Impulsivity: causes of impulsive behavior. What is an impulsive person

Erofeevskaya Natalya

We are all different people: some take it for granted and comfortable to weigh each life step repeatedly, others are able to make serious, life-defining decisions on the fly. In a wide range of bright human character traits, impulsivity stands out - this is the attraction of a particular person to quick and thoughtless actions, when only their own motives, emotions, circumstances and people nearby are taken as the basis.

Surely everyone in their own environment has met such a person: he does not think about his actions, speech, decisions, instantly reacts to the circumstances and actions of other people, but this haste often makes him repent of his own behavior. Impulsivity is typical for children - preschoolers or children of primary school age cannot yet give an adequate assessment of their actions, and therefore do not bother much about their reflection. For adolescents, impulsivity can be a consequence of increased emotional and hormonal excitability. The impulsivity of adults is manifested in neurosis, overwork, a state of passion and in some diseases.

Impulsivity is different and, depending on the degree of manifestation, it can cause slight inconvenience to its owner or become a real problem in his life and environment. Impulsive behavior ranges from mild dissatisfaction, quick decisions and a quick return of self-control to painful impulsive manifestations:

kleptomania (craving to steal);
gambling addiction (attraction to gambling);
fetishism and other manifestations of impulsive sexual behavior;
anorexia or, conversely, overeating, etc.

impulsive person

Weigh all the pros and cons? - No, this is not about an impulsive person. And even a fleeting reflection on his actions is beyond his control, and it is this factor that distinguishes an impulsive person from a decisive person. In both cases, there is a quick and energetic reaction, but for impulsive people it is more likely with a minus sign than a plus - just as quickly as they do, they repent of their rash and inappropriate actions.

How to understand that you are an impulsive person? There are several signs that determine the manifestations and tendency to impulsivity:

things and people that were previously invisible in the environment begin to annoy;
emerging neurosis, stress, inability to cope with their own excited psychological state;
“Start up with half a turn” is now not a problem at all;
- from melancholy to unreasonable aggression;
after the successful manifestation of a rash act or actions caused by impulsiveness, a person feels satisfied.

If impulsivity begins to create serious problems that a person cannot cope with on his own, it is recommended to seek specialized help. Psychologists and psychotherapists will be able to professionally assess the patient's condition, and questionnaires and tests will specify the problem. Impulsiveness that subjugates a person must certainly be fought: this will align relations with others and improve the quality of a person’s life. In case of serious problems and in accordance with the reasons that caused impulsivity, medical specialists will recommend an individual (under the personal characteristics of the patient) method of treatment.

Female impulsiveness

If you look at gender, then women are generally much more impulsive and this is understandable: emotional, without sufficient conscious control, they are driven by their own motives without logical planning for consequences. This does not apply to every girl or woman: some sensible ladies, when buying a fiftieth blouse, try on another twenty, and, for example, their own baby in a stroller adds a sense of responsibility to a woman, forcing mommy to work on herself.

Women are more emotional beings than men, and therefore more susceptible to the psycho-emotional state, which is impulsiveness. For women, and for any other person, impulsivity can create considerable problems at work, in close relationships, in raising children - negative impulsivity requires "letting off steam", and therefore an impulsive person (regardless of gender) is recommended to understand himself, understand the reasons the emergence of this state and learn to master it.

How to get rid of impulsivity?

If you do not pay attention to the first signs of impulsiveness in time, it will quickly develop into a persistent character trait and become a stumbling block in relations with other people - because they are not interested in the reasons, they see only their unpleasant manifestation. What to do with impulsivity and how to get rid of it? We offer simple methods:

Relieve nervous tension and fight stress: meditation, SPA treatments and massage, pleasant hobbies, sports and swimming, even shopping - everything that will return the emotional state to its previous course and will not allow the genie of impulsiveness to break out.
It is recommended to set specific achievable goals for deadlines: do you need repairs in your apartment, but there is no money? - repair the apartment gradually; no time to go with the child to the water park? - a walk in the nearest park on skis will be a good alternative; "Got" relatives and friends? - Turn off your phone after 21:00 and enjoy a book.

3. Impulsivity can manifest itself due to a banal lack of time: endless requests from relatives, demands from superiors, children demanding attention - where can you find the necessary time for all this? And now even an efficient woman turns into a twitchy monkey, who has no time even to look at herself in the mirror. When is it time to sit down and calmly think about pressing matters? In this case, healthy selfishness will help:

relatives can be calmly explained that they themselves are able to choose a new dog leash in the store;
you can’t argue much with the authorities, but an adequate superior person will listen to healthy arguments and take note;
you can’t push children aside, but for them there will certainly be an interesting activity that can occupy children’s brains and hands for at least a couple of hours.

4. and impulsiveness - concepts to some extent peacefully coexist exactly until the moment when the latter develops into irascibility and hysteria. Psychologists in such cases recommend starting from the root causes (lack of attention and sex, fear of losing such a loved one, etc.) and talking with a partner about problems in a relationship.

5. Find the causative agent of the problem that causes this state: it certainly exists, and when it is eliminated, the emotional background will become calmer and more balanced, and the rationality of thought and action will not be long in coming.

In any case, it should be remembered: impulsivity is not a disease with a critical diagnosis, but an emotional and mental state of a person, which, under the influence of circumstances and environment, can occur in everyone. Impulsivity, depending on the situation, becomes a defense or turns into an attack and aggression. It suddenly appears, and just as suddenly leaves. She is easily provoked, but subject to control in the case of working on her own behavior.

March 25, 2014

Impulsivity A factor related to temperament and manifested by actions that are performed unexpectedly and inappropriately to the circumstances.

Brief explanatory psychological and psychiatric dictionary. Ed. igisheva. 2008 .

Impulsiveness

A character trait expressed in a tendency to act without sufficient conscious control, under the influence of external circumstances or emotional experiences. As an age feature, it manifests itself mainly in children of the age of preschool and school younger, which is due to the insufficient development of control over behavior. With normal development, this form of impulsivity is quite successfully corrected:

1 ) in joint games of children, where the implementation of role-playing rules requires restraint of immediate motives and consideration of the interests of other players;

2 ) somewhat later - in educational activities.

Upon reaching the age of adolescence, impulsivity can again manifest itself as an age-related feature associated with an increase in emotional excitability at this age. To diagnose impulsivity, special tests and questionnaires are used, for example, the impulsiveness questionnaire of S. and X. Aizenkov.

Dictionary of practical psychologist. - M.: AST, Harvest. S. Yu. Golovin. 1998 .

Impulsiveness Etymology.

Comes from lat. impulsus - push.

Category.

Trait.

Specificity.

The tendency to act without sufficient conscious control, under the influence of external circumstances or due to emotional experiences.

Genesis.

As an age feature, impulsivity manifests itself mainly in children of preschool and primary school age, which is due to the insufficient formation of the function of controlling behavior. With normal development, this form of impulsivity is corrected quite optimally in the joint games of children, in which the fulfillment of role-playing rules requires restraining one's immediate motives and taking into account the interests of other players, as well as somewhat later in educational activities. Upon reaching adolescence, impulsivity can again manifest itself as an age-related feature, already associated with an increase in emotional excitability at this age.

Diagnostics.

To diagnose impulsivity, special tests and questionnaires are used, for example, Kagan's Matching Familiar Figure Test and H. Eysenck's impulsiveness questionnaire.

Psychological Dictionary. THEM. Kondakov. 2000 .

IMPULSIVENESS

(English) impulsivity; from lat. impulsio- push; in a figurative sense - motivation, reason) - a feature of human behavior (in stable forms - a character trait), consisting in inclinations act on the first impulse, under the influence of external circumstances or emotions. An impulsive person does not think about his deeds, does not weigh all the pros and cons, he reacts quickly and directly and often just as quickly repents of his actions. It should be distinguished from I., which also involves a quick and energetic reaction, but is associated with thinking about the situation and making the most appropriate and informed decisions. I. is predominantly characteristic of preschool children and partly primary school age due to the weakness of control over one's behavior inherent in this age. Joint games preschoolers, requiring restraint of immediate impulses, obedience to the rules of the game, taking into account the interests of other players, contribute to overcoming I. In the future, an even greater role in this regard is played by . In adolescents, I. is often the result of increased emotional excitability, characteristic of this age. In older schoolchildren and adults, I. is observed with great fatigue, affect, or some diseases of n. with. Cm. .

Added ed.: 1. I. together with an antonymous term "reflexivity" denotes one of the intended dimensions of a complex construct "cognitive style". A number of tests and questionnaires have been developed to identify and measure I., in particular Matching familiar figure test Kagan and the questionnaire of impulsivity S. and G. Aizenkov. When performing the Kagan test, subjects are classified according to the speed and accuracy of answers into 4 categories: solving problems slowly and accurately are classified as “reflexive”; quickly and inaccurately - "impulsive"; other options (fast-accurate and slow-inaccurate) form the poles of the characteristic, which is called "efficiency".

2. Recently, another meaning of I. (and impulsive behavior) has appeared - the preference for less valuable, but closer in time to the onset (less delayed) reinforcements: "better a titmouse in the hands than a crane in the sky." Against. the choice (of a more delayed, but also more valuable reward) is characterized by the term "self-control". Studies of these behaviors are being conducted in animals and humans. This value can be denoted by the term "motivational I." (not to be confused with the "operational I." described above). (B. M.)

Big psychological dictionary. - M.: Prime-EVROZNAK. Ed. B.G. Meshcheryakova, acad. V.P. Zinchenko. 2003 .

Impulsiveness

IMPULSIVENESS (with. 261)

Self-control is not just an important dignity of the individual, but also, in essence, a necessary condition for a normal life and communication. Not only does a person who does not control himself not cause sympathy among others; due to insufficient self-control, he sometimes finds himself in awkward and unpleasant situations. And vice versa: the one who knows how to balance his motives with the requirements of the situation and social norms achieves great success on the path of life and deserves universal respect.

Parents, of course, would like their child to take the second path and learn to control himself. Everyone knows from personal experience that it is not always wise or helpful to give in to a sudden impulse. No one wants his child to become a slave to his moods. We strive to instill in the child the skills of sober and balanced behavior from an early age, appealing to his reason and common sense. Alas, this almost never succeeds to the extent that one would like. Children often behave impulsively and spontaneously, in no way agreeing to measure seven times, then cut off. This is especially true for preschoolers. But schoolchildren sometimes upset parents and teachers with unreasonable, hasty actions. In fact, this is a common misfortune that infuriates many adults (after all, it is precisely children's impulsiveness that often underlies what is commonly regarded as whims, disobedience, etc.). Can and should any action be taken in this regard? If so, which ones?

To begin with, let's try to imagine the psychological mechanism of self-control. This is one of those abilities that significantly distinguishes man from animals and allows him to rightfully occupy the highest step in the evolutionary hierarchy. The behavior of animals is dictated mainly by the simplest motives. Only at sufficiently high stages of evolution does the ability to more or less arbitrarily regulate one's actions appear.

Such an experiment is indicative. A hungry animal (chicken) was placed in front of a transparent barrier in the form of an L-shaped plexiglass wall. Food bait was placed behind the wall. Seeing her, the chicken rushed ahead, ran into an obstacle, but again and again made unsuccessful attempts to reach the goal. Animals at a higher level of organization (dogs) quickly found a way around the obstacle. True, the device of the barrier forced for a short time to turn his back on the bait and let it out of sight. Only sufficiently highly organized animals were capable of this.

The experience described is a clear, albeit very simplified, illustration of the mechanism of voluntary regulation of behavior. A spontaneous impulse pushes forward towards the goal, although it often becomes immediately clear that such a straightforward goal cannot be achieved, and one can hurt oneself (sometimes this is known in advance). Only by partially subduing the impulse that has arisen and even temporarily “turning away” from the goal, one can find a roundabout, but acceptable and reliable way. The ability to do this does not appear immediately both on the evolutionary ladder and in the individual development of the child. The infant simply does not know any other regulators of behavior than his own needs. Only with time does the world open up to him in all its diversity and complexity, which he gradually begins to take into account.

No one will argue that the psychological world of a child is different from the world of an adult. Before mastering the skills of conscious behavior, the child must go through a certain path. And we, adults, in each individual case need to be aware of which part of this path the child is on. Parents sometimes rush things and believe that if the baby has learned to hold a spoon and lace up his shoes like an adult, then he should behave “correctly” in the rest. And a small child simply does not know how to do this yet. And it is impossible to force him, you can only teach, and gradually, in proportion to the rhythm of his steps along the path of life.

There are objective, purely natural factors that do not allow demanding complete arbitrariness of behavior from a small child. In the first six or seven years of life, the process of active formation of the central nervous system is carried out (it continues in subsequent years, but less pronounced and active). In early and preschool age, nervous excitation noticeably predominates over inhibition in the brain; their known balance is reached only by about seven or eight years. In other words, the child has not yet formed the psycho-physiological mechanism that would allow the suppression and regulation of spontaneously arising impulses. Therefore, parents who demand complete self-control from a preschooler must realize that they want the impossible. It is possible, of course, to train the child harshly in such a way that constant looking back at punishment will become a regulatory brake. But parents who sincerely love their children will never agree to follow this path.

The absence of arbitrary regulation of behavior, which is so annoying in an adult, at a certain stage of a child's development, is his natural age feature. And this feature, whether we like it or not, has to be reckoned with. The forceful planting of "rational" behavior is not only futile, but also fraught with the emergence of serious emotional and behavioral problems.

Thus, in the first years of a child's life, his impulsiveness is natural and practically cannot be corrected.

Does this mean that parents can sit idly by, waiting for their child to grow into conscious discipline by a certain date? No, this is, of course, a primitive and incorrect simplification. If we refuse to influence the child (if at all possible), we will never get conscious and sober behavior. Having not acquired the habit of controlling himself, a person can remain an empty float all his life, aimlessly rushing about in the whirlpool of life. How can he acquire the necessary skills?

Adults should be aware that a small child is not yet fully capable of arbitrarily regulating his behavior. Therefore, the functions of the regulator initially belong to an adult, in the first months of life - entirely. As the child develops, the adult has the right to expect a gradual redistribution of responsibilities. But it is worth repeating: these expectations should not be hasty and excessive. The formation of voluntary regulation of behavior is a gradual process, and one must be patient to follow its pace. It is useless to try to speed it up. However, it is unacceptable to let the process take its course: nothing will come of it just like that. Influence on the child does not consist in deciding everything for him, and not in prematurely demanding his own personal responsibility from him. Directing the steps of the child, the adult gradually shifts the burden of responsibility onto him (after all, the baby cannot immediately master the fullness of such a load!). The main thing in this process is the gradual formation of the ability to measure one's motives and the likely results, actions and consequences. In each specific situation, adults should encourage the correct steps of the child, over and over again letting him understand the need to take into account different conditions, rules and circumstances. Any other path leads in a different, alas, undesirable direction.

Popular psychological encyclopedia. - M.: Eksmo. S.S. Stepanov. 2005 .

Synonyms:

See what "impulsivity" is in other dictionaries:

Impulsiveness- a character trait, expressed in a tendency to act without sufficient conscious control, under the influence of external circumstances or due to emotional experiences. As an age-related feature, impulsivity manifests itself predominantly ... Psychological Dictionary

impulsiveness- impulsiveness, nervousness, sharpness, involuntariness Dictionary of Russian synonyms. impulsiveness noun, number of synonyms: 5 explosive character (1) ... Synonym dictionary

IMPULSIVENESS- IMPULSITY, impulsiveness, pl. no, female (book). distraction noun to impulsive. Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

impulsiveness- IMPULSIVE, oh, oh; veins, vna (book). Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

IMPULSIVENESS- (from lat. im.pu.l sivus prompted) eng. impulsivity; German Impulsive. A character trait that manifests itself in restraint, a tendency to act on the first impulse. I. may be the result of a lack of self-control, age characteristics and ... ... Encyclopedia of Sociology

Impulsivity in psychology is considered as a predisposition to a spontaneous, lightning-fast reaction to any external or internal stimuli without taking into account the possible consequences. Within the framework of this concept, they speak of impulsive behavior, when a person acts thoughtlessly, but subsequently often repents of his deed or, conversely, further aggravates the situation. This feature of character can manifest itself both in childhood and in adulthood due to increased emotional excitability, overwork, emotional overstrain, as well as some diseases.

Such qualities as impulsiveness, initiative, flexibility of behavior, sociability are mainly inherent in extroverts. The concept of impulsiveness can be contrasted with reflectivity - the tendency to carefully think about the problem and weigh the decisions made.

In psychology and psychiatry, impulsivity is also interpreted as a painful form of behavior in which a person performs certain actions in obedience to irresistible urges, that is, almost unconsciously. It turns out that impulsive people have a lower level of self-control, and their actions are rather automated.

Impulsive behavior and its types

Impulsivity is manifested by difficulties in resisting certain momentary urges, which in the end almost always lead to trouble, both for the patient himself and for his immediate environment. Here are some examples of painful impulsive behavior:

kleptomania - a painful craving for theft;
gambling addiction - a pathological attraction to gambling;
impulsive purchases - the acquisition of unnecessary things, preoccupation with purchases;
pyromania - an irresistible craving for arson;
impulsive sexual behavior - uncontrolled, excessive sexual activity, which can manifest itself not only in sexual promiscuity, but also in voyeurism, fetishism, exhibitionism and other inclinations;
impulsive eating behavior - compulsive overeating, anorexia, bulimia, etc.

The above disorders are quite common among adults and adolescents, and lead to a significant decrease in the quality of life. However, increased impulsivity is quite easily eliminated with the help of competent cognitive-behavioral psychotherapeutic work.

Impulsive behavior in childhood

Impulsivity in children is also a character trait, consisting in actions on the first impulse due to the influence of any emotions or stimuli. Due to age-related underdevelopment of behavior control, this feature is often found in preschoolers and younger schoolchildren. With adequate development of the child, this form of impulsivity is quite easily corrected, but it is possible that as they grow older, this feature of behavior will return again.
In adolescence, impulsivity often becomes the result of emotional excitability, overwork, stress.

Most psychologists consider the impulsive behavior of young children as a normal phenomenon, since, due to age and a number of other objective factors, it is impossible to require them to fully control their own behavior. The central nervous system is actively formed in the first few years of life, and the child begins to more or less regulate spontaneously arising impulses only by the age of eight. In fact, the lack of voluntary regulation of behavior is simply a natural age feature.

Revealing

Impulsivity is diagnosed by a psychologist or psychotherapist using special questionnaires and tests. The final diagnosis is made if the patient's condition meets the following criteria:

impulsive behavior is constantly repeated, despite the negative consequences;
the patient cannot control his own behavior;
the patient experiences a literally irresistible desire to commit an impulsive act;
after performing an impulsive action, the patient feels satisfied.

Impulsivity is a condition that must be dealt with, first of all, to improve the quality of life of the patient himself. Depending on the causes that caused impulsive behavior and the personal characteristics of the patient, an individual treatment method is selected.

Fighting methods

So, the most preferred method of correction, the psychotherapist always determines strictly on an individual basis, considering many factors, including the characteristics of the development of the patient's nervous system. In some cases, well-chosen pharmacological therapy with the use of antidepressants and antipsychotics helps to get rid of impulsivity. Medications are prescribed in cases where impulsivity is a manifestation of any mental personality disorder.

Various psychotherapeutic methods also help to fight impulsive behavior. The most widespread is cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, which is most effective when carried out in an individual mode, but attending group classes is not excluded.

Impulsivity in childhood should also not be left to chance. And although the child's behavior will change as he grows up, the main task of adults is to develop in him the ability to correctly balance his own motives and expected results. That is, the child must understand that all his actions will entail certain consequences. At the same time, it is important to develop a system of rewards so that the child has a concept of “correct” behavior. In fact, the adult directs the child in the right direction and gradually shifts responsibility for his behavior to him. It is worth noting that the biggest mistake parents make is that they try to “train” their own child by teaching him self-control through punishment. This strategy is fundamentally wrong and can lead to the development of serious mental disorders in the child in the future.

Of great importance in the correction of impulsiveness in preschoolers and younger schoolchildren are joint games that involve restraining impulses and taking into account the interests of other participants. In the future, educational activities will further contribute to the normalization of behavioral activity.

Start practicing yoga. Regular yoga classes help focus and reduce impulsivity. Training in which you learn to salute the sun daily and do breathing exercises helps improve concentration.

The greatest benefits bring yoga classes at every opportunity. For example, if you are going to a store, do some breathing exercises before you go inside. At home, if you're feeling the urge to eat junk food, take a few seconds to reach for the sun.

Train daily. Physical exercise, especially aerobics, will help reduce your impulsiveness. Playing sports improves mood, minimizes the effects of stress and anxiety.

Active sports help to concentrate. If you are prone to impulsive actions out of boredom or stress, then playing sports will direct your energy in the right direction.
Studies show that a daily 40-minute workout improves the physical condition of overweight children.
Physical activity is beneficial for people of all ages.

Learn more about how to develop awareness of your feelings. Understanding (awareness of) your own feelings and the ability to cope with emotions will help you better control your actions. Being aware of your feelings is also important because it gives you the opportunity to disregard your own impulsiveness and make the right decision.

When you have a desire, clearly formulate it in your mind and only then begin to act. For example: “I am angry with my friend because of what she said, I want to criticize her.” This should be followed by a more constructive response, such as “I can try to calm down.”
Awareness means focusing on what is going on inside you. Before acting under the influence of emotions, that is, impulsively, it is important to comprehend and understand what happened, as well as to formulate meaningful things in your mind. However, this may take some time.

Talk to people you trust. If anxiety is the cause of your impulsiveness, then people you trust can help you. Knowing that you have trustworthy, understanding, and loving people in your life will reduce anxiety and help you manage your impulsiveness.

You can also seek professional help from a psychologist or coaching specialist and talk about the difficulties that excessive impulsivity gives you.
Socializing with friends and relaxing with loved ones will also contribute to spiritual harmony and reduce anxiety, even if the problem is really serious.

Ask a friend to help you train yourself to be responsible. A friend can help you achieve your goals. Find a reliable and impartial friend and tell him about your goals. But first, decide what kind of support you need in order to achieve your goals.

Perhaps you want to ask a friend to call you from time to time and ask about your progress. Or do you prefer to schedule regular meetings with him so that he can check if you are doing everything possible to achieve your goal.
It is also worth making a plan for exactly how your friend should act in cases where you act impulsively.
In response, you can offer your friend your help in solving his problems. This way you will become partners in mutual responsibility.

Be aware of how impulsivity affects your life. Impulsivity can have both positive and negative sides. For example, if you hesitate for a long time and make an important decision at the very last minute, then this may mean that you are trying to avoid the stress of trying to make an informed decision.

If you're trying to reap the benefits of impulsivity, it's best to find better ways to reap the benefits.
You can still act spontaneously even if you become less impulsive. Stop reacting to everything impulsively does not mean that your life will be boring and monotonous. This means that you will now have more control over where your time, effort and money go.

Impulsive actions can be caused by various reasons:

emotional environment when the individual has not formed adequate reactions;
general emotional instability of the individual;
state of intoxication;
habitual forms of behavior;
psychopathic personality anomalies.

In all impulsive reactions, the individual's personal readiness for certain actions is manifested. In conflict emotional states, feelings and emotions suppress the rational mechanisms of behavior regulation and acquire a leading regulatory function, turning into the main mechanism of impulsive actions.

Sometimes, due to a combination of circumstances that have suddenly arisen, a person is forced to act very quickly. The motives for acting in such situations are inaccurately called "forced motives". In this regard, it should be borne in mind that in extreme situations, the motives of a person's actions are folded, combined with a suddenly formed goal. What guides a person who defends himself from a sudden attack? In this case, his behavior is determined not by thoughtful motives, but by a general motivation, readiness for self-preservation, which manifests itself in stereotypical self-defense actions.

Often, impulsive actions are also performed for "internal reasons" - because of the desire of the individual to assert himself, to ensure his superiority over others, to give vent to accumulated negative emotions.

Impulsivity is most acutely manifested in a state of affect, strong emotional excitement, characterized by disorganization of consciousness, inhibition of all areas of the brain, except for the hyperdominant focus, disinhibition of extensive subcortical zones, and a sharp activation of impulsive, involuntary defensive and aggressive reactions. There are no conscious goals and motives in the case of affect - the setting is triggered to overcome the affector. The affect is associated with the inability of the individual to get out of this acute, critical situation in a socially adapted way.

The state of affect inhibits all mental processes not related to the hyperdominant and imposes on the individual an “emergency” stereotype of behavior (flight, aggression, screaming, crying, chaotic movements, shifts in the functional and physiological state of the body). In a state of passion, the most important mechanism of activity is violated - selectivity in the choice of a behavioral act, the habitual behavior of a person changes dramatically, his life positions are deformed, and the ability to establish relationships between phenomena is disrupted. One, often distorted, idea begins to dominate in consciousness - the so-called “narrowing of consciousness” occurs (inhibition of all areas of the cerebral cortex, except for those associated with the hyperdominant zone).

In actions performed in a state of passion, the goal is not specified, the action has only a general direction. (A crime committed in a state of passion has an indefinite and indirect intent).

Stress is also a conflict emotional state that activates impulsive reactions. The concept of "stress" (from the English stress - pressure, tension) covers a wide variety of mentally extremely stressful conditions caused by various extreme influences (stressors). In this case, the human psyche can be modified in the form of:

extreme activation of motor-impulsive activity,
development of deep inhibitory processes (stupor),
generalization - the spread of activity over a wide area of objects, a violation of differentiation in the choice of goals.

With demobilizing stress (distress), the entire motivational sphere of the personality and its adaptive-behavioral skills are deformed, the expediency of actions is violated, and speech capabilities deteriorate. But in some cases, stress mobilizes the adaptive capabilities of the individual (this kind of stress is called austress).

For a legal assessment of a person's behavior in a state of stress, it should be borne in mind that in a state of austress, a person's consciousness may not be narrowed - a person may be able to mobilize his physical and mental capabilities to the maximum to overcome the extreme impact in reasonable ways.

Human behavior, both under affect and under stress, is not completely relegated to the unconscious level. His actions to eliminate the affector or stressor, the choice of tools and methods of action, speech means retain social conditioning. Narrowing of consciousness during affect and stress does not mean its complete disorder.

Deformation in the emotional-volitional sphere of a person occurs not only in a state of passion and stress. One of the varieties of the so-called conflict mental states is the state of frustration (from Latin frustratio - vain expectation, frustration due to deception of expectations) - an extremely emotionally intense negative state associated with the emergence of an obstacle insurmountable for this ferocity in achieving a significant goal for him. The state of frustration manifests itself in unbearably painful, oppressive mental stress, in a feeling of despair, hopelessness, extreme aggressiveness towards the frustrator.

The impulsiveness of behavior is especially characteristic of psychopathic personalities and persons with an accentuated character, striving for immediate satisfaction of actualized needs without due regard for circumstances prone to instant compensatory reactions.

Impulsive crimes are the "closure" of acute mental states of an individual to situational circumstances that are conflicting for a given individual, which act as a trigger for his little-conscious illegal actions. The nature of these situational circumstances allows us to judge what is criminogenic for a given individual. All impulsive criminal acts are distinguished by the curtailment of conscious regulatory components of behavior. In these behavioral acts, the conscious-volitional regulation of behavior is deformed - conscious decision-making, detailed programming of action are replaced by attitude reactions - the individual's readiness for stereotyped actions characteristic of him in typical situations. The motives and goals of the action are overlapped by a generalized emotional impulse - to damage the traumatic emotional source.

However, impulsive criminal acts cannot be considered as a variety of random crimes. They, as a rule, are naturally conditioned by the personal characteristics of impulsive criminals. And this stereotyping of impulsive criminal behavior is essential for assessing the personality of a criminal and its resocialization. Impulsiveness of behavior cannot be unconditionally regarded as a mitigating circumstance. In many cases, it characterizes a stable socially dangerous quality of a person, his extremely low social responsibility.

What is impulsivity

In life, each person meets people with different characters. Have you ever dealt with a person who struck with his inconstancy? Such people, as a rule, tend to change their minds quite quickly, they are characterized by instant mood swings.

It would seem that just now he was smiling and in a good mood, when suddenly something affects his mood, and aggression and discontent appear. Also, these people amaze with their lightning-fast decisions. What explains this human behavior? In psychology, this is called impulsiveness.

Impulsivity is a feature of the human nature, manifested in the tendency to make decisions without thinking through the consequences. Impulsive people are guided in their behavior not by reason, but by emotions and temporary circumstances.

More often than not, this behavior only leads to negative consequences. This is due to the intemperance, irascibility and harshness that often manifest themselves in such people. In other words, we can say that impulsive actions are actions performed without considering the consequences, without prior reflection.

Some people confuse impulsiveness with decisiveness, this is a very common misconception. However, there is a big difference between these two states. Decisive individuals are firmly confident in their decision or action, and this confidence also extends to the result of their activities.

Impulsive individuals are distinguished by the fact that they first take actions, and then consider the consequences. Such people tend to be disappointed in the end, as a result of which they may experience remorse or further complicate the situation.

Varieties

It is common for every person to sometimes be impulsive, but for some individuals this becomes the norm. Impulsive states have several varieties and may also indicate some psychological diseases:

Pyromania is the desire for arson.
Kleptomania is the desire to steal.
Food impulsivity - manifests itself in various interactions with food.
Gambling addiction is a predisposition to gambling.

This is only part of the psychological states when the human mind cannot resist its desires. Impulsive decisions are often the result of poor self-control. Distinctive features of such people are increased activity and explosive character.

These are bad interlocutors: conversation with such people is difficult and often does not have a specific topic, as they tend to quickly switch between different topics. When asking a question, they do not wait for an answer and can talk for a long time, even if they are no longer listening.

Impulsivity also differs in the situations in which it occurs:

Motivated - in this case, it is caused by stressful situations, when even quite adequate people can show an unexpected reaction to circumstances. This has happened to everyone, and it does not cause concern.
Unmotivated - when strange and unusual reactions to what is happening become the norm for this person. In this case, the abnormal behavior is not episodic and recurs quite often, leading to some psychological illness.

This condition is possible in both children and adults. However, for children, psychologists do not define this as a diagnosis, since children are not always inclined to think about their decisions and take responsibility for them. But in adults, this is already a deviation from the accepted norms of behavior.

Very often, impulsive behavior can be observed in adolescents. This is understandable: various stresses at such a critical age are more often the cause of unreasonable behavior. It can also be emotional excitement or overwork.

Sometimes teenagers cause such a state artificially, the reason for this is stubbornness and a desire to show independence. Impulsive states in adults are a psychological deviation only if they appear very often and the person himself is not capable of self-control.

Advantages and disadvantages

The impulsive state of many causes a negative attitude. This is due to the fact that people equate the word "impulsiveness" with such concepts as irritability, insecurity, short temper. Of course, these properties can accompany impulsive manifestations, but this condition also has its strengths:

1. Fast decision making. Do not confuse it with determination, but this is the positive side of the impulsive state. Such individuals are prone to rapid adaptation. Usually they are indispensable in situations where circumstances change quickly and you need to make decisions, adapting to them.

2. Intuition. This state also develops intuition. Each of us would be glad to have an intuitive character or to have such a person nearby. Intuition is a very strong side of character that helps us in life.

3. Explicit emotionality. Impulsive states imply a person's openness. Such individuals do not hide their emotions. This can also be attributed to the positive features. The better you understand the emotional state of a person, the easier it is to develop relationships with him. An impulsive person will never show hidden intentions.

4. Truthfulness. Perhaps this is the most important positive moment in the impulsive state. Impulsive people rarely lie. Lies are more characteristic of those who have a calm and reasonable character. With heightened emotionality, it is difficult to hide the truth. Any manifestation of deceit is highly undesirable for an impulsive person, since sooner or later emotions will take over and he will express everything.

Impulsive states have a number of advantages, as we have already understood. However, along with this, they are associated with a number of negative aspects. These include common mistakes. When making quick decisions, a person makes rash actions, which often leads to mistakes.

The minus of the impulsive state is that the mood of the individual often changes, and you will never understand what controls him at the moment and what to expect in the next moment. And since each individual strives for order and constancy, the emotional person is the cause of discomfort.

This is also manifested in relationships: it is difficult to experience romantic feelings with such people - either he loves and adores you, or he gets angry because of minor misunderstandings. Since it is impossible to predict the behavior of an impulsive person, it is very problematic to adapt to it.

However, being with such a person has its advantages. This is a very adventurous person, and you can be sure that you will always receive support in unexpected decisions. Also, the open emotionality of such a person can help you learn to capture many factors that affect his mood, and in the future use this for your own purposes.

At the same time, one should not unconditionally trust him: impulsive people tend to change their minds often and do not always keep promises. It is worth remembering that an impulsive individual will never act as an aggressor. If you encounter an emotionally aggressive person, then most likely this is a mentally unbalanced person.

Impulsivity cannot be good or bad. This is a state that has both positive and negative aspects. An impulsive person should use his strengths and pay a lot of attention to working on his weaknesses.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Learning to control impulsive behavior

One of the main consequences of psychotrauma (PTSD) is the loss of control over one's impulsive behavior. People do things without thinking about the consequences.

It is clearly seen that their self-destructive actions are the result of the influence of uncontrolled impulses, and their authors then suffer from the long-term results of these actions. Their desire for immediate gratification hinders their ability to see into the future.

Behavioral economists have called this phenomenon time discounting. Do you want to get a thousand dollars right now or two thousand, but in a year? What about $1,900, but in a year? Or 1500? What about 1200?

It turns out that addicts, gamblers or smokers prefer immediate gratification more than most of us.

They have a distorted idea of what might happen, and their vision of the future is limited to days, not years.

Other studies have shown that we have two competing systems operating in different positions of our "involuntary self": an impulsive system that wants rewards immediately, and a control system that regulates these impulses and decides (unconsciously) which choice is preferable. In people with addictions, the impulsive system is stronger than normal.

The same applies to anyone who has trouble controlling impulsive actions, and that's pretty much anyone with self-destructive behavior.

By giving free rein to our impulses, we allow ourselves to shirk work, unleash our anger, yell at our children, break our diet. Thus, it becomes obvious that we must find ways to strengthen our control system and impulse control. Starting with conscious effort, with practice, we acquire new habits with greater ease, and then they become part of our "involuntary self".

Impulse Control Training

Enter into a state of awareness and start thinking about the distant future. What will happen in a year? Do you still want to smoke, drink too much? Do you want to make stupid decisions, put yourself in danger, turn away from others? And then blame yourself for not being able to change? You know you don't want to. When you feel this temptation, learn to combine it with the thought, "What kind of person do I want to be?"
Cut out unnecessary noise. We are more prone to impulses when we are distracted by a lot of demands or under a lot of pressure. In such situations, if we know ourselves to be prone to unintelligent choices, we can refuse any decisions until all this noise has died down, or when we can really focus.
Control your anxiety. The problem of choice breeds stress. And we strive to get rewards faster to stop the anxiety that accompanies decision making. Practicing mindfulness, controlling intrusive thoughts, deep breathing, and other anxiety coping techniques can help you make better choices.
Do not listen to the sirens: act like Odysseus, who plugged his ears with wax to avoid temptation. Try to remember that temptation itself makes you impulsive. Get it out of sight, out of your head, get distracted. Replace it with useful temptations.
Imagine how you become strong, how proud of yourself. You don't have a headache in the morning. You will not do stupid things in the evenings. You will become slimmer. You will live longer, enjoy life more, become more attractive. Try to imagine all these changes in detail and strengthen your desire to achieve this.
Stop. Wait five minutes and then decide whether to wait or give in to temptation. Give yourself five more minutes if you need to. And maybe five more, and so on, until the "involuntary I" does not bypass the dangerous impulses.

Renowned neurophysiologist Richard Davidson, studying older people, found that the brains of calm and balanced people show more activity in the prefrontal cortex (this area, we believe, is responsible for the control function in the brain), which controls the amygdala, which is responsible for emotional reactions and the release of such stress hormones like cortisol.

The amygdala is the emotional center of the brain, and if the cortex loses control of it, we begin to act under the influence of impulsive emotions. Davidson is convinced that people acquire the ability to control impulses over the years through a process of internal unconscious training. This is how wisdom develops as we get older.

But what if we conduct such hidden training deliberately? There are many studies showing that focused attention determines the way our brain develops.

In one set of experiments, monkeys listened to music while simultaneously receiving light, rhythmic taps on their fingers. Some monkeys were given a reward when they noted a change in rhythm; others got a tasty treat when they noted the change in music. After six weeks of practice, the "rhythm group" had an enlarged area of the brain that regulates finger movements. In the "musical group" this area has not changed at all, but the area associated with hearing has grown. Don't forget that all monkeys were trained in the same way: they all listened to music and received rhythmic beats at the same time. The difference was only in the direction of attention. Analyzing this study, Sharon Begley* writes: “Experience, multiplied by attention, leads to physical changes in the structure and further functioning of the nervous system.

Moment by moment, as we choose and sculpt changes in our consciousness, we choose what we will be in the next moment in the most direct sense, and this choice is embodied in the physical form of our material Self. Directed attention determines the way our brain develops.

Focus on doing something good, and don't get distracted by the noise and turmoil associated with the injury. Make a list of rewards or rewarding activities that you can do instead of doing self-destructive things.

This kind of focus turns out to be more than a mere distraction. Training concentration and focus changes our brain. Concentration and the ability to turn off interference are skills that can be learned.

Each episode, when our partner upsets us and we scold him, makes the next quarrel more likely. The neural connections between our disappointment and our quarrel are simultaneously activated and linked together.

On the other hand, if we learn to take a deep breath as soon as a partner upsets us, we can activate the links between conflict and calm reaction.

We just need to remember that this happens regardless of whether we want it or not. And every time we do something, the probability of repeating this action increases. Therefore, it is worth making the best choice.

* Sharon Begley (Sharon Begley, b. 1956) - well-known journalist, graduate of Yale University, popularizer of science, author of popular science books. The book How Emotions Control the Brain (St. Petersburg: Piter, 2012), which she co-authored with Richard Davidson, became a worldwide bestseller.

Impulsivity: Causes of Impulsive Behavior

“I just have to buy it, it’s impossible to resist!” “I'm so sorry I said that…” Sound familiar? We hear these words every day and often say them ourselves. Can we automatically regulate or control our actions, words and deeds, i.e. To what extent are we able to contain and resist our emotions and impulses? In this article, you will learn about what impulsivity is and what are the causes and symptoms of impulsive behavior. We will also tell you how you can assess the level of impulsivity.

Impulsivity and causes of impulsive behavior

What is impulsivity? Impulsivity is a feature of behavior and perception of the surrounding world, expressed in the tendency to act and respond to an event, situation or internal experiences quickly and thoughtlessly under the influence of emotions or circumstances. At the same time, the main symptom is an error in analytical judgment, in which the consequences of one's actions are not evaluated, which often leads to the fact that in the future an impulsive person repents of his actions.

Reasons for impulsive behavior

Using PET (positron emission tomography), neuroscientists have discovered the pathway that an impulse or thought takes in the brain, turning into a repetitive compulsion, and explained why it is so difficult for some people to control the impulse that occurs in exchange for a reward or a long-term goal.

What are the causes of impulsive behavior? Impulsivity or impulsive behavior is closely related to the neurotransmitter dopamine, a substance involved in learning and reward processes.

Researchers Idit Shalev from Yale University and Michael Sulkovsky from the University of Florida explained that the physiological cause of instantaneous and repetitive impulsive behavior is errors in the receptors of the frontal lobe, namely, the prefrontal cortex of the brain that occurs when this part of the brain performs executive functions, in particular, in the process of organizing decision making and applying appropriate judgment. Learn how to improve executive functions.

In other words, in order to get the fastest reward, there is a certain deviation in the work of the brain nuclei responsible for analyzing and making the most appropriate situation and deliberate decisions. Scientist Joshua Buckholz of Vanderbilt University suggested in 2009 that impulsive people have a lower number of active dopamine receptors in the midbrain area associated with the ability to make logical and deliberate decisions, which can also increase the risk of depression and impulsive behavior. Those. the smaller the number of active dopamine receptors in the area of the midbrain, where dopamine-synthesizing neurons are located, the more dopamine is released and the greater the degree of impulsivity.

Very often, impulsive people regret their behavior without stopping it. Often it becomes repetitive and compulsive, as in the case of addiction to psychoactive substances, gambling, compulsive shopping, smoking, alcohol, etc.

Symptoms of Impulsivity

On the other hand, a number of researchers (Michalczuk, Bowden-Jones, Verdejo García, Clark, 2011) named four main characteristics of impulsivity:

Inability to plan and predict: acting under the influence of impulses, we cannot foresee the expected and logical consequences, any result is a “surprise”.
Low level of control: another cigarette, a piece of cake, an inappropriate comment ... "no brakes" and self-control.
Lack of perseverance: procrastination, putting off uninteresting tasks. Only the search for bright and sharp emotions.
The constant search for new experiences and the need to urgently receive them, which is understood as the tendency to act under the influence of intense positive or negative emotions and states that distort the ability to make informed alternative decisions and thereby avoid constant remorse and remorse, very typical for impulsive people.

Impulses come in different forms and have different consequences - compare: eat an extra piece of cake and steal something, break something or harm yourself or others.

Please note that the key role in this case is played by the emotional state, while the processes discussed above that occur in the brain provoke the emergence of emotions that cloud the perception of reality, and the desire to get them at all costs becomes irresistible.

Symptoms of impulsive behavior

How is impulsivity diagnosed?

If you have this emotional state and suffer from its consequences, not to mention that it may be associated with other serious disorders such as dementia, ADHD or Parkinson's disease, it is necessary to seek a diagnosis from a specialist who will determine the severity and type of impulsive behavior and will offer effective therapeutic measures (including psychotropic drugs), tools and special tests. In addition, you can also take CogniFit neuropsychological testing, which will be an additional help in making a diagnosis by a specialist.

Translation by Anna Inozemtseva

Celma Merola, Jaume. Bases teóricas y clinica del comportamiento impulsive. Colección digital Professionalidad. Ed. San Juan de Dios. Barcelona (2015).

Shalev, I., & Sulkowski, M.L. (2009). Relations between distinct aspects of self-regulation to symptoms of impulsivity and compulsivity. Personality and Individual Differences, 47,84-88.

Why Are You So Impulsive? Self-regulation and symptoms of impulsivity. Timothy A Pychyl Ph.D. Don't delay. Psychology Today, Posted Jun 23, 2009

Behavioral scientist with extensive expertise in the OD & HR fields, developing organizational effectiveness projects to challenge human potential within organizations.

Types and methods of dealing with impulsive behavior

Impulsive behavior and its types

kleptomania - a painful craving for theft;
gambling addiction - a pathological attraction to gambling;
impulsive purchases - the acquisition of unnecessary things, preoccupation with purchases;
pyromania - an irresistible craving for arson;
impulsive sexual behavior - uncontrolled, excessive sexual activity, which can manifest itself not only in sexual promiscuity, but also in voyeurism, fetishism, exhibitionism and other inclinations;
impulsive eating behavior - compulsive overeating, anorexia, bulimia, etc.

Impulsive behavior in childhood

In adolescence, impulsivity often becomes the result of emotional excitability, overwork, stress.

Revealing

Impulsivity is diagnosed by a psychologist or psychotherapist using special questionnaires and tests. The final diagnosis is made if the patient's condition meets the following criteria:

impulsive behavior is constantly repeated, despite the negative consequences;
the patient cannot control his own behavior;
the patient experiences a literally irresistible desire to commit an impulsive act;
after performing an impulsive action, the patient feels satisfied.

Fighting methods

Material on correctional pedagogy on the topic:

The fifth part deals with the impulsive behavior of children

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IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR

Perhaps, the impulsive behavior of children, like no other, causes a lot of criticism and complaints from parents and educators. Such behavior is made up of the child's actions, which he performs on the first impulse, under the influence of external circumstances, a strong impression, without weighing all the pros and cons. The child reacts quickly and directly and often just as quickly repents of his actions.

With impulsive behavior, the child is driven primarily by the opportunity to satisfy his own desires, to express the surging feeling. In this case, of course, a specific goal is not set, consciousness is not concentrated on the achieved result and the consequences of impulsive actions. This is how impulsive behavior differs from decisive behavior. The latter also involves a quick reaction, but is associated with thinking about the situation and making the most appropriate and informed decisions.

A child with impulsive behavior is distinguished, first of all, by incredible motor activity and increased distractibility, inattention. He constantly makes restless movements with his hands and feet; sitting on a chair, writhing, wriggling; easily distracted by extraneous stimuli; hardly waits for his turn during games, classes, in other situations; often answers questions without hesitation; has difficulty maintaining attention when performing tasks or during games; often jumps from one unfinished action to another; cannot play quietly, calmly, interferes with the games and activities of other children; commits dangerous acts without thinking about the consequences. Often a child with impulsive behavior begins to complete a task without listening to the instructions to the end, but after a while it turns out that he does not know what to do. Then the child either continues aimless actions, or persistently asks again what and how to do. Several times during the course of the task, he changes the goal, and in some cases he may completely forget about it; does not try to somehow organize his work in order to facilitate the completion of the task; does not use the proposed means., therefore, he makes many mistakes that he does not see and does not correct.

A child with impulsive behavior is constantly on the move, no matter what he is doing. Each element of his movement is fast and active, but in general there are many superfluous, side, unnecessary and even obsessive movements. Quite often, children with impulsive behavior are characterized by insufficiently clear spatial coordination of movements. The child, as it were, does not "fit" into the space (touches objects, bumps into corners, piers). Despite the fact that such children often have “live” facial expressions, moving eyes, fast speech, they often seem to be outside the situation (lesson, game, communication), and after a while they “return” to it again. The effectiveness of "splashing" activity in impulsive behavior is not always of high quality and often what has been started is not brought to the end. It is also impossible to predict what he will do in the next moment. The child himself does not know this either. He acts without thinking about the consequences, although he does not plan bad things and he himself is sincerely upset because of the incident, the culprit of which he becomes. Such a child easily endures punishment, does not hold evil, constantly quarrels with peers and immediately reconciles. This is the noisiest child in the children's community. Children with impulsive behavior find it difficult to adapt to school, do not fit well into the team, and often have various problems in relationships with peers. The maladaptive features of the behavior of such children testify to the insufficiently formed regulatory mechanisms of the psyche in them, and above all self-control as the most important condition and necessary link in the development of voluntary behavior.

In addition to the psychological basis, impulsive behavior may also have physiological causes. In this case, it is explained by the weakness of inhibitory control from the cerebral cortex, in particular, the second signaling system - speech. Speech, according to psychologists, is a powerful means of understanding one's behavior. A.R. Luria put forward the thesis that the development of a voluntary action begins with the child's ability to carry out an adult's verbal instruction. At the same time, the actions of the child are fundamentally different from involuntary movements. Action according to instructions is a means of mastering one's behavior mediated by a speech sign. What a child does today according to the verbal instructions of an adult, he will be able to do tomorrow in response to an order formulated in terms of his own inner speech. Children with impulsive behavior show a deep failure in this. Therefore, kind, cheerful, sociable, they cause a lot of criticism from adults, irritation from peers and need psychological and pedagogical assistance.

Overcoming the impulsive behavior of children occurs gradually, through the education of their endurance and self-control. Children are taught to think over and justify their actions, restrain their impulses, and take responsibility for their behavior. An effective means of correcting the impulsive behavior of older preschoolers and younger schoolchildren is the game. In particular, games with rules and long joint games with peers. In these games, children with impulsive behavior will be required to restrain their immediate impulses, obey the game rules, and take into account the interests of other players.

Impulsiveness. Impulses, craving for destruction

Manifestations that may accompany violations of impulsive behavior

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impulses to break or crush something

If such behavior is often manifested in a state of intoxication or drug intoxication, then doctors classify these conditions as toxic encephalopathy.

Impulsive Behavior Control Disorders

Types of impulsive behavior

There are different types of impulsive behavior, for example:

Key Features of Impulse Control Disorders

Many impulse control disorders include basic qualities:

repetitive impulsive behavior despite adverse consequences;

lack of control over problem behavior;

an irresistible desire or state of "thrust" for impulsive behavior or participation in such situations;

at the moments of manifestation of impulsive behavior, a person experiences satisfaction.

impulsive behavior

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