The role of emotions and physiological arousal in modulating impulsive behaviour

• Published in: Biological psychology 2018-03, Vol.133, p.30-43
• Main Authors: Herman, Aleksandra M., Critchley, Hugo D., Duka, Theodora
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Delay discounting; Emotions; Impulsivity; Mood; Physiological arousal; Risk-taking; Stop signal task; Stress
• ISSN: 0301-0511; 1873-6246
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.01.014

[Display omitted] •Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct.•Emotions differentially affects distinct subtypes of behavioural impulsivity.•For example, positive emotions increase our ability to wait for the gratification.•Neural circuits involved in impulsive behaviours and emotions processing overlap.•Physiological arousal can influence impulsive behaviour. Impulsivity received considerable attention in the context of drug misuse and certain neuropsychiatric conditions. Because of its great health and well-being importance, it is crucial to understand factors which modulate impulsive behaviour. As a growing body of literature indicates the role of emotional and physiological states in guiding our actions and decisions, we argue that current affective state and physiological arousal exert a significant influence on behavioural impulsivity. As ‘impulsivity’ is a heterogeneous concept, in this paper, we review key theories of the topic and summarise information about distinct impulsivity subtypes and their methods of assessment, pointing out to the differences between the various components of the construct. Moreover, we review existing literature on the relationship between emotional states, arousal and impulsive behaviour and suggest directions for future research.