Emotional Impulsivity and the Relationship between Impulsive Choice and Impulsive Action
Abstract
The standard definition of impulsivity implies that impulsive individuals demonstrate abnormal reward processing (i.e., impulsive choice, IC) and a penchant for immediate and maladaptive action (i.e., impulsive action, IA). Although IC and IA rarely correlate, both impulsive choice and impulsive action are strongly influenced by emotions. Several studies to date implicate that an individual’s impulsive choice and impulsive action levels depend on his/her susceptibility to the influence of emotions (emotional impulsivity, EI). However, we do not know exactly how emotional impulsivity exacerbates maladaptive actions (IA) and abnormal reward processing (IC). The traditional view suggests that the core deficit of emotional impulsivity is a predisposition for impulsive action. The alternative view postulates that the core deficit for emotional impulsivity is the inability to focus and maintain attention, i.e., attentional impulsivity.
Both of these theories are largely based on the findings in clinical populations; in the normal population, the evidence does not favor either of these positions. A possible remedy for this problem is a more sensitive mouse-tracking technique that allows to monitor the subjects’ behavior continuously. Using this technique, I contrasted the traditional and the alternative view in two studies. In Study 1, participants completed stop-signal task and delay discounting tasks, as well as UPPS, BIS, and CAARS questionnaires. I investigated whether EI and impulsive choice can be predicted by impulsive action (suggesting the traditional view) or by attentional impulsivity (suggesting the alternative view). Study 1 showed that the model incorporating attentional impulsivity had a better fit and more significant relationships between AImp, IC, IA, and EI than the model incorporating impulsive action alone; these results imply that attentional impulsivity best predicts IC and IA.
Study 2 manipulated the participants’ affect as they were completing SST and DDT. Specifically, I examined how emotionally salient pictures change the relationship between attentional impulsivity and EI/IC/IA by 1) comparing performance in DDT and SST when emotional and neutral pictures are present; 2) analyzing what facets of emotional impulsivity moderate the relationship between IC and IA/AImp when participants are exposed to emotional and neutral pictures. The results show that 1) emotional stimuli primarily increase attentional impulsivity, but not IC or IA; 2) Emotional impulsivity moderates the relationship between impulsive choice and attentional impulsivity, but not between impulsive choice and impulsive action. In sum, the results are consistent with the view that inattention is the core deficit in emotional impulsivity.
Citation
Leontyev, Anton (2022). Emotional Impulsivity and the Relationship between Impulsive Choice and Impulsive Action. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /197945.