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Updated: May 13, 2026
09:12
Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats
Published on: March 17, 2019
Exploring a multidimensional approach to impulsivity in predicting college student gambling.
Meredith K Ginley1, James P Whelan, Andrew W Meyers
1Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, 38152, USA, mkginley@memphis.edu.
Journal of Gambling Studies
|March 16, 2013
Summary
Impulsivity
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Impulsivity is linked to gambling problems in college students, but findings are inconsistent.
- Impulsivity may have distinct dimensions that predict different behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the multidimensional nature of impulsivity in college students.
- To examine how different impulsivity dimensions relate to gambling behaviors.
Main Methods:
- A large, diverse sample of college students completed self-report impulsivity measures.
- Factor analysis identified three impulsivity dimensions: Behavioral Activation, Preference for Stimulation, and Inhibition Control.
Main Results:
- Gamblers (low-risk and symptomatic) scored lower on Behavioral Activation and Inhibition Control than non-gamblers.
- Gamblers scored higher on Preference for Stimulation compared to non-gamblers.
Conclusions:
- The multidimensional structure of impulsivity (Behavioral Activation, Preference for Stimulation, Inhibition Control) was confirmed in a college student sample.
- Specific impulsivity dimensions appear to differentially relate to gambling problems, explaining inconsistent prior findings.
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