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Published on: March 17, 2019
Disentangling impulsiveness, aggressiveness and impulsive aggression: an empirical approach using self-report
Carlos García-Forero1, David Gallardo-Pujol, Alberto Maydeu-Olivares
1Department of Personality, University of Barcelona, Pg. de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. carlos.garcia.forero@ub.edu
Psychiatry Research
|May 26, 2009
Summary
Impulsivity and aggressiveness are distinct traits, not the same. Research shows they are related but separate constructs, clarifying confusion in psychological literature.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Impulsive aggression is a poorly defined concept in scientific literature.
- Previous research suggests a relationship between impulsivity and aggression, but their distinctness is debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide empirical evidence on the relationship between impulsivity and aggressiveness as distinct traits.
- To clarify the conceptualization of impulsive aggression in psychological research.
Main Methods:
- Administered Barratt's Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and Aggression Questionnaire-Refined (AQ-R) to 768 healthy participants.
- Calculated product-moment and canonical correlations.
- Conducted principal components analysis to assess phenotypic representation.
Main Results:
- The common variance between impulsivity and aggressiveness was found to be no more than 42%.
- Principal components analysis indicated that a single component cannot adequately represent both constructs.
- Empirical data support the separation of impulsivity and aggressiveness.
Conclusions:
- Impulsivity and aggressiveness are empirically demonstrated as separate, though related, psychological constructs.
- The findings address and resolve misconceptions in the literature regarding impulsive aggression.
- This research provides a clearer understanding of these traits for future studies and clinical applications.
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