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Revisiting the relationship between impulsivity, apathy, and action control: Bayesian inference from a stop-signal
Emma Michel1, Axel Garnier-Allain1, Mariia Kaliuzhna1
1Laboratoire de Recherches Intégratives en Neurosciences et Psychologie Cognitive, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université Marie et Louis Pasteur, Besançon, France.
Plos One
|June 23, 2026
Summary
Apathy and impulsivity often co-occur, challenging the idea they are opposites. This study found no link between specific measures of apathy and impulsivity using a stop-signal task, suggesting limitations in current task-based explanations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Apathy and impulsivity are key to goal-directed behavior but often co-occur, contradicting theories that position them as opposites.
- Existing research suggests apathy and impulsivity may relate to distinct aspects of behavior, with overlap possibly due to shared neural networks or general factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if specific components of apathy and impulsivity, measured via a stop-signal task, dissociate within action control.
- To test the hypothesis that action inhibition (SSRT) relates to urgency-driven impulsivity and action initiation (goRT) relates to apathy.
Main Methods:
- A large sample of healthy young adults (N=144) completed a standardized stop-signal task and validated questionnaires for apathy (Lille Apathy Rating Scale) and impulsivity (UPPS-P).
- Bayesian analyses were used to examine associations between stop-signal task indices (SSRT, goRT) and questionnaire dimensions.
Main Results:
- Global apathy and impulsivity scores positively co-occurred, replicating previous findings.
- No significant association was found between stop-signal response time (SSRT) and urgency-related impulsivity.
- No significant association was found between go response time (goRT) and action-initiation apathy, with moderate evidence supporting the null hypothesis.
Conclusions:
- Stop-signal task indices did not differentiate between apathy and impulsivity in action control.
- The findings highlight limitations in using task-based measures to explain the co-occurrence of apathy and impulsivity.
- Further research is needed to understand the complex relationship and potential shared neurophysiological underpinnings of apathy and impulsivity.
