This video answers the question: What is impulsivity? Impulsivity is an interesting construct - it's associated with a number of diagnostic classifications (mental disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual). Some of these mental disorders have impulsivity directly as a symptom and for others impulsivity is really just more of an associated characteristic. We see that with clinical and non-clinical populations - so individuals who have mental disorders and are being treated and individuals who don't - impulsivity has a negative impact on social adjustment, work, school success as well as physical and mental health. We know that impulsivity increases the risk of engaging a lot of behaviors that are considered problematic in our society: gambling, risky sex, substance use, suicidal behavior, binge eating, aggression, and violence.

There is single definition for impulsivity, but rather we see a number of terms associated with impulsivity like lack of forethought, risk-taking, inattention, lack of control, failing to plan, excitement seeking, novelty seeking, and quick decision-making.

One popular way of understanding impulsivity is the four-factor model called the UPPS model. This acronym stands for urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation-seeking.


Berg, J. M., Latzman, R. D., Bliwise, N. G., & Lilienfeld, S. O. (2015). Parsing the heterogeneity of impulsivity: A meta-analytic review of the behavioral implications of the UPPS for psychopathology. Psychological Assessment, 27(4), 1129–1146.

Gagnon, J., Daelman, S., McDuff, P., & Kocka, A. (2013). UPPS dimensions of impulsivity: Relationships with cognitive distortions and childhood maltreatment. Journal of Individual Differences, 34(1), 48–55.

Miller, D. J., Derefinko, K. J., Lynam, D. R., Milich, R., & Fillmore, M. T. (2010). Impulsivity and Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder: Subtype Classification Using the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Journal of Psychopathology & Behavioral Assessment, 32(3), 323–332.

Few, L. R., Lynam, D. R., & Miller, J. D. (2015). Impulsivity-related traits and their relation to DSM–5 section II and III personality disorders. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 6(3), 261–266.

Lootens, C. M., Robertson, C. D., Mitchell, J. T., Kimbrel, N. A., Hundt, N. E., & Nelson-Gray, R. O. (2017). Factors of impulsivity and Cluster B personality dimensions. Journal of Individual Differences, 38(4), 203–210.