Impulsive Tendencies Research Articles

Impact of perceived ease of use on impulsive buying behaviour through mobile commerce with hedonic and utilitarian effects

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of perceived ease of use on mobile shoppers’ inclination to make impulsive purchases in the context of mobile commerce. The authors employ a technology acceptance model to examine how perceived ease of use affects the impulsive tendencies of smartphone users. Additionally, we utilise a motivation orientation framework to understand the moderating effect of utilitarian and hedonic values in the relationship between perceived ease of use and impulsive buying behaviour.Design/methodology/approachA self-administered online survey was conducted on 427 users of mobile commerce applications. Structural equation modelling was employed through SPSS AMOS 26 to analyse the collected data.FindingsAccording to the findings, perceived ease of use has a substantial negative connection with impulsive buying behaviour. This inverse relationship is interesting as it shows that user-friendliness alone may not be enough to drive spontaneous buying. However, hedonic and utilitarian values moderated the connection between perceived ease of use and impulsive buying behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s findings will help marketers, policymakers, organisations and academicians comprehend the significance of hedonic and utilitarian values in driving IBB and making rational decisions.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the technology acceptance model and motivation orientations by determining the crucial role of utilitarian-hedonic values in triggering impulsive purchases in the mobile commerce sector of a non-tech savvy developing country.

Mitigating overconsumption through mindfulness: the role of cashless payments in impulsive buying and sustainable consumer behaviour

ABSTRACT Cashless payments are becoming increasingly common and potentially cause relevant overconsumption issues, a key concern in Sustainable Development Goal 12 (United Nations 2015). This study explores the impact of this phenomenon and proposes measures to address it. Insights from 498 e-commerce shoppers analysed in SEM reveals a positive relationship between cashless payments and impulsive buying (β = 0.23). However, mindfulness significantly reduces impulsive tendencies (β = –0.55) and moderates the influence of cashless payments on impulsive behaviour. These findings contribute to consumer behaviour literature by highlighting how mindfulness can curb impulsive buying, thereby promoting sustainable consumption. The research provides actionable insights for policymakers and marketers aiming to foster responsible consumer practices in the digital age, aligning with global sustainability efforts.

Spanish Validation of the Brief Pornography Screen Within a Clinical Sample of Individuals with Gambling Disorder.

Problematic pornography use (PPU) shares characteristics with behavioral addictions, such as gambling disorder (GD), and PPU and GD may frequently co-occur. In order to fill existing gaps in screening instruments for PPU validated in GD, the study examined the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Brief Pornography Screen (BPS) within a clinical sample of individuals with GD. A total of 200 individuals seeking treatment for GD were consecutively recruited. The psychometric properties of the BPS were examined by performing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and testing for evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. The CFA supported a one-factor solution showing high internal consistency (α = 0.81). The BPS showed convergent validity and correlated with psychological distress, general psychopathology, impulsive tendencies, and low self-directedness. The BPS demonstrated adequate psychometric properties and is therefore recommended as a brief screening tool for identifying probable PPU in individuals seeking treatment for GD.

Loss of Control Eating in Adults With Impulsive and/or Inattentive Tendencies.

Previous research has tended to consider impulsive, inattentive, and loss of control eating (LOC) tendencies as symptoms of greater pathologies in treatment-seeking samples. However, inattentive and impulsive tendencies and LOC often co-occur. Although LOC is an important diagnostic component of disordered eating (ED), it has recently been argued to be a dysregulated eating behavior in its own right. The purpose of the current self-report study was, therefore, to investigate the association between impulsive and inattentive tendencies and LOC in adults after accounting for ED. A community sample of 516 adults was surveyed online about their inattentive and impulsive tendencies, LOC, and ED behaviors. A hierarchical multiple linear regression revealed ED, inattentive, and impulsive symptoms to be independent, significant, positive predictors of LOC. These findings suggest that the levels of inattentive and, to a lesser extent, impulsive tendencies are significantly associated with LOC in adults, even after ED is accounted for. Moreover, inattentive tendencies were found to be more significantly associated with LOC than impulsive tendencies. These are novel and important findings that can be used to inform both clinicians and individuals with inattentive and impulsive tendencies alike of this association. Considering the well-documented adverse health and wellbeing outcomes associated with LOC, future feasibility trials are needed aimed at treating this co-occurrence.

The role of impulsivity and binge eating in outpatients with overweight or obesity: an EEG temporal discounting study

BackgroundBinge eating (BE) is associated with a range of cognitive control deficits related to impulsivity, including lower response inhibition, preference for immediate gratification, and maladaptive decision-making. The aim was to investigate whether impulsivity and BE may interact with the decision process and underlying brain activity in outpatients with overweight or obesity who are starting a treatment to achieve weight loss.MethodsA sample of 26 treatment-seeking outpatients with overweight or obesity was evaluated for impulsivity, BE, and temporal discounting rates. Impulsivity was measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), according to which two groups were composed: high BIS and low BIS; BE was assessed with the eating disorders module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM5—Research Version, according to which two groups were composed: with (BE group) or without BE (NBE group). Changes in subjective value of rewards were measured with the Temporal Discounting Task (TDt) where participants had to choice between sooner but smaller vs. later but larger monetary rewards. These choices were made in two differently delayed conditions (“Now” and “Not-now”). Brain rhythms were recorded through high-density electroencephalogram (hd-EEG) during the TDt.ResultsPatients with BE reported more impulsive tendencies and perceived sooner rewards as more gratifying when both options were delayed (Not-now condition, p = 0.02). The reward choice in the TDt was accompanied by a general EEG alpha band desynchronization in parietal areas observed without differences between experimental conditions and patients groups. No effects were observed within the Now condition or in the other EEG bands.ConclusionsThe tendency to favor immediate rewards may constitute an obstacle to adhering to treatment plans and achieving weight loss goals for outpatients with overweight or obesity. Clinicians are therefore encouraged to include psychological factors, such as impulsivity and dysfunctional eating behaviors, when designing weight loss programs. By addressing these psychological aspects, clinicians can better support patients in overcoming barriers to adherence and achieving sustainable weight loss.Trial registrationThis study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial Sciences of the University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara (Prot. n. 254 of 03/14/2017).

A genetically informed study of digital screen time, video game play, and impulsivity in established adulthood

High levels of digital screen time are associated with heightened impulsivity, though the assumption that this relationship is causal has seldom been rigorously examined. Moreover, the nature of this association may vary across life stages. Adults in established adulthood (ages 30–45) often face increased career and family commitments, which may impact leisure activities and the relationship between screen time and impulsivity. This study examined the association between digital screen time, video game play, and facets of impulsivity (i.e., perseverance, premeditation, and urgency) in adults in established adulthood using a multi-method approach, including a genetically-informed co-twin design. By comparing within-twin pair differences in screen time and impulsivity, the co-twin approach controls for genetic and environmental confounding, providing a quasi-experimental design. The sample included 1289 participants (Mage = 33.46, %Female = 52.75%, Ntwins = 704) from the Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan behavioral development and cognitive aging (CATSLife). After controlling for adolescent impulsivity, phenotypic analysis found that digital screen time was positively associated with higher levels of urgency and lack of perseverance. Co-twin control analysis showed that the association between digital screen time and urgency persisted within twin pairs, suggesting that shared familial and genetic factors may not fully explain the relationship. Video game play did not show consistent associations with impulsivity. These findings suggest that the immediacy and rapid succession of stimuli in digital screen engagement could be associated with impulsive tendencies in established adulthood, independent of video game play. The study underscores the need for nuanced examination to understand the interplay between digital engagement and impulsivity in this unique life stage.

Causal computations of supplementary motor area on spatial impulsivity

Spatial proximity to important stimuli often induces impulsive behaviour. How we overcome impulsive tendencies is what determines behaviour to be adaptive. Here, we used virtual reality to investigate whether the spatial proximity of stimuli is causally related to the supplementary motor area (SMA) functions. In two experiments, we set out to investigate these processes using a virtual environment that recreates close and distant spaces to test the causal contributions of the SMA in spatial impulsivity. In an online first experiment (N = 93) we validated and measured the influence of distant stimuli using a go/no-go task with close (21 cm) or distant stimuli (360 cm). In experiment 2 (N = 28), we applied transcranial static magnetic stimulation (tSMS) over the SMA (double-blind, crossover, sham-controlled design) to test its computations in controlling impulsive tendencies towards close vs distant stimuli. Reaction times and error rates (omission and commission) were analysed. In addition, the EZ Model parameters (a, v, Ter and MDT) were computed. Close stimuli elicited faster responses compared to distant stimuli but also exhibited higher error rates, specifically in commission errors (experiment 1). Real stimulation over SMA slowed response latencies (experiment 2), an effect mediated by an increase in decision thresholds (a). Current findings suggest that impulsivity might be modulated by spatial proximity, resulting in accelerated actions that may lead to an increase of inaccurate responses to nearby objects. Our study also provides a first starting point on the role of the SMA in regulating spatial impulsivity.

Time on social networking sites is associated with impulsive decision-making

ABSTRACT Almost five billion individuals worldwide use social networking sites (SNSs) such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and X (formerly known as Twitter). The social rewards obtained on these sites induce users to spend substantial durations of time on them. However, current research demonstrates mixed findings on whether greater time on SNSs is related to riskier decision-making and impulsive tendencies. To address these findings, we conducted an online study (n = 225) to assess how time across four SNSs relates to impulsive decision-making in the delay discounting task. We included each trial as an individual choice in a regression model predicting preference for the immediate reward, for a total of 20,265 choices. Greater average time across all SNSs was related with a higher likelihood of choosing the immediate, but smaller, reward. In other words, people who spent more time on SNSs also made more impulsive decisions. When including individual platforms, greater time on Instagram and X, but not Facebook or Snapchat, was related with a higher likelihood of choosing the immediate reward. These findings help clarify prior literature on the relationship between platform specific SNS use and impulsive decision-making. We discuss limitations, directions for future research, and broader implications for the field.

Unraveling the core symptoms of mental health in senior grade three students- a network analysis.

Adolescence is not only an important transitional period of many developmental challenges, but also a high risk period for mental health problems. Psychotherapy is recommended for mental health problems in adolescents, but its effectiveness is not always satisfactory. One possible contributing factor may be the lack of clarity surrounding core symptoms. In this study, we investigated the mental health status of senior grade three students, a group of adolescents facing college entrance exams, by the Middle School Student Mental Health Test (MHT) and analyzed the core symptoms by network analysis. This study was conducted through an online survey platform (www.xiaodongai.com) from 15 February 2023 to 28 March 2024. The subjects scanned a QR code with their mobile phone to receive the questionnaire. The mean age of these 625 students were 18.11 ± 2.90 years. There are 238 male participants and 387 female participants. 107 individuals scored above 56 (107/461, 23.2%), with individual scale scores over 8 up to over 60% of participating students. Notably, the top three prominent symptoms were "academic anxiety", "allergic tendency" and "somatic symptoms". However, upon conducting network analysis, it became evident that three strongest edges in this network were "somatic symptoms" and "impulsive tendency", "academic anxiety" and "social anxiety" as well as "social anxiety" and "Loneliness tendency". "somatic symptoms", "social anxiety" and "self-blame tendency" exerted the highest expected influence. This suggests that, statistically speaking, these three symptoms exhibited the strongest interconnections within the network. Cross-sectional analysis; Bias in self-reported variables. These findings can deepen the knowledge of mental health among senior grade three students and provide some implications (i.e., targeting symptoms having highest expected influence) for clinical prevention and intervention to address the mental health needs of this particular group.

High peak drinking levels mediate the relation between impulsive personality and injury risk in emerging adults

BackgroundAlcohol-induced injury is one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality. We investigated the relationship between impulsive personality and physical injury (e.g. falls, sports), and whether peak drinking quantity specifically, and/or risky behaviour more generally, mediates the relationship between impulsivity and injury in undergraduates.MethodWe used data from the winter 2021 UniVenture survey with 1316 first- and second-year undergraduate students aged 18–25 years (79.5% female) from five Canadian Universities. Students completed an online survey regarding their demographics, personality, alcohol use, risky behaviours, and injury experiences. Impulsivity was measured with the substance use risk profile scale, past 30-day peak alcohol use with the quantity-frequency-peak Alcohol Use Index, general risky behaviour with the risky behaviour questionnaire, and past 6-month injury experience with the World Health Organization’s (2017) injury measurement questionnaire.ResultsOf 1316 total participants, 12.9% (n = 170) reported having sustained a physical injury in the past 6 months. Mean impulsivity, peak drinking quantity, and risky behaviour scores were significantly higher among those who reported vs. did not report injury. Impulsivity and peak drinking quantity, but not general risky behaviour, predicted injury in a multi-level generalized mixed model. Mediation analyses supported impulsivity as both a direct predictor of physical injury and an indirect predictor through increased peak drinking (both p < .05), but not through general risky behaviour.ConclusionResults imply emerging adults with impulsive tendencies should be identified for selective injury prevention programs and suggest targeting their heavy drinking to decrease their risk for physical injury.

Relationships between experimental task and questionnaire measures of reward/punishment sensitivity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): protocol for a scoping review

IntroductionOne of the purported underlying causal mechanisms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is altered motivational processes. Questionnaires have been used to identify the characteristics of reward and punishment sensitivity...

Effects of Mobile Financial Services’ Acceptance on Impulse Buying Behavior: A Study on Lifestyle and Fast Fashion Retailers

This study aims to analyze the facilitating role of mobile financial services’ acceptance on impulse buying behavior. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), researchers examined the impact of the mobile financial services (MFS) perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on the impulse buying tendency of customers. To achieve study’s objectives, data were collected through convenience sampling techniques from 210 respondents (aged 18 to 42) who has been using mobile financial services for buying lifestyle and fast fashion brands. The study collected data through an online questionnaire (N=210) in September 2023. This study used several descriptive statistics and Structure Equation Modeling (SEM) technique to analyze the data and test the hypothesis. The results suggest that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of mobile financial services have positive relationship and significant influence on customers’ impulsive tendency to purchase fast fashion brands. The study also found that the perceived usefulness factor of mobile financial services influences customers’ impulsive buying behavior than that of perceived ease of use. At length, this study provides a careful diagnosis of consumers’ psychology of impulsive buying behavior based on their acceptance of a payment gateway.

Privacy concerns and social desirability bias

Privacy concerns may influence many choices consumers make. However, their expressed concerns are sometimes inconsistent with their information-sharing and privacy-protecting behaviors. Many theories have been proposed to explain the paradoxical gap between privacy attitudes and behaviors. Part of the privacy paradox may be explained with two measures that have received limited consideration: impulsiveness and social desirability bias (SDB). Surveys of US adults in 2015 and 2022 included questions to measure several types of privacy concerns along with impulsive tendencies and SDB (N = 2729). Age, education, gender, race, income, and impulsive tendencies were linked with some privacy concerns. If people with above-average concerns also disclose personal information on impulse, it might explain part of the paradox. Large coefficients on the SDB measure suggest that individuals who adjust their responses to be consistent with social norms may also overstate specific privacy concerns. For these individuals, their high expressed concerns may be inconsistent with their privacy behaviors. When researchers try to explain consumer attitudes or actions that involve privacy, multiple privacy concern dimensions should be considered and demographics, impulsive tendencies, and SDB should be included in the models.

Sex-specific impulsivity, but not other facets of executive function, predicts fat and sugar intake two-years later amongst adolescents with a healthy weight: Findings from the ABCD study

During adolescence, processes that control food intake (executive functions [EF]) undergo extensive refinement; underlying differences in EF may explain the inability to resist overeating unhealthy foods. Yet, overeating fat and sugar also causes changes to EF and cognition but disentangling these relationships has been difficult, as previous studies included youth with obesity. Here, amongst youth initially of a healthy weight, we evaluate whether 1) sex-specific underlying variation in EF/cognition at 9/10-years-old predict fat/sugar two-years later (Y2) and 2) if these relationships are moderated by body mass index (BMI), using linear mixed effects models (controlled for puberty, caregiver education; random effect: study site). Data were leveraged from Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (n = 2987; 50.4% male; 15.4% Latino/a/x; 100% healthy weight at baseline; 12.4% overweight/obese by Y2, data release 4.0). EF and cognition (e.g., inhibition, cognition, motor, memory, impulsivity) were assessed with the NIH toolbox, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Task, Little Man Task, the BIS/BAS, and UPPS-P. A saturated fat/added sugar (kcals) composite score was extracted from the validated Kids Food Block Screener. For males, greater baseline impulsivity (e.g., Positive Urgency, Lack of Planning and Perseverance) and reward (e.g., Fun seeking, Drive) was related to greater Y2 intake. For both sexes, greater baseline Negative Urgency and higher BMI was related to greater Y2 intake. No other relationships were observed. Our findings highlight a phenotype that may be more at risk for weight gain due to overconsumption of fat/sugar. Thus, prevention efforts may wish to focus on impulsive tendencies for these foods.

The Effect of Death Anxiety on Hedonistic and Utilitarian Consumer Behaviours During the Covid-19 Pandemic

The aim of the research is to determine how the death anxiety felt by individuals during the Covid-19 process affects hedonic consumption and utilitarian consumption.. The original aspect of this research is that it covers the period of the Covid-19 epidemic processively and includes psychology,socioalology,religion and marketing of sciences. Death anxiety, which has been widely reported to have an effect on consumer behavior in the literature, has generally been interpreted later or examined retrospectively in disaster studies. This research was carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic process. Although there are many studies in the literature affecting utilitarian and hedonic consumption, it is thought that its contribution to the literature is to focus on the effect of death anxiety. E-survey with Google forms was used as the research method. Three different measurement tools were used for the data, namely “Hedonistic Consumption Scale”, “Utilitarian Consumption Scale”, and “Death Anxiety Scale” with demographic variables. In the research, an electronic questionnaire was applied to 403 people in the 18-64 age group residing in Istanbul using the "Snowball Sampling Method" and the data obtained were analyzed and interpreted with licensed SPSS 24 and AMOS 27 statistical programs. According to the results of the structural equation modeling used in the research, the 1st dimension of death anxiety affects (Uncertainty of Death) the 5 dimensions of hedonic consumption( hedonic effect, hedonic adaptation, passiveness, impulsive tendency and the reflection of identity) negatively, and the 2nd dimension affects(Thinking of and Witnessing Death) the 5 dimensions of hedonic consumption (hedonic effect, hedonic adaptation, passiveness, impulsive tendency and the reflection of identity) in a positive way. On the other hand, while the 1st dimension of death anxiety (Uncertainty of Death) is ineffective in 2 dimensions of utilitarian consumption(goal orientation and control orientation), the 2nd dimension( Thinking of and Witnessing Death) negatively affects 2 dimensions of utilitarian consumption (goal orientation and control orientation).

The age-varying effects of adolescent stress on impulsivity and sensation seeking.

Adolescence is defined in part by heightened exposure and sensitivity to stressors. In a longitudinal cohort of youth at risk for substance use problems, we examined the age-varying relationship between stress exposure and traits that are central to the dual systems model. The positive associations between stress exposure, impulsivity, sensation seeking varied as function of age. Specifically, the influence of stress exposure on impulsivity strengthened during early adolescence and remained stable into early adulthood, while the influence of stress exposure on sensation seeking strengthened from early- to mid-adolescence and weakened thereafter. These findings suggest that the maturational imbalance between the capacity to regulate impulsive tendencies and sensation seeking may be exaggerated for youth who are exposed to a high number of stressors.

Hedonic Conformity and Impulsive Tendencies towards Consumptive Behavior in Central Ternate City Community Mediated by Consumptive Lifestyle

This research explores the relationship between hedonic conformity, impulsive tendencies, consumptive lifestyle, and consumptive behavior among individuals in Central Ternate. The sample for this study was selected using Purposive Sampling, and data was collected through observation, interviews, and questionnaires. The Partial Least Square (PLS) approach was used for data analysis. The study's findings indicate that hedonic conformity and impulsive tendencies have a significant and positive impact on consumptive behavior. Additionally, the study supports the idea that the consumptive lifestyle variable can mediate the relationship between hedonic conformity and consumptive behavior. However, the study does not find evidence to support the idea that the consumptive lifestyle variable can mediate the relationship between impulsive tendencies and consumptive behavior. Overall, this research provides insight into the factors that contribute to consumptive behavior among individuals in Central Ternate.

FACTORS INFLUENCE IMPULSIVE BUYING BEHAVIOR

Impulse buying is an unplanned purchase made during the purchasing process due to internal or external triggers. For nearly 100 years, researchers have been interested in studying impulse buying behavior and have attempted to explain the significance of impulse purchase behavior in recent years. Only few researchers have examined the internal and external determinants of impulsive buying together. This article seeks to comprehend the internal and external elements influencing customers impulse buying behavior in Mongolia.Through the study, the following findings are achieved. The results show that enjoyment tendency, impulsive tendency, store crowding, and peers and family members significantly influence consumers impulsive buying behavior. However, the store environment, promotion, and hedonism did not considerably influence impulsive buying behavior.

FORENSIC NEUROFEEDBACK AND PREFRONTAL WORKOUT, A SURVEY

IntroductionThe logic behind the neuropsychological rehabilitation of the impulsive criminal is to treat the behavioral manifestations of these individuals as the product of a real pre-frontal syndrome, capable of causing deficits in the planning of behavior, in self-regulation, in the inhibition of impulsiveness and more generally in social and interpersonal skills. With the term prefrontal workout, literally “prefrontal workout” Eagleman (2011) refers to a real form of rehabilitation intended for subjects characterized by strong impulsive tendencies. Neurofeedback is used in prefrontal training. This technique mainly uses electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as indicators of brain function.ObjectivesThe premise of prefrontal training is that through rehabilitation, and therefore repeated practice, the frontal areas of our brain can be trained in order to improve the “control” of subcortical circuits and limbic areas responsible for impulsive and potentially destructive behavioral forces. Although this rehabilitation proposal does not specifically concern deviant individuals, it is intended for subjects with impulsive tendencies and difficulty in repressing a stimulus-seeking behavior, skills that fall within the category of frontal functions.MethodsIt is possible that similar strategies can also be used effectively against deviant individuals, working to improve their ability to inhibit a behavioral tendency and reinforcing everything with real-time feedback. There is a very high incidence of attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder and related symptoms among people convicted of crimes, and a great many criminal acts involve impulsive behavior or loss of emotional control such as anger. Better control of behavior and emotions are among the most commonly reported outcomes of neurotherapeutic treatment.ResultsResearch and clinical experience also demonstrate the positive effects of neurofeedback with alcohol and drug abuse and depression, both common accompaniments of criminal behavior ( Fielenbach S. 2019; Margarita R. 2016; Konicar L. 2015).ConclusionsCertainly, research in this field is at a preliminary stage, and the limitations of these techniques are numerous. There are, for example, several doubts about which is the best strategy for the patient to use to control mental activity and inhibit, for example, the search for the substance to which one is addicted. Although promising, the literature highlights sometimes conflicting results: in this regard, see the meta-analysis by Cortese and colleagues (2016) and the document published by Youcha and colleagues (2008).Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Linking Impulsivity to Activity Levels in Pre-Supplementary Motor Area during Sequential Gambling.

Impulsivity refers to the tendency to act prematurely or without forethought, and excessive impulsivity is a key problem in many neuropsychiatric disorders. Since the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) has been implicated in inhibitory control, this region may also contribute to impulsivity. Here, we examined whether functional recruitment of pre-SMA may contribute to risky choice behavior (state impulsivity) during sequential gambling and its relation to self-reported trait impulsivity. To this end, we performed task-based functional MRI (fMRI) after low-frequency (1 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the pre-SMA. We expected low-frequency rTMS to modulate task-related engagement of the pre-SMA and, hereby, tune the tendency to make risky choices. Twenty-four healthy volunteers (12 females; age range, 19-52 years) received real or sham-rTMS on separate days in counterbalanced order. Thereafter, participants performed a sequential gambling task with concurrently increasing stakes and risk during whole-brain fMRI. In the sham-rTMS session, self-reported trait impulsivity scaled positively with state impulsivity (riskier choice behavior) during gambling. The higher the trait impulsivity, the lower was the task-related increase in pre-SMA activity with increasingly risky choices. Following real-rTMS, low-impulsivity participants increased their preference for risky choices, while the opposite was true for high-impulsivity participants, resulting in an overall decoupling of trait impulsivity and state impulsivity during gambling. This rTMS-induced behavioral shift was mirrored in the rTMS-induced change in pre-SMA activation. These results provide converging evidence for a causal link between the level of task-related pre-SMA activity and the propensity for impulsive risk-taking behavior in the context of sequential gambling.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Impulsivity is a personal trait characterized by a tendency to act prematurely or without forethought, and excessive impulsivity is a key problem in many neuropsychiatric disorders. Here we provide evidence that the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) is causally involved in implementing general impulsive tendencies (trait impulsivity) into actual behavior (state impulsivity). Participants' self-reported impulsivity levels (trait impulsivity) were reflected in their choice behavior (state impulsivity) when involved in a sequential gambling task. This relationship was uncoupled after perturbing the pre-SMA with repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS). This effect was contingent on trait impulsivity and was echoed in rTMS-induced changes in pre-SMA activity. Pre-SMA is key in translating trait impulsivity into behavior, possibly by integrating prefrontal goals with corticostriatal motor control.