenders to benefit from intervention strategies that will address their specific deficits, optimizing their EFs and contributing to better cognitive management in demanding and complex situations, such as criminal and violent deterrence.

Motivational salience, impulsivity and testosterone in free cycling women: An ERP-Study

Impulsivity is regarded as a personality dimension that is associated with fast acting without always thinking of its consequences. Whereas it has been associated with a lot of pathologies, its neural associations and in which way these are related to motivational- and incentive salience, are far from being clear. Furthermore, sex differences suggest some associations with different reactivity across the menstrual cycle in women, hinting to possible hormonal influences. 35 free cycling women were tested in a randomized within-subject design across three cycle-phases, recording an EEG during an Picture-Stroop-Paradigm, measuring gonadal hormones (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone), as well as assessing impulsivity with the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire. It was hypothesized that reactivity towards highly salient pictures, indicated by the event related potentials P300 and the late positive potential (LPP), to be differing in dependence of impulsivity. Results reveal associations of high impulsivity with generally lower P300-amplitudes, blunted LPP-responses towards erotic pictures, as well as lower mean testosterone concentrations in female subjects. This is especially interesting in the context of motivational salience and might be indicating a higher threshold of activation needed in high impulsive individuals - being in line with clinical observations with associations of addictions and other disorders.

Executive dysfunction, violence and aggression

Abstract Executive Functions (EFs) is an umbrella expression used for several processes and subprocesses encompassing goal-oriented behavior and decision-making strategies. However, the extent to which impaired EFs relate to and characterize different types of criminal behavior and aggressiveness is not clear. Similarly, research on the association between EFs and psychopathy has also produced mixed findings. The failure to disaggregate between different types of crime and antisocial individuals can impede the identification of specific neurocognitive mechanisms associated with crime. We reviewed the extent to which EFs (according to Miyake latent variable analysis) are associated with violent and non-violent crime, impulsive and premeditated aggression as well as psychopathic traits. Findings, although nonconsensual, suggest a more nuanced view on the association between EFs and crime, suggesting that different executive domains might be more compromised in violent and impulsive individuals, and specific psychopathy facets are more associated with executive dysfunction and criminality. Studies in line with this approach will allow offenders to benefit from intervention strategies that will address their specific deficits, optimizing their EFs and contributing to better cognitive management in demanding and complex situations, such as criminal and violent deterrence.

The role of personality on disordered gaming and game genre preferences in adolescence: Gender differences and person-environment transactions.

Playing video games is one of the world's most popular leisure activities, especially for teenagers. The main aim of the present study was to examine additive and moderation effects of gender and personality to explain individual differences in problematic gaming and video game genre preferences in adolescence. 776 Spanish high school students (mean age = 14.29 years, SD = 1.59, 50.64% girls) completed the questionnaires of the Five-Factor Model of personality, frequency of video gaming, disordered use, and the video games they mostly played.Gender differences were observed for gaming behaviors: boys played more and presented much more disordered gaming than girls. Boys preferred competitive genres; for example, action-shooters, sport, fight and strategy games. Girls preferred nonviolent and ocasional game genres; for example, social simulation, and brain and skill games. Gender moderated the association between personality and disordered gaming: disordered gaming was associated with low agreeableness and low conscientiousness in boys, and with low extraversion and low conscientiousness in girls. Low consciousnness moderated the association between gaming frequency and problematic use of video games: playing more video games led to disordered gaming, mainly in irresponsible and impulsive individuals. Though small, significant associations were found among all of the personality domains and video game genre preferences. These findings highlight the relevance of gender and personality for gaming behaviors in adolescence, and suggest paying more attention to gender-dependent differences and person-environment transactional processes when studying gaming-related behaviors.

Pathways to Recovery among Homeless People with Mental Illness: Is Impulsiveness Getting in the Way?

Objective:This study investigates the association between impulsiveness and six dimensions of recovery among homeless people with mental illness.Method:The sample was composed of 418 participants of a randomized controlled trial of Housing First, a recovery-oriented program that provides immediate access to permanent housing. The reliable change index method was used to provide an estimate of the statistical and clinical significance of the change from baseline to 24 months (i.e., clinically meaningful improvement), on outcomes that pertain to recovery dimensions: psychiatric symptoms (clinical), physical health and substance use problems (physical), residential stability (functional), arrests (criminological), community integration (social), and hope and personal confidence (existential). We tested for the effect of impulsiveness, assessed with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale–11, on clinically meaningful improvement on each specific outcome, adjusting for age, gender and intervention assignment, as both intervention arms were included in the analysis.Results:For every increase in total impulsiveness score by one standard deviation, the odds of experiencing clinically meaningful improvement decreased by 29% (OR = 0.71, 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.91) on the clinical dimension and by 53% (OR = 0.47, 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.68) on the existential dimension. However, changes in outcomes pertaining to physical, functional, criminological, and social dimensions were not significantly influenced by impulsiveness.Conclusions:Findings highlight the importance of addressing impulsiveness in the context of recovery-oriented interventions for homeless people with mental illness. Further research may be required to improve interventions that are responsive to unique needs of impulsive individuals to support clinical and existential recovery.

Disinhibited Revenge - An fNIRS Study on Forgiveness and Cognitive Control.

The ability to reconcile is a key factor for a cooperative and successful life. Among the many factors that have an impact on how people negotiate social contracts, poor cognitive control (which is inversely linked to impulsivity) may exert negative effects on forgiveness. To investigate the neurobiological basis of this proposition, subjects with high vs. low impulsivity scores completed an ultimatum game (UG) and a dictator game (DG). First, the participants played an UG where they had to accept or reject offers from fair or unfair opponents. Afterward, the roles changed, and a DG was played. Here, subjects had the opportunity to forgive or take revenge on unfair opponents by the allocation of a fair/unfair amount of money. During this task, activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was assessed via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Highly impulsive subjects were significantly more revenge-seeking than individuals with a low impulsivity. This behavioral difference was reflected in the activation pattern of the left DLPFC, where higher activation in trials with unfair opponents was found, but only in the highly impulsive group. This result is discussed as an indicator of more revenge-driven behavior in highly impulsive individuals, since activity in the left DLPFC is associated with retaliation.

Suicide from the Perspective of Islam and Psychology with an Emphasize on the Models Explaining the Relationship between Impulsivity and Suicidal Behaviors

Suicide is the act of taking one's own life which is made within the framework of a voluntarily action by an informed individual. Impulsivity is one of the most reasons for the emergence of suicidal behaviors. Impulsivity takes place without considering the possible consequences of the action and for a fast access to a reward.The purpose of the present study is to study suicide in the perspective of Islam and psychology with an emphasize on the models explaining the relationship between impulsivity, suicidal behaviors and to discuss each model as well. Due to the multilayer nature of suicide, the research methodology is in documentation-based, analytical and meta-analytical forms.In order to study the models explaining the relationship between impulsivity and suicidal behaviors, different data bases and with key words such as: impulsivity, impulsive behaviors, suicidal behaviors and as likes were broadly reviewed and upon completion of data collection, the related studies were closely examined.The research findings indicate that in the perspective of Islam, suicide is in connection with components such as: the weakness of ideological and ethical bases, the lack of positive perception and disappointment with God, the lack of thinking on the belongings, magnifying the hardships and shortages, and considering the life as something meaningless. In psychology, based on the personality model, the impulsive individuals have a greater inclination towards experiencing the provocative and painful incidents. From the viewpoint of idea to practice framework, the forecasting factors of suicide are classified based on the rate of risk of suicidal ideations and also the rate of action risk for suicide. In the integrated conceptual model, the evaluation of the suicide risk is made integrally and during the treatment process. The model of addiction to suicide, considers the suicidal behaviors as a kind of addiction. The three-step theory states that in the event that the sense of pain is associated with disappointment, and the lack of dependence on life and companions, the individual will make suicidal behaviors. The result is that in the perspective of Islam, the growth of awareness and increase of intellectual skills aiming at gaining knowledge and improving the relationship between human and God, reinforcing the basic beliefs and monotheistic doctrine are the most basic and effective steps to deter the suicidal behaviors. In psychology, opposite to the prevailing beliefs, it seems that impulsivity is not considered as a trustable forecaster for suicidal actions and the personality feature of impulsivity does not have a strong and noticeable relationship with suicidal actions.

Fentanyl treatment reduces the severity of necrotizing acute pancreatitis in rats

Executive Functio1ns (EFs) is an umbrella expression used for several processes and subprocesses encompassing goal-oriented behavior and decision-making strategies. However, the extent to which impaired EFs relate to and characterize different types of criminal behavior and aggressiveness is not clear. Similarly, research on the association between EFs and psychopathy has also produced mixed findings. The failure to disaggregate between different types of crime and antisocial individuals can impede the identification of specific neurocognitive mechanisms associated with crime. We reviewed the extent to which EFs (according to Miyake latent variable analysis) are associated with violent and non-violent crime, impulsive and premeditated aggression as well as psychopathic traits.Findings, although nonconsensual, suggest a more nuanced view on the association between EFs and crime, suggesting that different executive domains might be more compromised in violent and impulsive individuals, and specific psychopathy facets are more associated with executive dysfunction and criminality. Studies in line with this approach will allow offenders to benefit from intervention strategies that will address their specific deficits, optimizing their EFs and contributing to better cognitive management in demanding and complex situations, such as criminal and violent deterrence.

Ethanol induces maladaptive impulse control and decreased seeking behaviors in mice.

Waiting impulsivity is a risk factor for many psychiatric disorders including alcohol use disorder (AUD). Highly impulsive individuals are vulnerable to alcohol abuse. However, it is not well understood whether chronic alcohol use increases the propensity for impulsive behavior. Here, we establish a novel experimental paradigm demonstrating that continuous binge-like ethanol exposure progressively leads to maladaptive impulsive behavior. To test waiting impulsivity, we employed the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) in C57BL/6J male mice. We assessed premature responses in the fixed and variable intertrial interval (ITI) 5-CSRTT sessions. We further characterized our ethanol-induced impulsive mice using Open Field, y-maze, two-bottle choice, and an action-outcome task. Our results indicate that continuous binge-like ethanol exposure significantly increased premature responses when mice were tested in variable ITI sessions even during a prolonged abstinent period. Ethanol-induced impulsive mice exhibited anxiety-like behavior during chronic exposures. This behavior was also observed in a separate cohort that was subjected to 20days of abstinence. Ethanol-treated mice were less motivated for a sucrose reward compared with air-exposed control mice, while also demonstrating reduced responding during action-outcome testing. Overall, ethanol-treated mice demonstrated increased impulsive behavior, but a reduced motivation for a sucrose reward. Although waiting impulsivity has been hypothesized to be a trait or risk factor for AUD, our findings indicate that maladaptive impulse control can also be potentiated or induced by continuous chronic ethanol exposure in mice.

Dopamine and Gambling Disorder: Prospects for Personalized Treatment.

To address variation in the severity of gambling disorder, this review evaluates the contribution of mesocorticolimbic dopamine neurons to potential behavioral endophenotypes, the influence of individual differences in the dopamine system on gambling and related behaviors, and the possible role for dopaminergic medications in the treatment of gambling disorder. Newer work has suggested that dopaminergic dysfunction can lead to increased reward anticipation and a greater sensitivity to uncertainty, which in turn may drive addictive gambling behaviors. In addition, increased impulsivity, a well-recognized risk factor for gambling disorder, has been linked to dopaminergic dysfunction. More recently, emerging evidence has suggested that dopaminergic medications can influence the discounting of delayed rewards. Dopaminergic drugs that increase the salience of long-term over short-term goals may ameliorate symptoms of impulsive individuals with gambling disorder. More broadly, improved understanding of intermediate behavioral and other phenotypes with a defined neurobiological substrate may allow for personalized treatment of gambling disorder and other psychiatric conditions.

Interoceptive accuracy predicts nonplanning trait impulsivity.

Influential theories concerning personality argue that many impulsive individuals show physiological underarousal at rest. This interoceptive state is proposed to be egodystonic, motivating impulsive maladaptive actions to enhance arousal. However, there is little empirical research on this matter. The current study tested the relationship between physiological markers of arousal, measures of interoceptive (in)sensitivity, and trait impulsivity in a nonclinical sample of young adults. Experiment 1 investigated whether individuals (N=31) with high trait impulsivity show decreased resting measures of arousal (indexed from heart rate, heart rate variability, and sympathetic electrodermal activity). Experiment 2 assessed whether trait impulsivity is linked to interoceptive abilities (N=60). Overall, our results do not provide any compelling support for the underarousal theory of impulsivity. However, impaired interoceptive (cardiac discrimination) accuracy predicted the degree of Barratt nonplanning impulsivity, such that individuals with a better ability to distinguish between internal (bodily) and external signals manifest lower levels of nonplanning trait impulsivity. These findings open an avenue for potential novel interventions aimed at improving planning abilities via better interoceptive discrimination.

The Degree of Modulation of Beta Band Activity During Motor Planning Is Related to Trait Impulsivity.

Impulsivity is a prominent personality trait, and a key modulating component of neurologic and psychiatric disorders. How impulsivity is related to the brain mechanisms associated with action planning is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the relation between impulsivity and the modulation of beta band oscillatory activity associated with action planning and execution. Given that beta power decreases during action planning and decreases further during action execution, we hypothesized that during planning the level of beta band power of more impulsive individuals would be closer to the level reached during execution than that of less impulsive individuals. This could explain the tendency to “jump the gun” (commission errors) in high impulsivity. To test this hypothesis, we recruited healthy volunteers (50 participants analyzed) and used the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale questionnaire to evaluate their impulsivity as high or low. We then recorded their brain neuromagnetic signals while they performed an instructed-delay task that induced different levels of action planning by varying the number of spatial cues, hence the uncertainty, about the location of the upcoming target. During the early cue period of the task, we found a posterior (source localized in the occipito-parietal areas) and a left fronto-central group of channels (source localized in the left sensorimotor areas) where beta power was modulated by number of cues, whereas during the late cue period only the left fronto-central group was modulated. We found that the decrease of relative beta band power during action planning in the left fronto-central group of channels was more pronounced in the high impulsivity group than in the low impulsivity group. In addition, we found that the beta band-mediated functional connectivity between the posterior and the left fronto-central groups of channels was weaker in the high impulsivity group than in the low impulsivity group during the early cue period. Furthermore, high impulsives made more commission and movement errors in the task than low impulsives. These results reveal neural mechanisms through which impulsivity affects action planning and open the way for further study of the role of beta band activity in impulsivity, especially in the context of disease and therapeutics.

Does Self-Reported or Behavioral Impulsivity Predict Subjective Response to Low-Dose Alcohol?

Subjective response to alcohol and impulsivity are both independent predictors of alcohol use and may be related risk factors for alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Recent findings suggest that more impulsive individuals may experience higher risk subjective response patterns at moderate-to-high doses of alcohol. However, whether these relationships are observable early in a drinking occasion remains an open question. This study examined multiple measures of impulsivity in relation to subjective response following low-dose alcohol. Eighty-seven non-treatment-seeking heavy drinkers were enrolled in a placebo-controlled alcohol administration study testing the effects of NMDA receptor antagonist, Memantine. Baseline impulsivity assessments included the Cued Go/No-Go Task, Experiential Discounting Task, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Version 11 (BIS-11). Following consumption of low-dose alcohol aimed to increase blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.03%, subjective stimulation and sedation were measured using the Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale. Models were tested to relate impulsivity measures to subjective response with a post hoc exploratory model exploring boredom as an alternate predictor. Increases in stimulation and sedation were observed following low-dose alcohol, but were not predicted significantly by impulsivity measures. Although greater impulsivity on the BIS-11 was a trend-level predictor of increased sedation, post hoc analyses suggested these results were an artifact of boredom. Although impulsivity did not predict subjective response to low-dose alcohol, the results suggest that small amounts of alcohol can produce a range of subjective effects, even among heavy drinkers. Future studies would benefit by examining subjective response across a range of BACs among both light and heavy drinkers.