Impulsivity

Abstract

Although impulsivity and aggression are frequently co-occurring elements of psychopathology, the relationship between these behavioral dimensions is not fully understood. In fact, the construct of impulsivity alone continues to remain somewhat ambiguous as many researchers continue to devise, and continually revise, often discrepant theoretical and etiological models of the trait. Reflecting this discontinuity, existing impulsivity instruments generally correlate poorly with one another, especially across modalities of assessment.While numerous research studies have offered some insight into the conceptualization of the construct, there are many disparate findings. A review of the theoretical models and research follows, with an emphasis on furthering the understanding of the construct and offering direction for future investigation. Following this review, research relevant to the relationship between the constructs of anger and impulsivity is presented.