impulsivity

American  

[im-puhl-siv-i-tee] / ɪmˌpʌlˈsɪv ɪ ti /

Also impulsiveness

noun

1. the quality of being easily swayed by emotional or involuntary urges or by momentary desires, without weighing them rationally.

   Insufficient sleep may increase the potential for risk-taking by compromising decision-making and increasing impulsivity.

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Other Word Forms

• nonimpulsiveness
  noun
• nonimpulsivity
  noun

Etymology

Origin of impulsivity

impulsiv(e) ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

impulsivity

Although she was never formally diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a condition marked by focus issues, hyperactivity and impulsivity, per the Mayo Clinic, Spencer writes that he is “convinced” she suffered from it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

In the published study, stimulation-seeking and impulsivity partly explained the relationship between striatal volume and psychopathy, accounting for 49.4 percent of the association.

From Science Daily ● May 10, 2026

Dementia tends to be thought of mostly as a memory-loss disease, but there are many other aspects, including disorientation, difficulty balancing, poor coordination, trouble multitasking, confusion, wandering, apathy, irritability, impulsivity, poor judgment, and social inappropriateness.

From Slate ● Jan. 26, 2026

Many of us suffer from cognitive impulsivity, or a difficulty with pausing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

There are many biological influences of psychological traits such as cognitive ability, conscientiousness, impulsivity, and risk aversion.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker